“What do you mean there’s no Starbucks?”
“Across the river…but it’s a ways…”
This is how the morning began. Well, I wasn’t actually that abrupt with the nice man at McDonald’s. They do, for the record, have a variety of delicious coffee drinks at the McCafe. But I did ask. After all, this is America, and there is a Starbucks on every corner, is there not?
Apparently not in Southern Illinois.
Stepping out of one’s comfort zone is a fundamental part of Race Across America. For the riders and the crews, the race means long hours, little sleep, and a combination of protein bars and fast food. But in the end, every sleepless night and Starbucks-free morning will be well worth it.
When our media crew of four dropped to two yesterday morning, we met with Barrie and devised a plan. While one of us will tag along with a rider vehicle or follow crew for a couple shifts, the other will drive ahead. Today was my day to drive, and I finally had a chance to think about the race thus far. Sleep deprived yet invigorated from our 3am trip to Missouri’s capital, I cruised across the Mississippi and through the back roads of Illinois and Indiana. I feel like I was smiling the whole way.
The dynamic of this team is very special. ViaSat really is a family, and no one, even a stranger like me, is made to feel like an outsider. The riders and crew allow each other an experience impossible to achieve alone.
Cycling, like any sport, has its dangers. Cycling across the country is a whole other story. While accidents can happen, the crew strives to keep the riders as safe as possible. Without the crew watching vigilantly through the day and night, the race would be impossible. The crew allows the riders to compete in the race of a lifetime.
But the benefit is mutual. The crew gets to experience this beautiful country in a way few would choose without a predetermined purpose. The stops on RAAM’s route are hardly tourist destinations. But they are truly magical.
Take Sullivan, Indiana for example. A town spanning barely three square miles, there is little to offer to visitors but hospitality and a few pizza joints. Yet the journey through the countryside is spectacular. The rolling hills, the cornfields, the quiet houses and dirt roads…and if you happen to get lost on the route…the local taxidermist.
It is obvious that on this team, everyone is very grateful. As I rode with Richard and Barrie through the Rockies, we were all overwhelmed by the beauty around us. Richard was focused on the safety of the green team, but his focus didn’t hinder him from enjoying the scenery. As he followed Joab down the dark drops and turns, rider and driver became one in the same. Richard’s zest for the race is akin to the rush I can only imagine Joab was feeling speeding through those hills.
It would be rash to dismiss this year’s “honorary team.” ViaSat’s supporters back home, whether friends, family, former riders, or colleagues, are indispensable to this team’s success. Notes of encouragement constantly flood my inbox, and former riders are eager to share their advice for navigating the treacherous terrain east of the Mississippi.
Eric’s wife Sarah keeps the team up-to-date with times and statistics, invaluable to our media team when we are away from internet service. Becky prepared a feast of healthy eats for Andrew and Joab, before hopping in the car to drive them 3000 miles. And Wei’s wife prepared a special batch of diabetic-friendly banana-cranberry- fig bread. Not a day goes by without a team member expressing his or her gratitude.
Well, I have good news. I finally found my Starbucks in Bloomington, Indiana. Now I’ll wait to watch the riders come through tonight…after a nap on our in-car yoga mat bed. Tomorrow I’ll be back in one of the rider cars. And that’s exactly where I want to be.
-WG 6/22/11
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