The flight was... long. I had an isle seat, didn't sleep much, maybe 2-3 hrs, wish I had a neck pillow. I watched a couple of movies and tried to sleep. We left SFO one hour late, but made up one hour in the air and got to London right on time. I was worried about making the connection while I was standing in another line (that wasn't moving) to get my boarding pass, but thankfully a BMI agent sent me and a South African mom and her two kids to the gate to get our boarding passes there.
Well we arrived and no one was around. Turns out we were just early... imagine that! The mom had such a cutie of a 3.5 yr old, he only spoke Flemmish. It was nice chatting with her and flirting with her kids. We spotted our luggage being loaded onto the plane so that was comforting. When I went through my last costoms check to get out on the other side, I chatted with the man who stamped my pasport briefly and told him that I was here for the cross world cups and World Championships and he said "ah in Treviso" it turns out he is a cross fan! That was cool! He sent me off with a smile on both of our faces and a welcome feel in my heart!
I spotted Josceline's car parked down a ways and we hit it off immediately. She is a very cool woman. She took me to the house that Helen Wyman lives at (this was a different house than the one I thought I would be in, in Blauberg.) As soon as I met Helene and Gabby Day, they said "we thought you were Canadian, and a masters racer." Turns out there was a bit of a mis communication. As soon as I had my bikes built up and everyting un packed, Josceline said I would be moving to a different house... her own house, since the Blauberg house was full of Canadian masters racers. So I headed out for a 1.5 hr ride, and a quick trip to the grocery store.
Then Tim Harris (her husband) picked me up and we headed to their house. See they thought that I could just get a ride to the Lievin race with Helen and crew, but they didn't have room for me. Now I will get a ride there with Josceline and a junior, some u-23's and some elites. We will head over there the day before and stay at a hotel in Lievin. This way Josceline can go to the managers mtg for all of us and we can get our numbers the day before (which is required.) They both told me of a group ride that goes out on Thursday and Tuesday, Tim said this would be a good ride for me to go on, but they are out of the house now, and I have no idea where the ride goes from or what time. (bummer, I hope it is later and I can make it, it would be good for me to go a bit harder today.) I slept very well last night, I was SO tired yesterday, by 6pm I was nodding my head sitting up watching the recording of the Belgian National cross races. I couldn't finish it I was just too tired. I had had some bread and cheese that I got at the store, and decided that was enough. I had, after all, been eating the whole trip about every 4 hrs and my system was all confused! Josceline got me all squared away with a bath, I was freezing, I think just from being SO tired. I filled up a hot water bottle with hot water and read one page from my book and fell fast asleep. I woke up at 4am took a pee and read a couple more pages, ate some mango slices, and took a few valerian capsules. Fell asleep again and was deep in sleep stupor when my alarm went off at 8am. I slept untill 9:30 when I made myself get up.
Stumbling around to open the window covers... got some cereal and tea and found the internet! That's pretty much it up to date, I couldn't find any maple syrup in the grocery, but Josceline has some in her cupboard so there is some to be had... unless someone brought it as a gift... Can you bring some if I can't find any here? Maybe I can find some in France this weekend. Now I have to figure out how this town is layed out, it's a bit bigger than the tiney town of the first place. I guess I'll go out and walk around a bit. It's quite grey out now... It was beautiful and sunny in London when I landed, then we flew into the rain in Brussels and by the time I was ready to ride the rain had stopped and the sun even peeked out briefly! So local time is now 11am, I suppose I should try to get on my bike at least by 12:30. I will be racing on Sunday at 1:30. I'd better go now, Rachel
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