Fred Boethling making final preparations before the Florida record attempt.

As preparation for the 2006 solo RAAM I went to Florida to establish the W-to-E cross-state record. The objectives were threefold:

1. practice race nutrition: consume 300+ calories, 24+ oz. fluid and adequate electrolytes every hour
2. improve the crew members diligence in insuring I follow the regimen and that they carefully record the data
3. practice keeping my speed up at night.

After another stressful week - what else is new? - I flew from Colorado to Pensacola late Friday afternoon. Rick Boethling (crew chief) and Ryan Pohanic (official) drove my van with the bikes and equipment down from Colorado. Nikki Miller, my second crewmember, flew up from Tampa that afternoon as well.

Since this was the first Florida west-to-east record I could pick the start and finish. After breakfast in Pensacola on Saturday, April 8, we drove to the planned starting point: the Alabama side of the Perdido River. A major storm front had passed through the area leaving unsettled weather in its wake. Just as we finished bike and vehicle inspections, a squall blew up. It didn't look like it was going to let up; so, we decided to start in the rain.

Boethling at the Florida starting line. It's a wonderful day for a cycling record!

The route I selected followed US 98 along the Gulf Coast to US 331, just east of Santa Rosa Beach, where it turned inland, picked up SH 20, just east of Freeport, and on to Tallahassee. In Tallahassee, we picked up US 90 and followed it to Lake City and on to Jacksonville. From Jacksonville it was pretty much straight east to Neptune Beach on the Atlantic Ocean.

The first 100 miles we had a mixture of rain, clouds and sun. I covered that stretch in 5 hours 30 minutes (18.2 mph). The terrain was flat with roughly 500 feet of total climbing. Calories, fluids and electrolytes went according to plan. I didn't like the clouds and rain - I'm sensitive to lack of sunshine - but I felt pretty good.

Shortly after turning onto SH 20 the terrain changed. We left the Gulf Coastal Plain and crossed over the rolling terrain of the Central Highlands. Coming from Colorado the "Highlands" were not all that high! Nevertheless, in the 250+ mile stretch from roughly Bruce to Sanderson, we crossed many river valleys: the Choctawhatchee, Chipola, Apalachicola, Ochlockonee/Lake Talquin, Aucilla and the Suwannee. We racked up roughly 5,000 feet of climbing!

The weather improved and the rain stopped and as we Apalachicola near Blountsville the sunset. We rolled through Tallahassee - home of Florida State - on Saturday night and were cheered on by very supportive college students! I rode the second 100 miles in 6 hours 1 minute (16.6 mph). I was still under my target finishing time of 24 hours. I had slowed a bit; but I wrote this off to the increasingly hilly terrain. Calories, fluids and electrolytes were on target. I still felt pretty good.

The next 100 miles - from roughly Tallahassee to Live Oak - were at night. We were still in the rolling Central Highlands. Just east of Tallahassee I encountered quite a bit of fog. I've found riding in fog with glasses is very annoying. I am constantly wiping the condensation off my glasses in order to see. It's very distracting and difficult to remain focused. Calories, fluids and electrolytes were still on target. I still felt pretty good. For the most part, my speed on the bike didn't deteriorate too badly. I was averaging 15+ mph. But I was beginning to take more time off the bike. I did the third 100 miles in 7h: 29m at an average speed of 13.4 mph. I had fallen significantly behind my 24-hour target. I suspect that my stressful week was finally beginning to catch up with me.

By the time we rolled into Lake City, it was dawn. The terrain was changing - an imperceptible downhill onto the Atlantic Coastal Plain. There was less than 500 feet of climbing over the last 100 miles. However we picked up a 15-20 mph head wind. This persisted all the way into Jacksonville and on to Neptune Beach on the Atlantic Ocean.

The route I had chosen - through Jacksonville, following the Arlington Expressway, across the Mathews Bridge and out Atlantic Blvd. - proved to be a bad choice. The traffic was extremely heavy and most of the drivers seemed to be practicing for NASCAR. No quarter was given to the guy on the bike. Moreover, we determined that to ride across the Bridge would be dangerous. We pulled off immediately before the Bridge, put the bike on the van, drove across the bridge, unloaded and continued.

Fred Boethling at the finish of the cross-Florida bicycle record.

The combined effect of the headwind, a large number of stoplights, heavy traffic and my stressful week took its toll and my performance deteriorated. While I was still doing 15+ mph on the bike, overall, I did the last 105 miles in 8 hours 43 minutes (12.1 mph). The problem wasn't calories, fluids or electrolytes because I stayed pretty much on plan.

All things considered, I had a decent ride. Other than some rain at the outset and some fog at night, the weather wasn't bad. Daytime temperatures were 75-80 degrees and nighttime temperatures were 55-65 degrees - just about perfect. With the exception of the Jacksonville traffic, the ride was enjoyable. I would consider doing this again, with one minor route change (described below). The crew and official were great and did pretty much everything they were supposed to do. I got exactly what I needed out of this ride in terms of my RAAM preparations.

1. I have learned to fully appreciate the negative impact of ongoing stress in your life. I carefully followed the program for calories, fluids and electrolytes. With significant levels of work stress it appears that optimal performance is simply not in the cards. Fortunately, the work stress may finally be resolved.
2. My first instinct on was to avoid the Jacksonville Metro Area by leaving US 90 at Lake City, heading SE on SH 100, following it through Lake Butler to Starke and following route 16 through Green Cove Springs across the St. John River and out to the coast at Vilano Beach. This route is about 10 miles longer, but much safer and much more enjoyable. The route I rode is sufficiently dangerous to warrant a route change if someone else wants to attempt this record.
3. With the exception of Jacksonville and its NASCAR mentality, everyone I encountered friendly and courteous. There were lots of good old boys in jacked up pick-ups who weren't real happy about being way-laid for a few seconds, but, all-in-all, they were not obnoxious.
4. Over the route, we encountered two dozen law enforcement officers. Everyone was courteous and nobody gave us trouble. Oddly enough, the nicest were in Jacksonville. One city cop, who had a banged up perp in the back seat, actually cheered us on!
5. I highly recommend having signs which clearly state: CROSS-STATE RECORD ATTEMPT. Most people are curious to one degree or another and quite a few people pull along side, either while passing or at stop signs, and ask you what you're doing. That's OK, but it is distracting and may create a hazardous situation.

The UltraMarathon Cycling Association - an international organization that oversees long-distance amateur cycling events - certified him as the UMCA Florida west to east record holder. Ryan Pohanic, the UMCA official, observed his ride to ensure that he complied with all cycling regulations and traffic laws.

Official Record: 405.3 miles in 27 hours 58 minutes, average speed of 14.5 mph
Start: FL/AL state line on US 98 bridge over Perdido River
Finish: End of Atlantic Blvd. in Neptune Beach