The Trans Am Bike Race is 9 days sold and the remaining 38 cyclists in the unsupported bike race are spread across 1,975 miles of the western United States.
Monday morning Trans Am Race at trackleaders.com/transam14
Michael Hall, 33, of Harrogate, UK, is leading the race as he approaches Larned, Kansas, with 2,456 miles behind him. He’s followed by Jason Lane, 32, of Ontario, who just passed through Scott City around noon Monday and has covered 2,361 miles.
Together with Ed Pickup, 23, of Salisbury, UK, they’re the only ones who are out of the mountains. From the trackleaders map, it looks like a couple of other will be hitting the plains soon.
Among those is Italy’s Juliana Buhring, 32, who leads the women and appears to by nearing Breckenridge, Colo.
Bringing up the rear is 73-year-old Thomas Camero of Hood River, who is taking his time through the mountains of eastern Oregon.
9 days old
The race started at 5 a.m. June 7 in Astoria, Oregon, and the racers are heading to a finish in Yorktown, Virginia, a distance of some 4,233 miles. The cyclists are following the TransAmerica Bicycle Route first plotted by the non-profit Bikecentennial group for the nation’s 200th birthday. That group later became Adventure Cycling Association.
There are few rules, but they are strict. No support crews. No drafting. No catching rides ahead on the course or taking shortcuts. If you need assistance, it should be the type available to anyone, such as eating at a restaurant or getting assistance at a bike shop.
When Billy Rice had problems with his frame, he made arrangements that a 29’er be shipped to him. That’s allowed because it’s something that anyone could do.
Appreciation
Although these endurance cyclists are for the most part hellbent for reaching Yorktown, Va., at least some of them are enjoying their surroundings.
Race organizer Nathan Jones, who is competing, called into to MTBcast to report he had just passed through the Clearwater National Forest in Idaho. “It’s 90 miles of beautiful awesomeness and I definitely encourage people to check out that section of the route.”
At least five cyclists are no longer in the race. They are Cynthia Woolery, Michael Hatfield, Paul Vaughn, Peta McSharry and Bruce Wylie.
Follow
You can follow the racers at Trackleaders.com and listen to their occasional phone-in reports at MTBCast. Also, there are reports from film crews following a few selected riders at Inspired to Ride on Facebook.
Other endurance events
If you’re into following endurance cycling events from the comfort of your chair, the Tour Divide mountain bike race is currently going on, as is the Race Across America. You can also follow the blue dots for Tour Divide at Trackleaders.com and listen to phone-in reports at MTBCast Tour Divide.
RideFarther.com has RAAM reports.
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