Bike Sebring 2006
I had a very stressful drive down to Florida. I was behind schedule. I had left things (tools) behind because I didn't have room for them. I drove through the night and arrived at my first stop in Jacksonville Friday morning. Nearly 18 hours after I left VA, I was at the Chateau Elan cleaning my Softride, wondering if the tires were still good on my Zipp 404's.
Funny story. I forgot the little part that you attach to a pump to fill up Disk wheels (a regular pump head won't fit...). I've only ever heard it called a "crack pipe". I don't know what its really called.
So I ask the guy at the store if he's got a crack pipe and QUICKLY explain what it does.
He looks at me and says "I have never done drugs and I don't know what a crack pipe looks like."
Me:You've never seen a crack pipe?(I'm not a heavy drug user, but I do watch a bit of TV here and there) It looks like a normal pipe only smaller. (I then again explain what it does.)
Bike Shop Guy:The only thing I have that goes on the end of the pump hose is this (pulls out a piece that looks like it converts presta to schrader)
Me: That might fit in the space, but I need it to be presta.
Bike Shop Guy pulls out another piece and says this will convert it back to presta.
So I brought in the disk to see if this thing would fit in the available space and it obviously didn't...I asked if there was another bike shop in the area and Bike Shop Guy replied with a curt "NO". No sense of humor, just like a turnip.
Notes to self for Next Year:
- Camp at Sebring Raceway(free) and shower at Highland Hammock State Park($6.50) or spend $170 for the Chateau Elan.
- Keep two gallons of water out of the cooler. You'll appreciate the warmer water at 2am. A couple mouthfuls of Coca-Cola straight out of the cooler at 2AM set my teeth a chatterin' for about a lap and a half.
- Coca-Cola didn't have enough kick to it, try coffee next year. The heat will also help keep your core temp up in the wee hours.
- Perpetuem was starting to make me sick around 18 hours into the race, switch to Sustained Energy and Hammer Gel for variety.
- Don't forget the Endurolytes and if you do forget the endurolytes, don't forget to buy bananas and if you forget to buy bananas, pray that they have them at the rest stops.
- Anti-fog spray for glasses will keep them clear in the early morning mist.
- Get a crew for next year, without one, you crawl into the truck and sleep and you quit early. You need someone to push you.
- Try a little Benadryl before the race, that might keep all that phlegm from forming in your lungs.
Stats: 315.9 miles. My computer says I was on the bike for 18.75 hours averaging 16.85 mph, but since it was a 24 hour time trial, my average speed is technically 13.16 mph. The link above is to the results and lap splits. More about the race tomorrow.
Link
