I was out at the TTTT this morning for the 36 hour start.  Paul started the first lap then Greg, Steve and Bud for lap # 4.  Greg smoked 'em on his lap, something like 51 minutes or just under that.  I won't give much detail, but Greg has a good story about someone who had roughly a 5 minute lead.  I've taken a few photos and will be getting more when I head back out there as a volunteer.  The Flying Recliners look to be well taken care of by their support team.

This will end up being a long story, but I posted a course record with a 50.15 tie around the 20 mile course.  Paul took his lap, then handed off to me.  John Schlitter had a 5 minute head start, but I passed him 3 miles from the finish.  We dueled it out neck and neck until I took him on the final hill.  The team kicked serious butt with a 25:30 run for the full 500.  I couldn't have asked for better teammates.  I'll take you guys over anyone, every time, every year.
 
There are a bazillion stories to be shared, but I'm in too much pain to type....
 
Big ups to Peggy for her tremendous victory on the 100 mile!

That's the hardest thing I've ever done on a bike (so far)....   We're talking essentially multiple laps of a 20 mile sprint, that starts with an 8 mile climb and finishes with 9 miles of rollers...    
 
Good Lord, what were we thinking????!!!!!!!!!??????
 
Well, we were thinking that we'd maybe finish in 30 hours or so...  and CRUSHED that expectation with a 25 hour and 30 minute finish, passing people left and right...  (OK, only on the left...    Ding, ding!!!)  Suffice it to say, we had the second fastest 500 team time, and topped last year's course record (by the GDB Assassins) by roughly an hour...
 
What an excrutiatingly fun 36 hours, with an excellent team/crew...  thanks to all!!
 
I'll dish details later, but check out my new signature line!!!  
 
Here are a couple pics, in giant size -- more later!   (I've gotta get ready for the GDB picnic ride...)
 
The Flyers

 
John Schlitter, Honorary RBENT member
 

 
Greg on the approach/passoff
 

 
The Hardware
 

 
2nd Fastest Four Man Team, and Recumbent Division winner!!!
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Hi Guys!
 
  A very impressive performance by the Rbent Flyers!  I knew you guys were good, and I knew what bents could do, but even I was blown away by how fast and consistent you guys were.  Congratulations!!  I should say alot of people have taken notice, as well as taking notice of John's 29:01 course record.  Doing this event as a team, with your friends is an unbelievabley meaningful experience.  The Cole train exceeded our expectations as well, if not by quite the same margins.  We were aiming for 30 hours as goal, and came in at 28:08, turning nice consistent lap times, and no mechanicals or flats.  For me the hardest lap was the 6th one, being in the hottest windiest part of the day, I was motivated to go faster on the 7th being the last lap, and definitely cooler at night.  Despite our best efforts to get sleep I got very little and that may be the hardest aspect, sleep deprivation.  There we some real characters.  Gerry Hull from Georgia was on our opposite side from the Rbent Flyers riding a strange looking bike he built himself.  He was alone and crewing himself, and led for half the race, despite stopping to tell the lap officials a joke on nearly every lap.  He finally bonked sometime in the night and laid down in a ditch for awhile!  Brenda Barnell's team was just down the row as well, and despite being only 3 people, and then partway into the race just 2, they broke the mixed 4 person team record (31 something hours I believe).  The women's race was also incredible.  Sharon Stevens, had a flat the first lap, and a mechanical a few laps later, but persevered and pulled back almost 45 minute deficit on her rivals to set a new women's record somewhere in the 41 hour range.  
 
I'm sorry I didn't get to see Peggy's ride, after being up and crewing, and then turning in a great performance in the hot and windy part of the day, very impressive, I think I see a mixed team record in the near future ( I volunteer as a teamate!).  
 
Once again major congratulations!!
 
Take Care,
Nelson.

Here's a photo of the team. Other photos that Rose took are in my photobucket album.
 

"Flying Recliners" was an early option, but apparently "Reclining Flyers" sounded a bit more.... intimidating???  
 
Although there WAS the rare occasional comment by a just-passed DF rider, along the lines of "F-ing Recumbents"...   Hey, maybe that's NEXT year's name!!!!!   (The Fing Recumbents)

Bud was an awesome captain & teammate(as were Paul & Greg-all supportive). It was great to finally meet Nelson(awesome rider & all-around good guy-and his teammates Dennis,Jeremy,& Ray Torrey-of course). Ray's team camp was set up right next to ours.Thanks to both Ray & Nelson for the encouragement, advice & having someone to talk to between rides(during those times when teammates were getting much needed rest/sleep).
 
As I told Paul,the numbers "5-7-9"(our team number-which each team rider had to shout out to the timekeeper everytime we crossed the finish line) will be etched in my brain for sometime.  
 
Thanks to Dave for making a special trip to Cleburne on both Friday & Saturday( & taking pictures & the words of encouragement as well). Thanks for the support.
 
Ray,I would like to start riding in some brevet's. I need to improve my endurance. October 20th sounds fine with me(if your group will have us). Peggy would love to ride with you guys next year. Our secrets? Pedal harder/faster,but that's not really a secret.

Quote from FlyingLaZBoy on Sep 30^th, 2007, 3:57pm:

 
 
I *did* beg.....but that doesn't mean he LET me!  He had me going near 40 on the frigging flats trying to stay ahead of him!
 
