Apopyllus Now

By Steven Barnes

Apopyllus Now became a team when two riders decided that it would make more sense to pool their riding resources and strike out together rather than separately. Thus Pete Dowhan, with a four-man team Furnace Creek 508 effort to his credit, became Pete Apopyllus Now Dowhan. Chris Apopyllus Now Haddakin hopes to gain from the veteran's experience, since this is his first FC508. 

Their atrategy was based on setting a steady, relaxed pace. Pete optimistically thought a 32 hour pace was reasonable, having been part of a 34 hour team effort last year. Pete also thought the new fixed relay point format would be better in an unexpected way. Besides the safety issues, he said that the longer sections would give the resting rider long enough in the van to actually get some rest, which was not how he remembers previous team FC508s.

It was interesting that each rider said, in separate conversations, that he was concerned about letting down his partner. Each also said that the other rider was probably the stronger of the two. That sounds like the makings of a successful team!