Things I have learned….. 03/30/2009

…..during my time in Italy.  I know I know I out did myself….two posts in one day….but I can’t help myself from sharing some of our hilarious adventures and what we have learned….

#1
If you are unsure whether the ‘kind’ person who offers to take your photo is going to run away with your camera, it is best to stay on your bike…just in case…

Ally, Lea and I on a bridge in Pisa....still clipped in....just in case....

#2

If the maps make no sense and you can’t explain your needs in Italian or English….resort to huge charades….it works every time…..Lea is by far the best at this form of getting directions.

Two maps are better than one...right?

#3
Many European races start with lunch together.  Our first experience was complete with bottles of wine and huge balls of mozzarella.

Ally, displaying the goods!

#4

Last but not least (and sorry no pictures of this one)….showers at the end of races are best described by, what Lea called…prison showers.  A concrete room, with a few shower heads coming from the ceiling with cold water pouring down and a bunch of freezing cold, naked cyclist trying to get hot oil, vaseline and road grime scrubbed off before the water-activated hot oil gets too hot to handle while screaming “ouch hot, ouch hot” in 12 different languages,  then sprinting to your towel in a puddle of water to get the rest of the hot oil off (unsuccessfully), while shivering from the cold you are feeling all over the rest of your non-hot oiled body.  Say that all in one breath and that is a post-race shower in Europe.  And now it’s dinner time…

ciao
Kmac

World Cup #1 03/30/2009

Oh boy….such an exciting race yesterday….I don’t quite know where to begin.  This weekend we raced the Trofeo A. Binda World Cup, which was the first world cup of the year and my first world cup ever….all the big-hitters were there.  We arrived in Milan on Saturday afternoon and quickly suited up in our rain gear to pre-ride the course.  We were excited to see the immense organization that comes along with hosting a world cup….ie. the course was clearly marked (this is not always the case with riding in Italy).  There were even signs like “start climb”, “round about”…etc.  After the ride we were all excited albeit a little extra nervous (due to the steady down pour).  We knew the rain was going to make the race fast from the gun and the peloton did not disappoint.  We started with a bang and the first attack went only 8 k’s in.  As we ticked off the climbs and the circuit laps the peloton dwindled and dwindled.  My goal on the day was to stay with the main group all day.  As we ticked off the kilometers in the 7 degree (celcius that is) rain, my legs grew heavier and colder….but I kept pedaling and I kept hanging.  There were a few times I had to use my descending skills to the max to fully integrate back into the front of the main group, but I am totally stoked to say I did it!  But not only me, my teammates killed it all day long as well…..especially mountain-biker-turned-european-roadie-for-one-month Lea Davison hung in there all day.  She totally rocked it!  This race was by far the hardest yet most fun race that I have done to date.  Up next….the infamous Pave of Flanders!

ciao,
Kmac

Planes, Brains, and Chicken Soup 03/11/2009

Well, I made it to Lucca, Italy to get ready for the official start to the 2009 season.  I unfortunately brought some unexpected baggage in the form of the 24 hour flu….which happened to start on the plane ride over.  Luckily after some of Ally and Lea’s magical chicken soup, I woke up a new girl sans chills, body aches and puking!  I finally was able to venture out on my bike for an easy spin today, and what a great ride it was!  After a drawn out search for an open coffee shop, we climbed to the top of the last KOM of stage 1 of the Tirreno-Adriatico  race.  Ally and I then descended back down to watch the race go by….pretty sweet seats right alongside the climb!  The ride back to Lucca is when the adventure began as we weaved in and out of traffic, then in and out of side-roads until we had ourselves throughly lost…..only twenty minutes away from the house.  After going in circles for about hour, we finally got on the right track and found our way!   I am now officially free of jet lag and flu, and am excited to get the exploration fully underway tomorrow!  Since we don’t start racing for another week, a few more days of getting lost are in store!  Stay tuned….

kmac

Ally and Lea picking out dinner...brains or tongue....I think we picked chicken

Ally and I waiting for the race to come up the climb past us

Hincapie leads the charge up the climb with Cavendish on his wheel