Trans Am Bike Race / TransAm / TABR

They used to run during the day from 6-9 or thereabouts but there was talk of them shutting down last year (but I think they ended up getting funding) It's possible they're on a reduced schedule but where did he stop/slow?

AZ has 690km left and 29 hours to better Grabers time. Mental if he succeeds.

I thought he took quite a long time to do the run-in to the ferry, but that may have been a mistaken impression.

I can't find the 'regular schedule' on their F******* page, only this:

The Cave-In-Rock Ferry operates 6:00 a.m., to 9:50 p.m., CT, daily. The last run from Illinois is at 9:40 p.m. The last run from Kentucky is at 9:50 pm.

That may be as close to a schedule as it gets.

The hours were reduced from 16 a day to 12 last year:

https://www.wpsdlocal6.com/2018/07/02/cave-in-rock-ferry-now-operating-under-new-hours/

As the state transportation departments have intervened, there have probably been more changes.

If Abdullah rode a velomobile, he'd probably already be there--he's undoubtedly a stronger rider than Graber.

690km in 29 hours seems impossible after such a long race, but if he pulls out all the stops (literally), who knows?

It would be an unusual victory of 19th century bikes over 20th century bikes. :)

His S-Works has probably had more tech thrown at it than Graber's Velomobile

Silly me, managed to forget again that Graber was riding a three-wheeler, not a bike in the strict sense.

The century comparison is just an old HPVer joke. :)

If AZ beats Graber's time, will it make people more comfortable with recognising that Graber actually won the race last year? He played by the incredibly loose rules and was magnanimous. (#controversial)

It has been a fairly boring race, aside from AZ, hasn't it this year? Hopefully Skinny, AZ, Kristof will happen at some point soon. Unless Skinny is now becoming gravel only like all the cool kids?

It has been a fairly boring race

Obviously. hippy hasn't been in it. I blame hippy.

+1. Your fault hippy.

Also, 500 miles ... between Abdullah and Keith.

Graber actually won the race

Can you win a Trans Am 'Bike' Race with three wheels? I'm still voting no and approve of the separate category for HPVs.

I'd make the race more interesting but I wouldn't be troubling AZ. Maybe one day I'll do it again without fucking myself on Day 1 and actually get the sub-20 I planned to the first time around.

I'll agree and to be fair everyone seemed fine with what the upshot was.

There really doesn't need to be such a rigid distinction. Among the racers I think it was generally acknowledged that Marcel rode a very impressive race but Peter's was more remarkable. I was chuffed for both and judge each ride on their own merits.

I think Abdullah is capable of pipping Marcel's time, if he is conscious of it. There's always a little extra in the tank when you're close to the finish and even more so when there's an element of competition.

Hes come far. he was training on this a few years ago. doing fast laps of Norton Summit.

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Abdullah needs to finish before 01:41 19th June PDT to get the (upright bicycle) course record.

Current estimated finish is 18:36 18th June. A 7-hour buffer to drop below average speed.

One more hump to get over then quite home straighty.

To beat the velomobile time he'd have to finish by 11:40 PDT 18th June. Which gives him roughly 19 hours to do the final 253 miles. So, 13.3mph average for the next 19 hours. He seems to have had his last sleep 14 hours ago, so going for another 19 might be a bit of a tall order... but it's Abdullah and he's ascended physical limitations so anything is possible.

Well, he's over that little bump and has 190 miles to go ... is he resting now (the last tracker update was one hour ago, but he's shown outside Charlottesville).

On the move again with 90 miles to go, probably won’t stop anymore now.

He still got +300kms to go.

Yes, 190 miles or so. Just outside Charlottesville he was at 4,000 miles.

I'll go and get another coffee.

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540 miles ahead.