Day 7: Brace Yourself

Nine days ago various teams huddled underneath digital pictures beamed from this exact point on RAAM. While we were pouring over strategies to reign supreme, supersized rains were pouring over the region we now traversed. Even as we rolled by under perfectly sunny skies, the past week's weather was never far from our minds. Mere inches from our rims the swollen rivers lapped the edge of the road, painting visions of a submerged route only days before. Also sprinkled along the way was another phenomenom that began nine days ago: our soloists. Tired and chugging along, some cramping, others relying on tubes to hold up their heads, our fearless flyers were crossing off time stations like the rest of us. While driving the RV, I found myself directly behind a struggling soloist, his follow vehicle five cars further back. As he gingerly coasted along, I watched with a tear of fear in the corner of my eye as he weaved from fog line to center line back and forth. Later I proclaimed to Brenda that I would NOT be supporting any soloist I personally knew flirting with the pavement, precariously lodging myself between a Stone and a hard place. In other words I lied.