Back rollin' with the Kaiser

Don't put too much thought into his long time on the last segment between ts35 and ts36. He slept 4 a solid 3hrs, got a shower, and got fed. Thanks to Dr. Tim, Wendy G., and Tammi P. for their advice on the swelling. Kevin has refused endurolytes the past 2 days because he hasn't been sweating as much and felt the salty foods were enough sodium. We have him alternating between straight water and ensure along with 2 endurolytes per hour. After consulting with Tim he may need some high quality protein so the ensure with soy should help. He's also munching on bananas, oranges, and subs. He's cruising around 15-17mph in the Illinois farmlands.
Roll Kaiser Roll,
Troy

"The race begins @ the Mississippi"

Kevin needed some rest so Gator and David got him just past the Mississippi River for a good 3 hours of sleep, shower, and big breakfast. Bejan, John, and I are have taken over and will have him back on the road once he wakes up. His wrist and feet are a little swollen so I called my sister-in-law, Tammi, who happens to be one of the best PA's in Augusta. I'm headed out to pick up some dipsticks to check Kevin's gravity levels in his urine. Kevin thinks it's some kind of imbalance in his sodium levels but we cannot figure out if it's too much or not enough. Once he wakes up we'll check that, consult with Tammi, and go from there. I think he needs straight water for a little while. He never likes straight water because he thinks it is worthless with no calories present. He has been eating extremely well so calorie intake is not a problem right now.
One thing I'd like to point out to everyone at home keeping up is that he is about a full day ahead of last year's pace. One of the main goals for this year is a sub 10 day finish and he is on his way to that,and even a full 24+ hours ahead. 3rd place has been nice and is still in the crosshairs but being the carrot keeps a lot of pressure on a racer. They say this race doesn't really start until you cross the Mississippi so keep up the support and strap yourselves in for the final few days of this wild ride.
This will give Kevin about 13 hours of rest since we started 6 days and 18 hours ago. Sleep is critical right now and I think we can get back on pace and pass the guys who recently passed Kevin. They haven't gone down for rest recently and as we get closer to the steep mountains in West Virginia the rest is critical. Kevin's performance goes up after sleep and just makes sense right now. He knows this and wants this full 3 hours.
One other thing to consider is that Kevin was a full 8 hours behind Warner-Smith in Durango, CO and once Kevin slayed the Rocky Mountains he was only an hour behind him. He passed him in Kansas. With the Appalachian Mountains just ahead things will get interesting for the whole field of racers. A good balance of sleep can lead to some great performance when we get to the steep climbs of W. Virginia.
Be proud family, friends, and fans because he is the top American in the Race Across America!
keep on keepin' on,
Troy

Fighting Sleep.

The toughest part of RAAM is sleep deprivation. It is a constant struggle mile after mile.
Kevin has been struggling with it especially the last 150 miles. The fog and desolate area he's riding in doesn't lend help with his struggle to continue to pedal productively. Despite all this he is still pedaling toward his goal.
Gator
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