the finish

Well we are done--what a great experience more than can really be expressed. I found myself very overwhelmed for the past few days. At the finish, there were many kids with NF and it really made it all so very real with our 3 CTF teams standing there cheering on these teams (Ari's Angels, Drew's Crew and of course Team Sami) and these kids. One day Sami will grow up and hopefully he will know how many people came together for him and a cure. As his mother, I do not know how I can thank all those involved. Before we even got to the start so many people were involved in our effort to raise research funds. My nephew had a golf tournament for us, 6 bands in Appleton played in a benefit, we put on 2 road races, 2 silent auctions, a snow shoe/cross country ski benefit, cocktail benefit, 12 brat fry's, bake sales, raffles, and all out begging. All the people from neighbors, to Appleton businesses, friends, family was outstanding. SOOOOO many people were involved to get us to the start it goes far and wide. Wider than can be imagined a ripple that just kept growing people really got behind our efforts. Each and everyone can feel good about being part of the solution. The race just brought out so many people on our crew and the riders who worked to hard in the name of my child. It is really something. 

Dawn in Heaven

pictures

Tracy and Brent on bikes

The race is over

What a great experience, our team (riders and crew) had the adventure of a lifetime. A complete team effort every person did exactly what they needed to do to get us to the finish. Tracy climbed the highest hills in West Virginia, Brent sprinted through the 98 degree heat in Kansas, Pete ascended 2 10,000 foot peaks in New Mexico. The crew moved the ship down the field without fail day after day. Amazing to see the riders persevere, Tracy and Brent noticeably got stronger and stronger as the ride went along, holding other teams at bay over the last 48 hours. What an amazing adventure.

Finish 2:02 am Sunday June 28th

We have finished the race, with an amazing sprint to the finish. 2 teams we battled all the way across the country (Berliner and Buzzard Bay) closed in near Gettysburg (100 miles from finish) by putting all their riders in a 4 person rotation for the previous 24 hours. Brent and Ted had road a 12 hour shift overnight holding them at bay over the West Virginia climbs and then handed off to Pete and Tracy for a difficult leg, during that leg we got passed and we decided to bring Ted and Brent back in for a race to the finish. All 4 riders piled in one van with all four bikes (not sure how). We immediately got in rotation, Pete started up the hills for 30 minutes and passed them, putting them in the rear view by 1-2 minutes. Ted was up next and road hard toward Gettysburg for 30 minutes, pulling away rapidly, as we entered Gettysburg Pete got back on and continued the run, Brent was next. After Pete and Ted's first runs we did not see the teams again until the finish line, when the buzzard bay bunch came in well behind us. It was a heroic run "The run to Gettysburg"

Less than 100 miles from the finish line.

Gayle and Craig doing a rider shift near Jefferson City, MO. Gayle's birthday...happy birthday!

Past half way point

So, like I was saying we are in Osage Beach, MO.  We are doing great.  We have a great team.  We have 8 people supporting as crew members.  Gayle and Craig / Jeff and Jean / Dave and Zach, college age kids from PA, Chris from MPLS and Dave from Seattle.  I cannot express in words how great a job these people have done.  This race is harder then I thought, and I thought it was going to be hard.  These people are going on next to no sleep, they continue to help without question in every aspect of the ride, just moving us down the road without fail.  I myself have never been in a situation where a group of people have worked so selflessly to help me.  I am very thankful.

This crew is working tirelessly because they believe in us and they believe in the children's tumor foundation.  I am converted.  This foundation cares so deeply about finding a cure for these children it is humbling beyond measure.

www.teamsami.com

D-Day

I just woke up at 3:30 a.m. in Osage City, MO.  It feels like I slept for 2 minutes today.  The sun was tough yesterday and it is supposed to be 95 again today.  I better get a cup of coffee before I type any more.  We are going to make it today, just not sure how yet.

95 degree heat today, Brent and I (Ted) road 206 miles through the Kansas flatlands, nothing glorious to report about it. It was pure survival.

Back in the car racing down the Backroads of Kansas. Pete and Tracy been gunning it all night and have likely made 180 to 210 miles in 10 hours. I (Ted) average about 21 mph on my last 50 yesterday. Battle headwinds for 7 hours and then the winds shifted, I swear I heard angles singing and trumpets playing once the wind shifted and the road opened up. Slept for about 4 hours in a hotel in Elkhart Kansas.

Brent and crew Dave after an exchange.

Getting ready to ride in the flats of new Mexico.

