Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Meet the crew!

A RAAM team is nothing without the crew. Thus, let get to know a bit about the people who are in for a long week of hard work too! (We--the crew--are expected to have absoluately no trouble falling asleep the moment our heads hit the pillow by the 3rd day.)

Lee Mitchell, California.
Primary duties: Crew chief, California BikeVan driver/navigator
Sleep shift: 8 AM to 4 PM
Bio: Nicknamed Santa, Lee is a busy guy in red socks ("guy in red suit"). He is a grocery clerk for 26 years and full time community college teacher for 30 years. He also raised 6 kids. He even raced in a few RAAMs. Some people did think Lee's beard needed to be trimmed to reduce his wind drag, but each time a razor is out, no one could find Lee.

Joe Smith, New York.
Primary duties: Assistant Crew Chief, Nevada BikeVan driver/navigator
Sleep shift: 4 PM to midnight

Ron Bobb, California.
Primary duties: RV driver, Nevada BikeVan driver, Mechanic
Sleep shift: 8 AM to 4 PM

Leslie Bullock, Oregon.
Primary duties: RV navigator, Nevada BikeVan navigator
Sleep shift: 8 AM to 4 PM
Bio: During the winter, Leslie has become just an occasional bike rider. In an effort to get warm, she went to Vietnam the past winter.

Doug Goodwin, Nevada.
Primary duties: Nevada BikeVan driver, Mechanic
Sleep shift: Midnight to 8 AM
Bio: Doug took part in ultra events ever since the 1980's. He fell in love with Death Valley and when he retired in 2003, he decided to settle down in "the shadow of the valley of death". People who do Furnace Creek 508 usually would see him at the Shoshone Time Station, enjoying the sight of everybody suffering.

Mavis Irwin, Utah.
Primary duties: Communication with fans, Camerawoman, Mechanic
Sleep shift: 4 PM to midnight
Bio: Mavis is a 4-season cyclist who collects bones ever since she was seven years old, but she promised to not collect any roadkills during RAAM. She is currently a graduate student in a biology program.

William Medina, Puerto Rico.
Primary duties: Nevada BikeVan driver/navigator, Mechanic
Sleep shift: 4 PM to midnight
Bio: A proud slightly twisted genius of a cycling event called La Vuelta Puerto Rico. The Bicycling Magazine Online recommended La Vuelta Puerto Rico as one of the "Best Gift for Bicyclists 2009". Event website: www.vueltapr.com

Willy Nevin, California.
Primary duties: California BikeVan driver, RV navigator
Sleep shift: Midnight to 8 AM
Bio: Willy claimed that all of his three daughters look cuter than him. Here is his proof from a cyclocross event, where his daughter got all the cheering and he didn't: YouTube video

Anne Noone, Pennsylvania.
Primary duties: Food prep, California BikeVan navigator
Sleep shift: Midnight to 8 AM
Bio: Anne's car license plate has always been "LIV2BIK". Nothing more needed to be said!

Bill Phillips, Oregon.
Primary duties: California BikeVan driver/navigator, Mechanic
Sleep shift: 8 AM to 4 PM
Bio: Bill enjoyed his crewing experience with Lee. Claimed there is nothing as wonderful as smelling bad and driving around in a minivan with an old bearded man telling him what to do. If that wasn't "good" enough, he said he have to sleep with that old bearded man too.

Al Stokes, North Carolina.
Primary duties: Food prep, California BikeVan navigator, Nurse/massage, Mechanic
Sleep shift: 4 PM to midnight
Bio: Al gave up running for cycling 25 years ago because of the ability to get a nice workout in while eating and drinking at the same time.

Rich Wagar, Washington.
Primary duties: RV driver
Sleep shift: Midnight to 8 AM

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