Abbott Smith
Guru
The official race Twitter account said he was having a back problem. Hope he recovers soon.
Hoodoo 500 stage race
- Thread starter DuncanWatson
- Start date
Lief
Guru Schmuru
Thanks guys - not much time to do anything but read this! Doing as well as I can for the tribe. Some eyes are opened this weekend when I pull away from the overall leaders on a low grade downhill at 168W at 35mph - they couldn't even (didn't want to work that hard so early) stay in my draft. 
I bet they were pushing 240 or more.
There seems to be a question about my GPS - it may / may not work tomorrow. Never fear - I'm starting!
I bet they were pushing 240 or more.
There seems to be a question about my GPS - it may / may not work tomorrow. Never fear - I'm starting!
BentAero
Well-Known Member
Sorry for not updating; there was either zero signal, I was too busy to post, or both.
Maria suffered from severe nausea during the night and there was real doubt if she'd be able to continue. After resting a few times, she's still plugging away. Simply amazing.
Currently at 370 miles with the toughest climb of the course just ahead.
Never in my life have I known such a tough person.
Maria suffered from severe nausea during the night and there was real doubt if she'd be able to continue. After resting a few times, she's still plugging away. Simply amazing.
Currently at 370 miles with the toughest climb of the course just ahead.
Never in my life have I known such a tough person.
Abbott Smith
Guru
Way to go Tribe! Lief finished third overall in the stage race and was the first recumbent to ever finish the HooDoo!
BentAero
Well-Known Member
Don't know the details yet, but apparently there was an unplanned meeting between Ben's crew vehicle and Ben on the course.
Bike was damaged enough that Leif had to drive out to the scene and let Ben ride his bike in.
Maria is a bull dog and determined to finish. She's at 479 miles and can smell the finish line.
Bike was damaged enough that Leif had to drive out to the scene and let Ben ride his bike in.
Maria is a bull dog and determined to finish. She's at 479 miles and can smell the finish line.
BentAero
Well-Known Member
Wow, what an event. An incredible example of perseverance for Maria Parker. Despite a violently churning stomach, running on extremely low caloric intake for the last 250 or so miles, Maria finished. Making it to the finish was very much in doubt more than once. The fact she made it was a feat that I can't put into words.
That both Ben and Maria received time penalties was due to both crews making the same rulebook infraction. Both crews missed one of the rules covering one particular section of road, which was the crew vehicle was not allowed to 'close follow' the rider in that section. Jim (Ben's vehicle) was ahead of us and tried to warn us, but no signal.
Ben's wreck was caused by the driver of the crew vehicle falling asleep at the wheel. He was climbing about 9 mph, heard the van easing up on him and moved to the right, thinking they were passing him. The van hit him with the right front corner. Miraculously, he was only scraped and bruised. The bike is a write-off.
Re the falling asleep thing; I can certainly relate. This was the longest I've ever gone without sleep, ever. None of the three of us could relax enough to actually have real sleep. I nodded out for no more than 45 minutes in the entire 48 hour time period. Lucia and Michael about the same.
In a wonderful display of Cruzbike tribe 'above and beyond,' Leif Zimmerman who had finished his stage race event (third overall!) and should have been sleeping, drove out to the accident scene (482 mile mark) delivering his vendetta to Ben so he could finish. Ben's downtime from the wreck was about 1.5 hours. (The rules allow a bike change, but it must be the same type of bike, e.g. bent-to-bent, or df-to-df)
Congrats to the three CB riders, they all did exceptionally well during such a tough race.
That both Ben and Maria received time penalties was due to both crews making the same rulebook infraction. Both crews missed one of the rules covering one particular section of road, which was the crew vehicle was not allowed to 'close follow' the rider in that section. Jim (Ben's vehicle) was ahead of us and tried to warn us, but no signal.
Ben's wreck was caused by the driver of the crew vehicle falling asleep at the wheel. He was climbing about 9 mph, heard the van easing up on him and moved to the right, thinking they were passing him. The van hit him with the right front corner. Miraculously, he was only scraped and bruised. The bike is a write-off.
Re the falling asleep thing; I can certainly relate. This was the longest I've ever gone without sleep, ever. None of the three of us could relax enough to actually have real sleep. I nodded out for no more than 45 minutes in the entire 48 hour time period. Lucia and Michael about the same.
In a wonderful display of Cruzbike tribe 'above and beyond,' Leif Zimmerman who had finished his stage race event (third overall!) and should have been sleeping, drove out to the accident scene (482 mile mark) delivering his vendetta to Ben so he could finish. Ben's downtime from the wreck was about 1.5 hours. (The rules allow a bike change, but it must be the same type of bike, e.g. bent-to-bent, or df-to-df)
Congrats to the three CB riders, they all did exceptionally well during such a tough race.
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Cruzbike Chris
Well-Known Member
Wow! What a great group of folks. Betcha couldn't get that from many other manufacturers. Congrats all of you. I look forward to reading the ride reports soon. Hope everybody is well. Get some much needed rest and thanks again Gary for keeping us on the edge of our seat for the last few days. Remarkable how well everyone works together in this tribe.
Just awe inspiring to me for sure.
Just awe inspiring to me for sure.
