Just Waiting

Tropical Storm Bill will be moving out tomorrow on Saturday.  The leaders won't be here until Monday afternoon, which is a lot better than the unpredicatable middle of the night, as the leaders always sleep west of Bloomington at night and we have to wait.  Looks as if Strasser has some competition this year.  Go Dave!!! USA! USA! USA!

Crews: Do not follow the alternate route for crew vehicles between TS 38 and TS 39.  Some large RV's will not be able to make some of the turns in this center of the city.  I've told RAAM every year to change it, but they don't listen to me.  Take this as a warning, and do not bitch at me when you finally reach TS 39.

No grocery store at the parking lot.  There is a 24 hr Krogers two blocks to the south and a 24 hr Marsh 2 blocks to the east.

And here's our favorite, Christoff Strausser, from 2011

Time to get ready for RAAM TS 39.  My wife, Sylvia, and I had a lot of fun last year.  Lisa Oliphant Brown kept her company and they became fast friends.  Alas, she and husband Buff moved to Tigard, a suburb of Portland a couple of months ago.  However, we are flying out there to visit and then ride Cycle Oregon on the tandem.

I seem to remember we had an issue with one of the legs of our tent, so I'd better put it up in the back yard.  What I don't remember is how damaged it got.  I think I've got things covered with a sledge hammer and duct tape.
I'm preparing for our club's (BBC) double century this year.  It's usually a loop, but one of those way back when was a one way Ride Up INdiana, RUIN from the Ohio River to the Michigan line on the eastern edge.  This year I've come up with a one way named RORIN from Evansville to Hanover.  Just in case you can't figure out the acronym: Ride the Ohio River of INdiana.  It's got to be the most beautiful 200 miles I've ever come up with.  I just hope I finish.  Dave Tanner, a RAAM veteran of many years, will be riding it along with five others.

Things have changed a little at TS 39.  There is not a grocery store within walking distance of your RV anymore.  However, there is a Marsh a couple blocks away to the left of the route after the loop de loop.  We still have the two CVS's to confuse all of you.  The time station is by the second CVS you see.  There should be plenty of RAAM signs to guide you as I've saved every RAAM sign I've gathered over the years.  Next year in 2016 there just might be a Whole Foods across from us by the mall.
I checked out the the solo rosters and recognize a few names:

Dave Haas from Wisconsin - below from 2008

Alberto Blanco, USA - below from 2011

I can't wait to see the 3 Musketeers from Austria - Christof Strausser, Franz Preihs, and Gerhard Gulewicz

See y'all sometime in June.