F'ing recumbents it is for next year!

Quote from bikerteam on Sep 30^th, 2007, 6:13pm:

 
I'll let you know later. Today's answer is "I'm NEVER riding again!"

Team Cole train deserves a lot of "kudos" for a job well done. Everyone/every team in this event is a "winner". Ray/Nelson,your team rode well,hard, & fast. You are to be congratulated as well. Your overall team ride time was very,very respectable. Congratulations to team Cole train.  
 
Yes,I will contact Dan Driscoll about the 10/20 Italy Brevet.

Awesome job guys!
 
 

looks like a pro photog has some great photos of Peggy:
 
http://www.partypics.com/ver2/EventImages.aspx?EventID=551936

This, from Odell (ORTinTexas), from the LSR group:
 
I finished the 500 mile solo. I was the last official finisher. I came in at 47:48. 12 minutes to spare. I started strong Thursday, then I could not sleep and got behind on hydration which made Friday a disaster.
I started the ride with a stomach virus which did not make things easy to begin with.
 
I had around 10.5 hours off the bike. Most of that was Friday. I took a 30 minute nap and then got on the bike with 140 miles to go and 11 hours to do it. From 7am Saturday to 5:48PM Saturday I cranked out the 140 miles. I could barely eat anything so I pushed water. Somehow, by the grace of God, my speed stayed up at a reasonable level. I finished with the previously mentioned 12 minutes to spare.  
Too much drama for me.  
 
The tape:
Total time: 47:48
Ride time: 37:33
500.1 miles
12th place (last finisher)
27 started the solo male 500 mile. Only 12 finished.
I have not ridden furnance creek but I am not going to knock this course. It is tough. I would like to try both for comparison.
 
A BIG thanks to C'Dude Keith Gates and my wife and daughter for crew support. I could not have done it with out them. I will put together some type of full report from what I remember later. A lot of it is blurry and I need to capture what I did right and what I did wrong.  
 
John Schlitter is incredible and a vary nice guy too. Great job Paul....!!!

John Schlitter's Bacchetta Forum post:
 
John Schlitter
   I plan to post race report but still working in it.  
 
Just wanted to say a big THANK YOU to Laurie and Dennis for coming up from Huston and crewing for me. You saved my neck in the nick of time.  
 
It was great meeting all the other recumbent flyers down there, a couple of of repeats from last year Ray and dammit I can't remember his name but what was exicting was the crew of new recumbent riders at this race. The Reclining Flyers most excellent race and gives us some thought of bringing out some team riders for the team event.    [ Uh, Oh! -- PB ]
 
Mrs. Strada! (Peggy Petty) what a great job pounding out those 100 miles in the wrost part of the day. I was relating to what you were going though and was feeling for you.  
 
Tommy Marsh!!!!!! great job Tommy. He was cooking when he went by at the start and I never saw him come off the pace. With a little better luck and proper fuel I know he would have been down in the close to a ten hour two hundred.  
 
Paul Carpenter and Larry Id, as always a pleasure to race wiht you guys and Paul way to put it to Larry this time.  
 
John Foote, thank yo and I hope you have the best ever ride in your life this weekend at the 508. If it get hot just put a big old sock full of ice on your chest and you'll be just fine out there in the desert.  
 
OH, you got the picture perfect there It was always a test of what state you where in during the race having to remember that damm number and calling it out. I must have been really low on oxygen on that lap.  
 
Thanks everyone for the kudos.  
 
John  

I just got finished downloading it on my Linux machine, no problems except it was a humongous file and took forever to load.I got the 500 splits file first Excell file on the list.
 
Opus

Quote from FlyingLaZBoy on Oct 3^rd, 2007, 3:29pm:

 
Get rid of your virus protection software, and you'll get it fine.

Forget Recumbent Blog you guys made BROL! The recumbent big time!
 
Opus

"John Schlitter and the Reclining Flyers"....
 
Sounds like a 50's rock 'n' roll band, or something...  
 
Was that a great team name, or what?????????!!!!!!!!!!

Pretty sharp avatar there DJ!

Too much pressure...  

Quote from Bud_Bent on Oct 5^th, 2007, 8:56am:

 
Very cool indeed. Congrats Paul. Strike while the irons hot!! See if Randy will let go of one of those new Rans high-racers!!!
 
Bud,you're not just a prophet,you're Captain prophet!!!

Paul, ditto on what Richard just said.
 
Opus

Quote from FlyingLaZBoy on Oct 5^th, 2007, 8:36am:

SWEET.

Well, turns out my lap "record" didn't last very long.  It seems one of the 100 milers turned in a 47 minute lap  .  Ah well, it's still the bent record I guess!

Greg made M5's front page.

RIch -- click the small Union Jack flag in the upper right...   granted, it's not as catchy as "serious Piston!"!!
 
PB

I just read a report that Tuula Rodgers put together, and it mentions that Patrick Evoe, the professional triathlete guy who threw down the 47 minute lap and did a 4 hour 13 minute 100, weighs only 140 POUNDS
 
Talk about yer lightweights!!!!!  

140 pounds?? I can't help thinking of Jack Palance's classic line from City Slickers: "I crap bigger'n you."

bringing this back to the top to pump you up!