So, this weekend’s race is slightly more involved than others I’ve done. Between being “out of town” to an extent (just over 50 miles away), bike racking is today. Which is not unusual in larger races, but I’ve not run into it before. So, I have to get to the host hotel and get my packet, then over to the race site to get the bike inspected and racked, then back to the host hotel for the “Mandatory but not really, we just want you to come” meeting at 5PM, then over to my hotel to crash out for the night.
Fortunately, all these various locations are within a few miles of each other. As it stands right now, if I leave now, I will have about a 2 hour window for bike inspection and racking before needing to get back to the meeting. Of course, I’m not quite ready to go.
Bike inspection and racking shouldn’t take more than 30 minutes tops, even with lines - if the inspections are like they usually are, it’s “check brakes, bar end plugs* and helmet” and that all there is to it. In theory, I leave as late as 2 and still make it. However, I don’t think I’m going to push that, so as soon as I have the last of my stuff packed up and the bike on the car, I’m gonna hit the road.
So, yes, I should get on all that, shouldn’t I?
*Bar end plugs = the little plastic round piece at the end of the handlebars. Quite important, if you fall/crash and manage to have one of the handlebars decide to attack your body, it’s the difference between a bigassed bruise and an actual wound that will require a tetanus shot.
