9 hours after Phoenix, the 6th 2 person team & first 50+ 2 person Team Donate Life – TexOz finished. The team consists of Texan Gary Barnes & Australian Peter Wilson. Having been on many crews, Peter has been planning RAAM for 5 years. He crewed on the Royal Air Force 4 person team 3 times and for Chris Hopkinson (first British rider to finish solo RAAM) in 2005. After crewing for Hopkinson, Peter knew he had to do 2 person or solo. About RAAM, Gary said, “It teaches you there is no such thing as a solo effort.” He knew about RAAM before Team Donate Life. Gary added, “Since Texas didn’t prepare me to climb, I designated Pete as the team climber.”
While a senior in college, Gary took a 2,500 mile unassisted trip on which a car hit him head-on. This made him realize that every pedal stroke is a reminder that life is a gift. Gary thanked their bike sponsor Jim Hoyt of Richardson Bike Mart (Lance Armstrong). Gary & Peter held up criss crossed little flags of their countries. RAAM race director Terry Zmrhal gave Team Donate Life (TexOz was the last of their 5 teams to finish this year – their 2 person mixed Team Beauty & The Beast DNFed) a special plaque in appreciation of their RAAM support. The team had an emergency neck brace (Peter saw what solo RAAM did to poor Hopkinson’s neck) ready, but didn’t need it. Gary rode on the 8 person Team Donate Life last year. TexOz was impressed as they rode behind 3 soloists at 18 mph. After completing a 2 man team, Peter feels farther away from solo, and can’t see himself doing it for at least 5 years. Gary wanted the 2 man team record until he got sick in the desert.
From Chew's Views - Day 11:
The final (8th) 8 person Corporate Challenge Team Donate Life – Heels On Wheels finished on Wednesday morning. The first all women 8 person team, they established a new division record of 16.57 mph. To give you an example of how/why older well established records are harder to break, the 4 person women’s team record is 18.57 mph set in 1996 by Team Florida. The oldest woman ever to ride RAAM, 65 year old Eleanor Markb rode to the summit of Wolf Creek Pass in Colorado. Descending at 50 mph, Mark made a statement for any senior citizen. Karen Lehman was deeply moved when she rode 6 miles with a local rider through tornado-devastated Greensburg, KS. RAAM marketing director Jeff “Bubba” Stephens performing MC duties on stage was brought to emotional tears by the Heels on Wheels team. As the route passed through Ohio, Jeff made a slight detour/stop at his house where his 4.5 year old daughter Paige asked him about the girls in the race. Jeff said these women are terrific role models for his daughter.
This is the first time in the history of RAAM, that we have had at least one all women’s team in every division (solo, 2, 4, & 8 person)! Deirdre Greenholz said there are 97,000 people waiting nationwide for organs. My colleague Perry Stone asked Greenholz on the phone, “Why are you in last place?” She said this has been with her since Monument Valley AZ/UT, and she made a list of the many reasons why. For 7 women on the team, RAAM was their first bike race. They didn’t get to see each other very often. Nicknames were used for all crewmembers like Flat Tire. Light rain began to fall during the awards ceremony, and it got heavier by the end.
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