The answer is
Race Across America.
This is how it works.
This is how it works. Cyclist from all over the world race non-stop from
California to Maryland.
They have 12 days from their start time to finsih. They do not stop at the end of the day. They ride, ride, ride. The winners ususally only sleep about 1 1/2 hours a day. The most you can sleep and still finish is like 4 Hours..
There are Time Stations along the way that their crew
must call in to headquarters to report their arrival time.
So for the last two years I have been at the time station or along the road taking photos of passing cyclists. I love it, I am addicted big time.
So for the last two years I have been at the time station or along the road taking photos of passing cyclists. I love it, I am addicted big time. I am not a cyclist but I recently bought a bike and would love to do this race in oh say 20 years. lol
When the racers get close to Ohio we go and set up our camp. Tents, laptops, recliners, and we camp, stay or hang out at these stops and welcome riders.
In the down time we keep ourselves busy by getting hair out of the tent zippers or in my case taking pics of everything. Then we wait..wait..wait.. we stand in the road, we sit in chairs, we talk, we wait.. Then they start to arrive. Sometimes one at a time and other times we are busy beavers. 
The first place racer Christoph Strasser from Austria crew
comes in before him.
Each rider has a crew.
Most of them have 2 vans and a RV or bus.
(depending on how much money you have).
A team from Australia said it cost them $70.00 to get everyone over and rent or buy everything that is needed. ie.. towels, pillows, coolers, food, etc.
So then we wait. I tell everyone "where else can you hang out in the UDF/ McDonalds parking lot all night and not get in trouble." Or stand in the middle of the road and take photos. It's gives me a thrill to stand in the road. It's like going against everything you were ever taught..heeee. heee..
At night this is what we see.. Usually a follow veh with his bright lights on, sometimes loud loud music or a
When the racers get close to Ohio we go and set up our camp. Tents, laptops, recliners, and we camp, stay or hang out at these stops and welcome riders.
In the down time we keep ourselves busy by getting hair out of the tent zippers or in my case taking pics of everything. Then we wait..wait..wait.. we stand in the road, we sit in chairs, we talk, we wait.. Then they start to arrive. Sometimes one at a time and other times we are busy beavers. 
The first place racer Christoph Strasser from Austria crew
comes in before him.
Each rider has a crew.
Most of them have 2 vans and a RV or bus.
(depending on how much money you have).
A team from Australia said it cost them $70.00 to get everyone over and rent or buy everything that is needed. ie.. towels, pillows, coolers, food, etc.
So then we wait. I tell everyone "where else can you hang out in the UDF/ McDonalds parking lot all night and not get in trouble." Or stand in the middle of the road and take photos. It's gives me a thrill to stand in the road. It's like going against everything you were ever taught..heeee. heee..At night this is what we see.. Usually a follow veh with his bright lights on, sometimes loud loud music or a driver giving directions in their native language.
I learned to look for when the rider passes back/forth in front of the headlights and then I would yell "RIder!!!!!"
I am also known for being wrong, after everyone has got up, turned on cameras and ringing cow bells.
We did cheer for several NOT involved vehicles just passing through.
Maybe we made them feel special. 
So with Christoph, he had a 13 hour lead but did not stop, he was then trying to beat a all time record to the finish. Which he didn't get but he sure did try. Christoph is 29 years old and was busting butt when he came through. 
Now remind you by the time they get to Ohio they have rode like 2400 miles.. Yes, that's what I said. The total miles is 3006.. From this time station he had approx. 566 miles to go.
So after he passes the crew hangs around if they have time. So what should crew that has been on the road for 7+ days straight do.. They eat.. 
These are Amy's famous cookies. Everyone knows to eat cookies at our TS (time station). One rider even requests them and tried to take the whole box last year. Amy actually told him to take them but to leave the box. 
What we didn't know until this crew left was we were offering coffee and they took it. Then we found full coffee cups sitting around...oooopss. the new coffee maker had a timer and had timed out before they got there. They coffee was ice cold.. oopsss. lesson learned ...we watched it from then on. Sorry guys..next year. 
This is James. He is a race official. He follows along the route to make sure no one is cheating or to take care of reroutes if needed. 
June is very unpredictable. They start in California nice warm weather, they ride through Death Valley, to the mountains where sometimes it's 15 degrees and snowing. Then to the plains, which are hot, windy and very flat and then the storms. They ride through rain, storms, tornados. It's hot, It's Cold, It's Bumpy, It's Flat, It's Up, It's Down.. The race moto...
So with Christoph, he had a 13 hour lead but did not stop, he was then trying to beat a all time record to the finish. Which he didn't get but he sure did try. Christoph is 29 years old and was busting butt when he came through. 
Now remind you by the time they get to Ohio they have rode like 2400 miles.. Yes, that's what I said. The total miles is 3006.. From this time station he had approx. 566 miles to go.
So after he passes the crew hangs around if they have time. So what should crew that has been on the road for 7+ days straight do.. They eat.. These are Amy's famous cookies. Everyone knows to eat cookies at our TS (time station). One rider even requests them and tried to take the whole box last year. Amy actually told him to take them but to leave the box. What we didn't know until this crew left was we were offering coffee and they took it. Then we found full coffee cups sitting around...oooopss. the new coffee maker had a timer and had timed out before they got there. They coffee was ice cold.. oopsss. lesson learned ...we watched it from then on. Sorry guys..next year. This is James. He is a race official. He follows along the route to make sure no one is cheating or to take care of reroutes if needed. 
June is very unpredictable. They start in California nice warm weather, they ride through Death Valley, to the mountains where sometimes it's 15 degrees and snowing. Then to the plains, which are hot, windy and very flat and then the storms. They ride through rain, storms, tornados. It's hot, It's Cold, It's Bumpy, It's Flat, It's Up, It's Down.. The race moto...
This ain't no TOUR.
Meaning in the Tour de France.. they ride and then stop, sleep and eat and then start the next day. With this race..you don't stop or you don't finish and win..
Tune in next time to As the World Flops for more race coverage.
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