If you have never been involved with RAAM, or have only participated as a rider or crew, working a time station gives a totally different perspective on the event.

Imagine what it is like to spend two to five days serving multiple riders of RAAM. Your days are filled with interaction with racers, and also crews, officials, media teams, as well as local people and city officials. Many of the cities RAAM travels through do not fully understand the race. Volunteer time station managers/operators get the opportunity to shine here. Having served two years as a time station manager, the best way to describe the position is like that of an ambassador.

I have yet to experience a chamber of commerce or city manager that was not excited once they understood their town was part of an international sporting event that spans the breadth of our country. As cycling enthusiasts, we are best suited to help them understand RAAM and draw local support for the event.

When crews arrive in your town, they invariably have needs. Depending on the (national) location of the time station and when the riders/crews arrive, needs may involve fuel, hotel/motel, restaurants, laundromat, groceries, pharmacy, automotive and motorhome services, and Internet access. Developing an information sheet with these sources will not only make you a valuable asset to each crew, it will also make you a quality part of the RAAM organization.

If you are new to time stations, do not think your involvement is in your region alone. RAAM time station ambassadors have a place "raamts" in the Yahoo Groups at www.groups.yahoo.com. Regular emails are sent out to group members discussing operational experiences and giving examples of activities, which have worked for them in the past. During RAAM, the group is buzzing. For those of us on the road, it can be a primary means of communicating to one another. Time station ambassadors post photos to the group early in the race for those further down the course to see. Stories are immediately shared, and for the competitors, we become a transcontinental support group to help racers complete the journey and fulfill their dreams.

Race officials are still planning the 2006 route, which will be similar to the 2005 route. The preliminary time stations are listed at www.raceacrossamerica.org at: