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[RC] Sorry about the previous post, where DID all those lines come from? Sunday, tomorrow is race day! - appalucieSpent most of the day getting crewing stuff ready and going around on the roads again. We wanted to show Joe's Dad, who had come in for the ride, some of the scenery. Went to the opening ceremony, the rain stopped during the middle of it and the sky cleared. Really a wonderful show of all the different disciplines being in competition during these next two weeks. The quadrilles, well, really more than quadrilles, as there was a whole stadium of folks riding in multiple quadrilles were something to see, such precision. If you could see the webcam feed, I'm sure you will see some pretty neat stuff. The American Team marched right in there, looking proud.. I know I saw Joey
Everyone but a few of us computer geeks, as we are currently being called, are in bed TRYING to sleep. Most of the riders are getting up around 3 to get dressed and to the stable to be ready to start at 6.
I leave the Hotel with Joe's sister, Wendy and their Dad, at 6 to get to our first crewing spot to meet Joey. It won't take us too long to get there, but we want to make sure we are there in plenty of time. This spot is 22.5 kilometers from the start. Now someone better at math can figure out the miles for me...
I'm driving and having a great time with my little manual shift European car. Don't ask me how many times I've killed it! It's really good for U turns in the middle of the road. I drove on the autobahn today.. I did not drive in the left lane. I saw folks going fast, but nothing that I thought was unreasonable.
Here's my thoughts on the race. I'm surprised that a 100 mile ride can be done in such an URBAN area, I'm saying that this is the most Urban endurance ride I have ever been to.
There have been lot's of places set up where spectators can watch the action on the trail, even folks, in town can watch the horses move on down the trail/sidewalk or middle of the road!
I have some concerns about the footing. It looks to me, like there will be loads of riding on pavement, sidewalks, across parking lots, down the roads, on cobblestones and on gravel hiking/biking paths. There are some areas of good going, nice wide trails. Some of these riding trails also have lots of little round rocks sticking up on the track, just high enough for a bruise or to twist an ankle.
Due to the rain that has been falling almost every day, it will be muddy in places. I'm not sure if it's sticky mud or slick mud, but mud can be treacherous, never the less. There will be wet pavement if the rain keeps up, which I hear it might. We all know what can happen to a horse on wet pavement. Now some of this pavement is not just flat, it's going up and down hills and on curves. Not really good for horses to get a grip on. I think most of our riders will be wearing easyboots or shoes with pads. I'm not clear if any of the US riders are using plastic shoes. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Our riders will have to ride smart, it will be a technical course. There are rolling hills on the trail, some pretty good ups and downs. I believe the American team will know how to ride this type of ride and as long as we have good luck, we will do well. We have riders who are used to mud, who are used to a rolling and twisty trail and who know how to pace themselves, so we should do better than those who only ride a flat fast track. The only thing we may have issues with are all of the hard pavement etc...
But we will do the best we can! I will try to write more tomorrow night after the race.
If you can believe this, all the riders have to be finished by 10:30 pm, so I should be here typing away, by midnight or so. THey don't give folks 24 hours to complete the ride. I could never do this level of competition. I don't think the OC (ride management) would give me my usual turtle award.. I'm quite proud of my 11 hours and 59 minute finishes for 50 miles! >Not all the time I'm that slow, but I do have a couple of those kind of rides on my record!<
The ride starts here at 6:00 am. Currently it is 11:00 pm here in Aachen, my computer tells me it is 4:00 pm (central time) at home, which means we are 7 hours ahead, so if I figure it correctly, the race will start at 11:00 pm central time, at home. That sounds funky, but I think it's correct.
Well, off to bed... I have wakeup calls to make at 3 am, since I am the proud owner of an alarm clock! Then I get to sleep a few hours longer until 5.
Watch the web cam site, The link should be on the Endurance Net web page. Maybe you'll see us driving around, giving horses electrolytes and throwing water on Joey.. Oh wait.. I'm supposed to throw the water on the Horse? Now you tell me.
Later...
I plan to tell you all good news when you hear from me next.
Larry and Valerie just walked by to their room. They both are smiling and looking a little tired, but ready to roll! Keep us in your thoughts!
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