At the bright and early time of 2:00 pm yesterday I finished packing the Suby, plugged in the Ipod and set sail for Saint George, Utah. This trip marks the beginning of my 2010 racing season and will server as the pre-festivities to Sara and Amelia joining me on Sunday for our annual Spring Break trip to the desert.
Sticking with tradition, I was joined by my fellow Gimp Dino, a little friend we found in one of our campsites during a past trip.
Saint George sits some 750 miles south of Bozeman and while I was initially determined to make the drive in one big push I folded when I stumbled on to an Amazing camping spot in Cedar City, Utah 50 miles short of St. George. At midnight I pulled in to Camp Walmart a glow as if the heavens above where shining on the beauty of this find, or maybe it was the hundred parking lot lights blazing. None the less I nestled in with the other Camp Walmart faithfuls in the darkest part of the parking lot and began shuttling gear to the driver and passenger seats carving out a nest in the back of the car.
Nestled in amongst my bikes and misc. Amelia gear I was quickly reacquainted with the fact I am just a hair to tall to layout completely in the back of the Subaru. I as to tired from shuttling gear to care at this point so in the sleeping bag I slid and light out is was….well that is until I placed my head on the pillow. Despite carefully trying to isolate myself from being in the direct path of the parking lot lights I had made one critical mistake I never looked out the back window while laying down to see if the roof of the car was indeed blocking out the light.
As you can see I had in fact conveniently parked so that not one, but four laser beams were directly in my line of sight. Knowing that if I got out to reposition the car I would likely just start driving again, and indeed I was getting tired I wiggled my way on to my side and tried to block out the hum of the surrounding diesel generators of my far more superior RVing neighbors.
Something to note, sleeping bags loose all there insulating abilities when one is pressed hard against cold plastic in which case my right foot and back pushed up against the door were rendered a tad cold for most of the night. Alas sleep came and while a bit restless it was not until the large Diesel Truck swung through my camping spot at 6:15 that I completely woke up. Thoroughly, chilled and aware of a Starbucks in the opposite corner of the parking lot I lumbered out of my humble home to the 13 degree morning and set about reshuffling the gear.
The frost on the car would confirm that shorts were probably not the appropriate attire for the current conditions.
Caffeinated and the gas tank topped off we were back on the road. After a quick 2000 foot descent in to St. George I was at last in the desert basking in the a beautiful sunny morning with the temps rapidly climbing to the mid 60’s.
I spent the day pre-riding the TT coarse as well as the last 30 miles of the road race coarse which includes a solid 7.5 mile climb near the finish that could be my undoing. Below is a picture from the road race start/finish not a bad view to see while coming out of pain cave.
Now I lay in my $39.00 5 star motel bed prepped for tomorrow’s TT and Crit looking forward to 2010 Race Day #1. Reminds me of my college days…nothing like some good old bottom feeding to kick off a great season.