Pete near eagles nest, he just climbed over 9800 pass. He just
knocked out a long night of riding and is right of the bike. It is
great to see the smile, first couple days it was hard to smile, but we
have now conquereed the west.

Tracy talking to crew member Chris at shift change near bobcat pass
9800 feet. Pete and Tracy just finished up 10 hours with two 10,000
foot peaks, also took us through western checkpoint at Taos.

I believe they are near Durango by now.

Ted at dawn in monument valley...
Brent riding in Monument Valley just as the sun was coming up...

Ted riding through the Navajo Nation, Monument Valley with no moon.

Oh my goodness we are only a few hours till the gun goes off. Nervousssssss!!!!! The team and crew are anxious to get the show on the road. All teams were introduced last night and I (Tracy) was wondering what the heck am I doing on this stage with these bikers. A new crew came in to bring some peace to the group. Chris from Minneapolis literally at a cocktail party said oh yah I will help you guys. I called him he made a reservation and flew out-- we are really happy he is here!!! He is now being brought up to date. Follow our jouney. Ted will be the first rider-- he needs to get on the bike and ride. We all start out in a little parade and then Ted will be off for the first leg.

Sami

Here are some old pictures of Sami.  The first is in the NY subway by the natural history museum - Tuula, Taavi and Sami doing a line up.  The second is Rockefeller plaza christmas time.  We miss em all.  This ride is for them - we all love Sami.

A picture of the official race map near the start

Pre-race dinner

It is the night before the race.  We found a nice italian restaurant in an old laundramat in oceanside, just our style; gritty.  The front person was a nice old lady from Afgahanistan, great pizza and pasta.  We leave in the morning and we all are ready to roll

Oceanside

I feel like a wild horse in the stantions before the race starts, hard to wait and stay still, my legs want to go.  Went out for a ride this morning before anyone got up and checked out the first 20 of the race, took a shelf portrait since I haven't been on yet.

All riders have arrived

Tracy and I picked up Peet and Brent at the San Diego airport yesterday.  All the riders have now arrived in California.  We are staying in Oceanside near the start of the race.

Good luck racers and crew...we miss you already.  Love, Tricia, Sirkka, Helia, Paivi, Tuula, and Lilla.

Big (little fans)

This crew is staying behind in Santa Barbara.

Santa Barbara

We are now in Santa Barbara staying at our summer rental with Tricia and the kids.  I've put together a couple videos to see if I can figure out how to post them.  Here I go.

Santa Barbara Fun with cousins

We made it to beautiful CA. Time to regroup and visit with family. 

hooray we are in richfield utah and the best day cuz no up chucks from lilla . tomorrow in santa barbara to see the millers hooray. 

Getting excited, we are in the final week of prep, the van is on the road and riders are starting to come to California. I just did a ride up and down hawk hill, the main hill just over the golden gate bridge in San Francisco, the ride is about 15 miles and 1000 foot climb so it is a nice little run. The city looked awesome from the hill tonight, although it always looks awesome from the hill at dusk looking down over the bridge. On the way back I ran into a couple riders doing a long ride, they asked me for directions and I asked them were they were headed "Boston" they said quietly. I guess we aren't the only ones heading across the country, although we (RAAM racers) are probably the only ones crazy enough to try and do it in 9 days.

Here are a couple old pictures of two of our biggest fans, Sami and his cousin Paivi (in the glasses)

We are in Fort Morgan CO long drive from Minneapolis. Only three throw ups by Lilla. She says it is due to her moms driving. Auntie Gayle and Uncle Craig are happy to be off the road. Nebraska is a very long state with plenty of cows and corn. 

Team Sami is an endurance team of 4 riders: Pete (racer), Ted (give me the hills), Brent (crash) and me Sami's mom Tracy. We are going to compete to finish the Race Across America. We will peddle 3,014 miles in 216 hours. Our crew of 7 (Gayle, Craig, Jean, Jeff, Dave, and two college guys we are meeting in CA) will follow. The gun goes off June 20th. We are racing for the Children's Tumor Foundation-- and really for Sami. We are passionate about finding a preventative drug for tumor growth in children. 

I will start the blog by saying we were at a Make A Wish party for Emma--7 years old.  She has Neurofibromatosis NF as well. She has a brain tumor and her wish was --you can probably guess Disney. She gets a princess party and piles of fun. At the party was another boy age 7 with NF he had chemo that day for his second brain tumor.  It is the second round of chemo for the second tumor as the first did not work. This party makes it all very real. Kids with NF get tumors anywhere and everywhere. It is with this thought we begin our journey. Log on here and follow our story.