Chileans are organized and calm. Even when foreigners would congregate on small hotel restaurants, join into one massive tab, rearrange the tables, and tell stories all aft with the South African's killing their cerveza supply, they weren't even remotely fazed... just nice and calm.
Food is fantastic in restaurants. Just tastes so good, and like there's very few preparatory steps and additives. Very natural tasting. Little light on the grainy mustard, hot sauce and pepper availability, but I'll try to fix that next time. Race food was typical camp food. Afternoons were good, dinners I had were good. Breakfast did the job I'd say, but not much more. Chilean wine offered at every meal tasted good. I need to design a mini spice kit for the road. Their idea of mess kits is good, but getting them cleaned just led to another line. A FIFO system at washing might be better than keeping "your own" plates each time.
I learned a lot more about Trish. She was super fun to ride with and I have more admiration/pride for her abilities and who she is through this experience by a long shot. She's so mild conversation, but has a huge killer instinct when it comes to competing. Deadgoat MVP! So calm all week, organized, super driven, never weak on the bike, and practising that Spanish! Great partner.
Superthanks to Cristobal Garcia for being the first to stop for Trish. He was riding mixed and was quite strong, and he expressed dismay (ok, let's say he was downright livid) that as he stopped a massive group of the Carmichael people went by, seemingly without care or just oblivious to someone who could benefit from some help, (and help like pronto). He then went to a farmhouse to call the police to get them to call the medics, which is why they were at that nearby corner. Very thoughtful. The medics were efficient and very nice, kudos to them. Superthanks also to John Ramsden for doing up the bandage roadside then later doing the staples for Trish.
Everybody knows Steve and Gerry are great riders, great beer drinkers, and great storytellers. Nothing changes!
My camping mat is 10 years old and it appears most new ones are half the size. I think it's time to upgrade. That makes a difference in a race duffel; especially if I can then fit an A1/mustard/tobasco kit. I've spent, and will continue to spend, enough time living out of race duffel bags to make that worth it.
I've brought a cold weather sleeping bag over bag for last few years, all it's designed to do is move the frost layer out on a winter bag. It's awesome cause it packs to the size of a watermelon without compression. Then I wear my clothes to stay warm if it's cold and save space. I was cold a few nights after losing my icebreaker sweater. I think it's time to get a compact, light, 15% warmer bag. Or maybe just a silk liner would suffice. We'll see.
Icebreaker merino stuff is awesome. Warm wet or dry, never stinks. Can bike, sleep or lounge in it. Excellent way to shrink the packing by needing less different stuff.
It's fun to watch bike trends and technology change. All these Cannondale 29er hardtails are lighter than my first road bike. I bet they'd be nice for this type of race. But not once during 6 days do I not love the Scalpel. It just works for me; I love the geometry and feel. It's been through a lot. Being realistic though, it might need a refresh if BCBR/TR/Breck all happen on that bike this year.
The big Carmichael group here is interesting. High price training and event package. Insular in culture from rest of race. Sets up aid stops 3m ahead of race provided one, instead of perhaps 3m after in same spot, which would make sense to me. This facilitates their people being able to yell at nearly every rider who rolls up just seeing a stop: "Carmichael group only, you go to next one". The girls working for them irked me early by being aggressive line cutters for dishes, silverware, etc. At the end, what matters is the event, scenery, I guess result to some, all for the combined experience. It wasn't immediately visible to me that *that* experience was going to create a better memory. To each their own. Amongst the race participants from various parts of the world whom we chatted to during the week, it did seem to do a good job of reinforcing American abroad stereotypes.
Speaking of training, it's amazing what a winter of 90 min intensity trainer rides can do for fitness in the off season. Felt good this race. Day 2 the climbs were so steep I couldn't even granny gear without blowing through my threshold, but was fine after that.
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