Perspective Of A Crew Member
I can't believe it is over. I remember the first day in Oceanside, CA.
I posted about Nancy's bike being late.
I was going to update the blog everyday , hahaha (it is funny now)
I had no time to do anything but take care of my riders and I mean no time what so ever.
A typical stitch in time would go like this.
I would be cruising through some incredible scenery, one rider in front of my van, anywhere from a couple hundred during the day to about 15 feet at night. I would stare at my rider (Nancy & Eileen) while keeping an eye on the mirrors to block and cars that came to close.
After a while I felt like a secret service agent ready to take a hit to protect my rider. They would have to go through me before they could get to the rider. Most of the people out there respected what we were doing but there were some cars and trucks that were to close on more than one occasion.
After staring for six to eight hours straight things get a little weird.
So we would finish our section and meet up with the other team and RV 80 to 120 miles up the rode. I would put the bikes away and fix anything that needed immediate attention. Then I would get in the RV and try to sleep asap.
I had to get down fast because we had to try to sleep while the RV was riding down the rode and we did not know how fast the other team would catch up to us. I woke up many times during the day/night and had no idea where I was I have the bumps on my head to prove it. All of a sudden I would get a shove and hear "you have 40 minutes until they get here". Now I would clean and lube the chains, check the batteries in the lights, pump up tires and get shoes and helmets ready. I did this routine over and over and had no idea what day it was until the end.
The hardest part for me was sleep deprivation. After a couple days into the ride I had about six hours of sleep total and it was very strange. I remember more than a few time where I had a tough time with simple tasks.
One time someone actually grabbed a sandwich from my hand and tried talking into it thinking it was a two way radio. The really strange part was after it happened I was not sure if they were loosing it or if I had been eating a radio.
By the third day I figured out how to get a little more sleep with a few tricks. I would eat , brush teeth, while driving and by never showering I not only saved time but I kept myself awake with the stench.
I saw so many beautiful landscapes it is impossible to describe them so I will list a few of my favorites.
The Rockies
The thunder and lightning that must have been 50 miles away and raced us across Kansas
The amber waves of grain.
The big dead green snake.
The Mississippi in the middle of the night.
The mountain lion Really!!!
The strange animals that seemed to look at us as if we were the only thing going past all day.
West Virginia by moonlight.
The RV at the end of a run.
I am sure I will remember more later.
It was an incredible experience and I can never describe the feelings I felt along the way.
Oh yea I am glad the van I drove was not on my credit card. And I feel for the guy that buys it and tells his friends that he picked a deal, Low miles, all on the highway.
While I was writing this blog I fell asleep about six times.
Jimi
I posted about Nancy's bike being late.
I was going to update the blog everyday , hahaha (it is funny now)
I had no time to do anything but take care of my riders and I mean no time what so ever.
A typical stitch in time would go like this.
I would be cruising through some incredible scenery, one rider in front of my van, anywhere from a couple hundred during the day to about 15 feet at night. I would stare at my rider (Nancy & Eileen) while keeping an eye on the mirrors to block and cars that came to close.
After a while I felt like a secret service agent ready to take a hit to protect my rider. They would have to go through me before they could get to the rider. Most of the people out there respected what we were doing but there were some cars and trucks that were to close on more than one occasion.
After staring for six to eight hours straight things get a little weird.
So we would finish our section and meet up with the other team and RV 80 to 120 miles up the rode. I would put the bikes away and fix anything that needed immediate attention. Then I would get in the RV and try to sleep asap.
I had to get down fast because we had to try to sleep while the RV was riding down the rode and we did not know how fast the other team would catch up to us. I woke up many times during the day/night and had no idea where I was I have the bumps on my head to prove it. All of a sudden I would get a shove and hear "you have 40 minutes until they get here". Now I would clean and lube the chains, check the batteries in the lights, pump up tires and get shoes and helmets ready. I did this routine over and over and had no idea what day it was until the end.
The hardest part for me was sleep deprivation. After a couple days into the ride I had about six hours of sleep total and it was very strange. I remember more than a few time where I had a tough time with simple tasks.
One time someone actually grabbed a sandwich from my hand and tried talking into it thinking it was a two way radio. The really strange part was after it happened I was not sure if they were loosing it or if I had been eating a radio.
By the third day I figured out how to get a little more sleep with a few tricks. I would eat , brush teeth, while driving and by never showering I not only saved time but I kept myself awake with the stench.
I saw so many beautiful landscapes it is impossible to describe them so I will list a few of my favorites.
The Rockies
The thunder and lightning that must have been 50 miles away and raced us across Kansas
The amber waves of grain.
The big dead green snake.
The Mississippi in the middle of the night.
The mountain lion Really!!!
The strange animals that seemed to look at us as if we were the only thing going past all day.
West Virginia by moonlight.
The RV at the end of a run.
I am sure I will remember more later.
It was an incredible experience and I can never describe the feelings I felt along the way.
Oh yea I am glad the van I drove was not on my credit card. And I feel for the guy that buys it and tells his friends that he picked a deal, Low miles, all on the highway.
While I was writing this blog I fell asleep about six times.
Jimi
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