Bits & Pieces June 2008

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2008 Race Across America Hits Mt. Airy Bicycles

The first Great American Bike Race took place in 1982, featuring winner Lon Haldeman, Michael Shermer, Olympian John Howard and John Marino and was televised on ABC Sports. The four raced non-stop across the US from California to New York City. Haldeman finished in slightly less than ten days.

Eventually, the race became known as the Race Across America (RAAM). The race does not always follow the same course from year-to-year. In 2008, after passing through Hanover PA, the racers will turn south to finish in Annapolis. This is the first time the race has finished in our state, though almost every year it passes through it.



As any sporting event does, this one has rules, and penalties for violating them. Hockey has its “penalty box”. While the racers (hopefully) will not be fighting, certain infractions are penalized, such as drafting, running stop signs and traffic lights. Cyclists who violate these rules will do their penance at the RAAM Penalty Station, which this year is located at Mt. Airy Bicycles on MD144. The RAAM organization and Larry Blacks’s Mt. Airy Bicycles has invited everyone to join them at the shop to cheer the racers and volunteer to run operations 24/7 monitoring the Time Station and Penalty Station.

This is also a very good place to see what a person may be like who has cycled 2800 miles in less than two weeks. Go to www.bikeraam.com for more information and to sign up for the Penalty Station volunteer staff.

Keep tuned to the club’s Yahoo Group postings for more information. Your newsletter editor will post information as it becomes available. Racers are expected to reach our area from June 16 through June 20.

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Funny Foto of the Month

What - it can't be cute *and* funny at the same time ?