Special message from Richard

When we went through Kansas earlier this week, Richard had a tough time with the severe heat. Really tough. The heat was brutal - it felt like it was about 800 degrees outside, and I was outside once every hour or so and then only long enough to put Richard on a bike and bring Charlie's bike in from the road. These guys were working hard in that heat. No wonder he got overheated. It was difficult to watch him suffering so, because I'm so fond of the big dude. But I was forced to see it because he needed acute attention and we had to give it to him.

He's fine now. We all know that the ups and downs are part of RAAM, and that no matter how you're doing at any given moment, you can always know that this, too, will pass. Richard's experience with the heat proved that to be true. After Richard's brief dance with overheating, he got back on the bike and rode very strong. He came back in and said, "Man, this morning I felt like a donkey, and now I feel like a king."


Then he asked for the video camera. "I have something I want to say," he said.

Thanks, Big Guy.

And thanks to all of you for being on our team, too. Keep those comments to the guys coming. It's very important to them and to the crew as well to know that friends and family are watching us.