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 UPDATE: Jeff did it! Left: Jeff Linder (right) with pal Phil Liggett and Phil's Pocket Rocket Pro. UPDATE June 30, 2007 by Lon Haldeman: I returned home this week from the Elite Transcontinental. It was an intense 17 day ride with 50 riders. The riders did a great job of cycling in the heat across the southern states. There are a bunch of good stories written by the riders on the PAC Tour Elite Blog. Next week I go to Everett, Washington to start the Northern Transcontinental with 35 riders. This is a 26 day tour averaging 135 miles per day. I am hoping for cooler weather and a more mellow pace. More about Jeff Linder being one of the finishers (less than half) soon! +++ What does a former 777 pilot do on a Friday? Cover huge daily distances by "Air", of course! Bike Friday Booster (patron investor) Jeff Linder and his trusty Air Friday are gearing up for PACTOUR's 2007 Elite Tour. Last offered in 1999 by the famous RAAM couple Lon Haldeman and Susan Notorangelo, the Elite tour is a qualifier for the 400 miles-per-day masochism of Race Across America (RAAM). We're talking 2,797 miles in 17 days, starting in San Diego and sweeping through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. That's 12 hours in the saddle and averaging 165 miles per day, no rest days, and certainly no stopping to water the roses (you know how to pee in the saddle like a pro, of course?). "It's always been on my mind to do such a trip," said Jeff, whose 'defining moment' was winning the 55+ age division of the 2005 24 Hours of Adrenalin Solo World MTB Championship in Whistler BC. Jeff actually qualified for the Open Elite class at Laguna Seca, coming 5th in a field of 51 riders, most in their late 30's. [It's called, when 'over the hill' means 'nice passing you, young man' - Ed]. "I think I won because I have a unique advantage - I don't need sleep!" says Jeff, an obviously dependable pilot. Jeff notes that RoadBikeRider.com luminaries Ed Pavelka and Fred Matheny have also signed up for the tour. "In 1996 when Fred and Ed were primary members of the Bicycling Magazine-sponsored 50+ 4-man RAAM relay team, I was the back-up rider who would slot in for one of the primaries if something happened to them prior to the start of the event. As they were all healthy and began the event, I was "employed" as the navigator for the team. We all got to know one another quite well during the preparation and the execution of the record setting crossing ..." That record was 5 days, 11 hours and 21 minutes. The record still stands. Fred and Ed both ride Bike Fridays, and Fred recently told RBR's 55,000 readers he was training for the event on his Pocket Rocket Pro! So how are Jeff's 50 Elite cohorts training for the tour? "Double centuries, back to back, 400k brevets ... phew!" Lon, who, in 1981, famously rode across the country*, took a swig of Coke, waited for traffic to clear, then turned around and started pedaling back way he came, should be proud ... * The Double Transcontinental |
RELATED LINKS
PBP on a Friday and other long distance rides
PACTOUR on a Friday The Haldemans are Friday adopters from way back
RoadBikeRider.com Expert tips from Fred and Ed on to get ship-shape for this kind of tour
Air Bikes All about the quintessential suspended beam travel bicycle
Bike Friday Boosters Read about Jeff and other patron saints of Bike Friday
 Here's what Coach Fred had to say about his Friday on RoadBikeRider.com ED & FRED'S TRAINING LOGS: April 16-22 Here's the weekly update on how RBR's Ed Pavelka and Fred Matheny are preparing for PAC Tour's 166-mile-per-day Elite Tour across the U.S. on June 10-26. Ed, 60, is an endurance guy who lives in eastern Pennsylvania. Fred, 61, favors shorter, faster rides and crosstraining. He's in western Colorado. They hope their training recaps and comments will help you prepare for your own long-distance rides and tours. Ed's week: Monday, weights. Tuesday, rest day. Wednesday, 93-mile ride. Thursday, 44-mile ride. Friday, weights. Saturday, 300K brevet (189 miles). Sunday, 35 miles on tandem. Total: 24.25 hours Comment: Saturday's 300K was longer than all but one day of the upcoming Elite Tour, which averages 267K for 17 straight days. Still, I had to ask myself on Sunday if I felt like riding another 12 hours. Not hardly! With just 44 days remaining till we head east from San Diego, it's intimidating to think about all those crack-of-dawn departures on routes ranging from 206K to 333K (128 to 207 miles). It sounds like several other riders in the ET e-mail group are nervous about it too. The good news is that we've built solid foundations and still have six weeks to go. My schedule includes three more 300K's, a 400K (248 miles), a 600K (372miles) and maybe even a 1,000K (620 miles). The last two would give me the back-to-back long days crucial for physical and mental ET preparation. These rides will also qualify me for Paris-Brest-Paris, which, at 1,200K (745 miles) doesn't sound too difficult -- until you remember that my group must complete the distance in less than 80 hours, including control stops and sleep breaks. It's a tough job . . . and I'm glad I get to do it. Fred's week: Monday, 55 miles on tandem. Tuesday, 15-mile ride, weights. Wednesday, 2:00 hike. Thursday, travel day. Friday, 149-mile ride. Saturday, 120-mile ride. Sunday, 53-mile ride. Total: 25.75 hours. Comment: A trip can wreak havoc with the best training plan. So when we headed to Ohio to visit relatives, I was happy to unveil my secret weapon for combining travel and training -- my Bike Friday Pocket Rocket Pro. It fit neatly in a suitcase, checked as regular luggage and took me only 15 minutes to put together, ride-ready. It was comfortable and well-behaved for riding 322 miles in 3 days on flat but scenic (and windy) western Ohio roads. Tip: Set up your travel bike with the same saddle, handlebar and pedals as your regular bike. Duplicate your position and you'll make a seamless transition from bike to bike without risking injury. |