Measuring about 3,020 miles long, the 2006 Race Across America is half again as long as the combined distance covered by all the finishers of the 2006 Olympic men's marathon. On the other hand, the combined distance that will be covered by all the finishers of this year's RAAM will be equivalent to circling the Earth at the equator four times.
RAAM riders climb nearly 110,000 feet, which is roughly the distance from the ground to the edge of space, three times the altitude flown by commercial jetliners or four times the altitude of Mt Everest.

The northernmost point is just outside Urbana, OH 40°06'N 83°45'W. Last year, Ohio was only one of the two-dozen states that sent competitors to the race. The race never gets further south than the starting point on the Oceanside Municipal Pier, 30 feet or so above the pounding surf. Thus, it could be argued that it's all downhill to the finish along the sea level Boardwalk in Atlantic City, NJ.

This year's Twenty-fifth Anniversary edition of the Race Across America spans a wider range of elevation than it has for nearly twenty years. It dips to 170 feet below sea level (in Mecca, CA) to 10,550 feet above sea level (Wolf Creek Pass in central Colorado). This spans an elevation range exceeding 2 vertical miles.

The course passes through fourteen states: fifteen if you count the two visits to West Virginia and seventeen if you also count the three visits to Maryland. This twenty-first time it has crossed California, it follows yet a different route.

In addition to the start and finish, the race passes through time stations located in fifty-six different cities. The largest time station city is Indianapolis, IN (time station 40), which boasts a population larger than one of states the race passes through (Delaware). The smallest time station “city” is Chiriaco Summit, CA (time station 3), whose year-round population is smaller than the population of the Indianapolis time station alone.

The straightest/flattest/unchanging section of the course is 22 miles. In the London Marathon after completing 22 miles, runners can view the Big Ben. On this stretch of RAAM road between Wenden and Aguila, AZ, many riders have reported seeing “Big Ben” but still couldn't tell the time.

RAAM crosses the five longest rivers that are entirely in the US; the Mississippi, Missouri, Rio Grande, Arkansas and the Ohio. In contrast to their counterparts in Australia, all of these rivers have water in them. Many riders have reported seeing Huck Finn float by on all these rivers, in all sorts of watercraft from wooden rafts to jet boats.

The course passes just outside Dayton, OH, which is the hometown of bicycle shop mechanics and aerospace pioneers Wilbur and Orville Wright, (neither of whom ever rode across the country). Near the end of the race, the course passes near Atlantic City International Airport—which is the fourth alternate landing sight for the space shuttle; a craft whose wingspan is about the same length as the Wright brothers' first flight.

The finish line is on the Historic Boardwalk in front of the Atlantic City, NJ “Miss America Pageant” convention hall. On its outside wall, which faces the finishing line podium, there is a plaque. On this plaque there is this quote attributed to President McKinley: “ You triumphed over obstacles which would have overcome men less brave and determined.” President McKinley was not known to be an avid cyclist, and by today's standards, was not particularly PC: “persons”, “individuals”, “humans”—but not “men”!

And last, but far from least, the whole concept of a bicycle race across America can be traced back to an unlucky and lonely coyote, who in 1887 licked the face of newspaperman George Nellis, who crossed the USA on a 45 pound steel bike with no gears and the pedals attached directly to the front wheel in just under 80 days. George woke to the licking and promptly shot the coyote for breakfast with his derringer. RAAM is not for the light-hearted and derringers are no longer permitted as support equipment.