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complaining
October 2009 
The Furnace Creek 508: Epilogue
Posted on Oct 6th, 2008
by 
Cara
Cara
This is the last entry I'm going to make about the 508. At least until next year. TCTMJ has promised to do it with me and for him DNFing is really not an option.
Now as I mentioned in yesterday's post, there was a pump fiasco, so I had to wait. But once they drove up, the tires were already pumped. She should have leapt from the car, jumped on her bike, grabbed the baton, and sprinted away. No. My bike was in the car before she was ready to leave. I should have known then that I was in trouble.
I woke up this morning with my usual mood. 80% content, 15% thinking about all the stuff I need to get done today, and 5% wishing I could just go to the beach and hang out. Later in the morning I spoke with TCTMJ and he mentioned something about my now-former TC508TM. That's when I realized I was still absolutely furious. So I need to vent more. Here we go:
Let's look at this series of photos from the first hand-off:
She still hasn't left!
Now as I mentioned in yesterday's post, there was a pump fiasco, so I had to wait. But once they drove up, the tires were already pumped. She should have leapt from the car, jumped on her bike, grabbed the baton, and sprinted away. No. My bike was in the car before she was ready to leave. I should have known then that I was in trouble.
"EDITED FOR NICENESS" if you want to read what was here, email me.
I think this best sums it up (sent to me by TCTMJ Sept 19th as a cautionary note for the 508)
this might explain somethings...scientifically that is:
Perhaps the single academic study most germane to the present election is the 1999 psychology paper by David Dunning and Justin Kruger, "Unskilled and Unaware of It: How Difficulties in Recognizing One's Own Incompetence Lead to Inflated Self-Assessments." The two Cornell psychologists began with the following assumptions.
# Incompetent individuals tend to overestimate their own level of skill.
# Incompetent individuals fail to recognize genuine skill in others.
# Incompetent individuals fail to recognize the extremity of their inadequacy.
Perhaps the single academic study most germane to the present election is the 1999 psychology paper by David Dunning and Justin Kruger, "Unskilled and Unaware of It: How Difficulties in Recognizing One's Own Incompetence Lead to Inflated Self-Assessments." The two Cornell psychologists began with the following assumptions.
# Incompetent individuals tend to overestimate their own level of skill.
# Incompetent individuals fail to recognize genuine skill in others.
# Incompetent individuals fail to recognize the extremity of their inadequacy.
How did TCTMJ get so smart? Where can I get some?
I'm done with the 2008 508. Up next? El Tour de Tucson!!
Fantástico!
Access: Public
Cara…I am so sorry to hear about your experience and your disappointment and anger is justified. I saw you at Everest Challenge, so I was rooting for your team during 508. We were in Death Valley and we noticed your van speed by with no rider in the lights and wondered what happened. I was sorry to hear about the DNF and was wondering if you had blogged about it.
Your hand-off photos remind me of the struggles of crewing Race Across America last year. My boyfriend would bust his ass on a leg and then the other rider wasn't ready or wanted to talk before rolling out. It was really hard on the psyche for him and frustrating for me as well. We learned a lot on RAAM, including the importance of team members being of similar strengths and disciplines.
I'm glad to see that you'll be back out there next year. I wish you the best of luck. :)
Brandy
Crew Chief for George “Red Eyed Vireo” Vargas
Cara - sorry things didn't work out with your teammember for the 508. We saw you hanging out at TS1 as our rider came and went and felt for you. Best of luck and we'll see you next year - with the cowbells of course ;)
Jon
Crew - team collared peccary
http://www.naturephoto-cz.com/photos/sevcik/collared-peccary–pecari-tajacu-pekari-2.jpg
Hey Cara,
You were really awesome in the race. You blew right by me on the climb of Towne Pass. Sorry to hear about your race fiasco. I can understand your anger and frustration. At that point I think I would have gotten on my bike and rode the rest of the way by myself, even if it meant a DQ. What I don't understand is why you went in a relay team. You are good enough to finish solo. I you do it again, go for the solo division. I'll be there again if they add a solo self-supported division, otherwise I'm going to try for th Hoodoo 500, Voyager division. Good luck to you. It really cheered me up to see you on Towne Pass even though you blew past me like I was standing still. See you out on the road sometime.
Rock on vegan !!!
Adrian Stingaciu,
SuperVegan Cow