Just relaxing at the AirBNB just north of Ethiad Stadium and the National Cycling center after a full day of ??? Well not a lot of racing, in fact, no racing. To back up a bit. I got here Thursday morning after a long pair of plane rides from Mpls to Philly and then Manchester. For plane rides, quite easy. The plane to Manchester wasn’t full so me and one other brit guy got a center 4 seat section to ourselves. Not great for sleeping but not as bad as having only 1 seat. I got a bit of rest to help get me through Thursday with no napping. The rental car deal was nasty, had to wait an hour and a half for them to pick me up at the airport and then find out that the vehicle I reserved was not going to work for hauling bikes. Instead I’m in a big ass electric assisted Mitsubishi SUV. We have room but it’s big for around here. It does have clunky navigation though so that helps, kind of. Eventually found the house we have for the week but by the time I got there Linsey had the house keys at the cycling center so I went there for a time while she did some training. Back to the house, unload and then the plan was to go downtown to a tea house and some touristy walking. Fun time, gentleman’s tea comes with fish and chips and a beer! Who knew.
Friday, I can’t even remember Friday and that was just yesterday, crap. Some time hauling stuff in a claiming a training square at the cycling center and then doing some roller activation, some trips to ASDA, the local Walmart like shopping place that is next to the track for food and all the sundries needed for the week. Linsey had some more training hours as well. I did get a good night’s sleep Thursday night though, that’s a plus trying to get used to a 6 hour time difference. Last night, down time, some Netflix and then some reading and lights out.
Saturday, that is today, up early because Linsey, Jen and I all had 9:00 A.M. training hours to remember what a magnificent track it is. Smooth, fast, easy to ride. Have to get used to riding over the tops of the massive advertising patches all around the turns above the blue stayers line. With about 550 rider entries this week is going to be a challenge to get warm ups in prior to race starts. The plan is to do a lot of roller warm up work and then some track time as possible. The local officials limit the number of riders on during warm ups some it gets to be hit or miss if you can really get adequate track time to properly warm up. I hoped to do a team sprint Saturday afternoon. I’ve been trying to find 2 other USA male riders 65+ age to ride with since June but there just aren’t any takers. There are only 3 teams total entered, Dutch, French and USA. I would have been in the 4th team. There are 3 medals given out. Not so much a real event when there are only 3 teams. I tried to talk to the chief commissaire about changing the age limits in the future, who knows might happen probably not.
Instead, tourist time again. A car day trip to the Peaks region only about 45-60 minute drive outside of Manchester through Derbyshire and a bunch of other small towns. Jen, Linsey and me, a few stops at scenic overlooks for pictures, a stop in a quaint country town for snacks and beverages and then a loop back. Only about 3 to 4 hours total but a really wonderful view of country life that we haven’t seen before. I’ll post some pictures once Linsey shares them with me. My phone died using it’s google maps to get us at least out to the hill area. Typical UK weather, overcast, cool but not cold and very misty at the top. Back at the house for me, Linsey on a road ride to the track and maybe some more rollers for her. Me, just relaxing, another day off tomorrow, rollers only at the track and then a Scratch race Monday evening, TT on Tuesday, Sprints Thursday and Points race Friday. Saturday I become the helper of Jen and Linsey on their Sprint day.
Time for Netflix trash