The French have a different view of things. REV is nearly 600K this year, with a 35 hour time limit. During the pre-ride meeting the director announced that the time limit would be reduced by one hour because the town mayor needed to have the post race meeting right at 7 pm. We thought that in this case the solution should maybe be to move up the start time (since the ride didn't start until 9 am anyway!) But, no. 9 am is as early as the director wanted to do anything so the riders simply would have to ride a little faster.
For Sophie's friend Remy (who was staying at our gite with his friend Guilliam) this was no problem. He and Guilliam pulled into the gite Monday morning about 11 am. Remy had finished in 25 hours and 3 minutes in spite of having FIVE flats during the night! Guilliam had dropped out due to problems with his knees. Sophie and Bob? Sophie, they reported, was going strong. she would finish, no problem. Bob... well, Guilliam noted that well into the race, riding up a steep climb, Bob was still using only his big chain ring (large gears, hard to pedal.) Bob is very strong, but both Remy and Guilliam thought he was crazy. At 10:45 that morning he still had 160K to go with only about 8 hours left. With so many tough climbs, this was iffy. Lisa and I headed into Luxiel les Bains to check out town and wait for our riders. Rick, Cathi and Dave were off riding one loop of the REV, just for fun.
At race headquarters we saw the rider list. 21 riders started. Ten names had lines through them (dropped out.) Brudvik (Bob's last name) was crossed out but "Bob" remained untouched. We asked the director, Jean-Claude, about Bob and Sophie and he had pretty much the same report that Remy and Guilliam had given us. He shook his head in regard to Bob. We had no choice but to wait and hope.
We walked toward town and my phone rang. It was Rick just checking in, but then I got another call...Bob! He sounded tired, but his report was, "if I make it in time, it will be just at the time limit of 7 pm." He was 110k out with 4 hard climbs and less than 6 hours left. It would be close. We reported this to Jean Claude and he shrugged his shoulders, considering... "eh bien, up to here, down, up again, maybe 5 pm, down, up, down, up, down....maybe it is possible, but we will be here, even if he does not make the time limit..." We said, in Bob's mind it is still possible. He said, well, this race is half in the legs, and half in the head, so maybe...
Wait and hope.
We walked around town, did some grocery shopping (always an experience) and then napped, waiting for Dave, Cathi, and Rick to join us in our vigil.
Around 6 pm we walked around the corner and Rick said "there he is!" Lisa and I thought he was joking but he said, no, I think...YES! Rick had just caught a glimpse of him in his blue Seattle jersey coming around the roundabout in front of the train station and now he finished the turn into our street. Finished, with an hour to spare!
Sophie had quietly slipped in about 5 minutes before. She said she was more tired than after any ride ever. She hurt all over. Bob was visibly dehydrated. Always thin, he looked emaciated. We sat him down and got him water, fruit, chips, peanuts. Amazingly they both recovered quickly and attended the post race awards ceremony and three course dinner! With so many riders not finishing, we were proud of Bob and Sophie. The riders were all French except one Swiss rider (who actually lives in France, I think) and Bob, the lone American. He represented us well, riding strong, going back at least once to help out another rider, navigating the strange roads succesfully all on his own for the most part, and conversing in French! We all laughed at the way they pronounce his name: Like "bobe" with the long "o" but very clipped at the end.
For Sophie's friend Remy (who was staying at our gite with his friend Guilliam) this was no problem. He and Guilliam pulled into the gite Monday morning about 11 am. Remy had finished in 25 hours and 3 minutes in spite of having FIVE flats during the night! Guilliam had dropped out due to problems with his knees. Sophie and Bob? Sophie, they reported, was going strong. she would finish, no problem. Bob... well, Guilliam noted that well into the race, riding up a steep climb, Bob was still using only his big chain ring (large gears, hard to pedal.) Bob is very strong, but both Remy and Guilliam thought he was crazy. At 10:45 that morning he still had 160K to go with only about 8 hours left. With so many tough climbs, this was iffy. Lisa and I headed into Luxiel les Bains to check out town and wait for our riders. Rick, Cathi and Dave were off riding one loop of the REV, just for fun.
At race headquarters we saw the rider list. 21 riders started. Ten names had lines through them (dropped out.) Brudvik (Bob's last name) was crossed out but "Bob" remained untouched. We asked the director, Jean-Claude, about Bob and Sophie and he had pretty much the same report that Remy and Guilliam had given us. He shook his head in regard to Bob. We had no choice but to wait and hope.
We walked toward town and my phone rang. It was Rick just checking in, but then I got another call...Bob! He sounded tired, but his report was, "if I make it in time, it will be just at the time limit of 7 pm." He was 110k out with 4 hard climbs and less than 6 hours left. It would be close. We reported this to Jean Claude and he shrugged his shoulders, considering... "eh bien, up to here, down, up again, maybe 5 pm, down, up, down, up, down....maybe it is possible, but we will be here, even if he does not make the time limit..." We said, in Bob's mind it is still possible. He said, well, this race is half in the legs, and half in the head, so maybe...
Wait and hope.
We walked around town, did some grocery shopping (always an experience) and then napped, waiting for Dave, Cathi, and Rick to join us in our vigil.
Around 6 pm we walked around the corner and Rick said "there he is!" Lisa and I thought he was joking but he said, no, I think...YES! Rick had just caught a glimpse of him in his blue Seattle jersey coming around the roundabout in front of the train station and now he finished the turn into our street. Finished, with an hour to spare!
Sophie had quietly slipped in about 5 minutes before. She said she was more tired than after any ride ever. She hurt all over. Bob was visibly dehydrated. Always thin, he looked emaciated. We sat him down and got him water, fruit, chips, peanuts. Amazingly they both recovered quickly and attended the post race awards ceremony and three course dinner! With so many riders not finishing, we were proud of Bob and Sophie. The riders were all French except one Swiss rider (who actually lives in France, I think) and Bob, the lone American. He represented us well, riding strong, going back at least once to help out another rider, navigating the strange roads succesfully all on his own for the most part, and conversing in French! We all laughed at the way they pronounce his name: Like "bobe" with the long "o" but very clipped at the end.
Jean-Claude wondering if maybe all the riders should have been wearing ruby red slippers and Seattle Blues?
For some more great pics from REV, see this link: http://www.i-services.net/membres/forum/salon.php?uid=15020&sid=5744&idsalon=230726
Today we are laying low. There was a thunder storm last night with quite a show and lots of rain and wind. So thankful that held off until our riders were safe in their beds! Sophie was giving her bike ("Spirit") a bath today, though, and discovered another weld break. She had had this problem last year and Litespeed fixed it no charge. Now it's the other side of the same piece. My moots may go to LEL after all!
Well, big issues with internet here and may not even be able to save this so will sign off for now. We're heading into town soon to check out the Bastille Day celebrations anyway. Pics when I have a better connection.
3 comments:
Hello Barbara (and Sophie),
thank you for the news from your trip, and congratulations to the strong REV finishers!
And happy "Bastille Day" :-)
Joseph
the "bobe" does it again! I thought you were doing the rev thing too? Good luck on LEL, dude.
Yay to Sophie & Bobe! Sounds like a grueling ride. Got your texts, Barbara. Glad to see you found an internet connection. We had thunder storms here a couple days ago, too!
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