BCBR Day 0

From the moment I arrived at the hotel, friendly faces were greeting me.  It's fun to see everyone, to feel the bike race vibe, but honestly after just 8 days away, English in crowds is confusing.  It's weird being able to understand everything, it's overload.

I'm in a tired daze.  Simon the power-kiwi from Cochrane said hi, as did Drew and Joanne Bragg, the awesomely hospitable massage girls (who even went beyond the call of hospitality and offered lunch - thanks Cindy!).  Dre and Wendy and Norm were nice to see, in particular if I can't locate my bike or lycra in the next hour as it's getting close to ride time... sheesh.  Trying to stay calm!  Pat and the Hanford brothers are around, as is PND.

As it turns out, I throw a leg over my bike a half hour before my start.  It's been tuned, few parts replaced (cogs, rings, chain), looks great and rides smooth.  Ride up with Henry Yau and get caught up on riding news.  The TT goes off at 30 second intervals.  The start is smooth gravel bike path climbing - I get my 30 second and 2nd 30 second man.  Feeling the burn hard, but in a sickly good way.  Turn a gravel corner and it's just smooth bike path gravel before some single track.  Keeping the cadence high, then it gets way higher without a shift (I'd only done four shifts on the course, just clicking to smaller cogs).  No chain.  It was new a half hour ago, and didn't even break at the master link, and especially since it was flat-ish and smooth with no shifts, I'm cranky that it happened.  I ran, but a marshall said it was a long way.  Started working on it, but the tool that's in the headshock stem isn't a great chain tool.  I could here descending chain slap not far away, so I ran.  I should have done that right away, I bet I'd have only given up a minute.  Downhill would have been nice, obviously coasted, but pedaling still helps with obstacles and balance.  At least my legs and lungs got a little excitement.

I'm excited to start at the absolute back of the field and work though the guy riding a pugsly and all the 200lb folks... not.  Oh well, maybe I had it coming to me.  It's vacation, enjoy it.