The Trans American Bike Race (TABR) launched on Saturday morning, June 4th. From Oregon to Virginia, the Trans Am is the hardest unsupported road race in the US. At 4400 miles, it’s twice as long as the Tour de France.
Day 19 Trans Am Race Report: The Finish
Wow.
3AM after a short nap, Steffen Streich storms towards the finish line. In the wrong direction. Much thanks to bad gps signal and the wrong advice from a friendly local. Steffen and Lael would meet across the road but there would be no detente. Our first glimpse of him would be a few hours later with race director Nathan Jones at a gas station and it just seemed like the fight had finally gone out of him: fueled up but “following”. And we would watch for the next few hours as Lael Wilcox sailed past him and chased the sea breeze out towards the coast. Every pedal just a little bit faster, every mile just a little bit further. Lael always with a smile. One imagines her not stopping and just riding on to Europe. Congratulations Lael Wilcox, taking the victory in Yorktown, just past 11am EST on Wednesday, June 22nd! It was an incredible race, filled with drama and dotted with heroes.
Further back and on through the rest of today: Evan Deutsch has a lock on third. Kai Edel is safely isolated in fourth. Benjamin Colwill did much work to leap over Sarah Hammond, which he should hold until the end. Janie Hayes could bother Max Fancoli with the remaining mileage. Jay Petervay took 10th from Bo Dudley and might do more before this is out. Likewise, Lee Fancourt is now in 20th and will climb another five positions before this is done. But Top 10? If anyone can.
Riders will continue to come in for the next few days and in some cases the next few weeks. There are two races at the Trans Am: one to cross the line; and one to cross the line first. What you have seen here has been primarily concerned with the minutiae of the latter, while my heart truly lies with perseverance of the former. Every mile is a gift.
Thank you to all the riders that make a race of the route; and a life of the journey.
And again, Congratulations to Lael Wilcox, Queen of America!
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Yeah, I don’t know… RAAM is bullshit.” – Juliana Buhring decompressing at Newton Bike Shop.
MADE IT INTERESTING OF THE DAY: Maria Schur and Zack Davies both staked Lael Wilcox for victory in our side bet from last week. Maria even went so far as to guess at the victory time within an hour, “I’ll say weds 22nd day 19 high noon.” For the rest of us however, it’s time to get your wallets out to make it rain on Newton Bike Shop.
AUDUBON JERSEY Leader Board: It looks like the ladies have swept the board. In another last minute, come from behind victory, Laura Scott made some fine selections balancing her admiration of the picturesque against the perversity of americana. Laura Scott is the first winner of the esteemed and highly coveted AUDUBON JERSEY.
It was a hard fought victory. We wish Ms. Scott continued success as she works to complete the route. Thank you for your good nature and your great eye. Best of luck to all the other photographers still on course.
Laura Scott – 14 points
Jason Marshall – 13 points
Wayne Kurtz – 3 points
Andi Buchs – 2 points
Ilaria Corli – 2 points
Alistair Davidson – 2 points
Joseph Boquiren – 1 point
Jay Petervary – 1 point
(c) Wayne Kurtz
(c) Laura Scott
(c) Laura Scott
(c) Laura Scott
For additional information about the Trans American Bike Race, you can find them online at: site. Or on Facebook.
Among his less savory qualities, he's a poor sport, a sore loser and ill fitted for honest labor. He makes bad friends and worse decisions. Animals avoid him and children despise him. He's been known to drink to excess, carry on with seditious talk and leer at women. He's a coward, a card cheat and a known liar.
Mrs. Call's second grade class said perhaps all that needed to be said about Larsen.In a moment of vindication and possibly clarity, Call would add to Larsen's permanent record that he was a bit of a dreamer and that Larsen was "an excellent student but his grades trailed off in the final semester."True, Larsen was filled with promise and saddled as starry-eyed but one can't help but notice that Call's inability to chisel this raffish diamond-in-rough wasn't also a clerical trick to distance herself from the responsibility of the 'Nurture' debate.She also said he was "prompt".She wasn't wrong.
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