Thursday, June 26, 2008

Heat Bakes Merrell/Zanfel Adventure During Long Road Ride


The mercury was well above 80 degrees Fahrenheit this afternoon as adventure racing team Merrell/Zanfel Adventure rode mountain bikes along remote paved roads near Bozeman, Montana. That's hot enough to cause discomfort. You can see the heat radiating from the road in the photo above. An obvious air of relief fell over the team as they arrived at Transition Area 10, set in a partially mowed alfalfa field. Merrell-branded pop-up canopies provided much-needed shade.

"I'm burning up," said team captain Robyn Benincasa as she flopped into a chair. She looked dehydrated. Five minutes of rest and hydration later, she felt much better, quipping for a TV camera crew, "I'm coming back now." She'd tried Sprite, apple juice, and a Coca-Cola Classic before downing a V-8.

Robyn is known for giving good sound bites, even when exhausted. She delivered more today when asked to describe the ride the team just completed.

"In an Ironman (triathlon), the last eight miles is an eternity," Robyn said. "Today, the last 60 miles on the bike was an eternity."

John Jacoby didn't like the heat of the bike section, either. "I'm feeling a bit shattered after that ride," John said. So was he looking forward to leaving the bikes and setting off on foot for the next trek? Not exactly.

"Going back to a trek is a little like going out of the frying pan and into the fire," John said. The next trek includes punishing elevation gain and loss. The team faces a long night on foot.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great comments from Robyn and John. I laughed pretty hard while reading this post.

Mike, you're doing a great job out there. I wish I was there with you.

Christie Sym said...

Great work Merrell, enjoying following your progress! Hope the waddling technique is holding up JJ, and maybe I shoulda lent you my hubs (they are faster than yours you know?)
A bit of trivia for the team:
Which shoe is faster, Nike or Merrell?
Merrell of course so go catch those bloody Nikes!