Lotoja 08

Had you asked me most any day during the spring and early summer if I would be ready or excited for the Lotoja, my answer, due to a number of different factors, would have been little more than doubtful. Even come late July, after many miles on the bike, my confidence was shaken. However, I cite the following experience as an example of why, with a Team like ours, I could NOT afford NOT to race with you:
shivering, drenched, and thousands of calories deficient, I spent two of the most entertaining hours of my life in a High Uinta outhouse waiting out a storm; two hours that with anyone but Jer and my bros would have been miserably onerous; two hours that made me realize that with a team like ours, you have “100% reason to remember the name”.

On what other team will you find yourself at the front of the pack pulling and pushing the pace 95% of the race course? On what other team will you see Jer take off with quad searing speed in an attempt to “trim the fat”, only to see Jason 10 minutes down the road, single handedly pulling them right back into position behind us? With what other team will you have the chance hear Craig dishing out epithets at the leeches on our tail?
Our team is the real deal, the complete package. Big time Miller time strategy was right on, an inspiration for any support crew and his nutritional genius is fast becoming a tradition unlike any other...leaves you wondering what next? Jer apparently decided he had not had enough extra work in his life with the arrival of beautiful baby Claire, so he decided to bust out a big shot cadence spending double the time as the rest of us pulling at the front of the pack. It is little wonder why his neck went out at the finish when the whole 10 hours 27 minutes of riding time Craig had his head up, always watching, always paying attention, always calling out adjustments to be made and sending his shout outs of motivation. That said, the only thing I had to do was ride. Though I didn’t get the chance to see Wade and Brian much, from what I know of Brian the pace was swift and perseverant, and from what little I know of Wade, there was never a dull moment.
Yes this email is coming a week after the fact, but don’t let that be a reflection of lack of gratitude because our Support Crew was money!!!! As glamorous as it was for you to watch us wolf down hundreds of calories in a matter of seconds, chugging coke, biting into potatoes, and gracing you with our race day scent, you went through a full day of work just so that we could have a good race. This is not, nor meant to be, adequate recognition of your efforts, but Thank You Anne and Nat.