il Giro bound

I leave work early tomorrow for the Giro duh Ville.  I can't say that it's not a wee bit intimidating.  Not so much all the riding.  Pretty sure I can still fake my way through two seven hour days followed by two six hour days in the saddle.  It's the logistics of surfing the cosmic wave of trust that everything will work out that clouds my gray matter.  I've never been to il Giro before, but knowing that I'll be ending my drive tomorrow (possibly in the dark) up this "road" for five miles in the Honda Fit of Rage?

When I told The Pie that il race directeur said that a Honda Fit made it back there last year, her response was, "But did it make it back out?"

Meh.

I bailed on that option once I used my brain and figured out that I could stay in a hotel so, so easily... at least for one night.  If there's one thing I love, it's staying in a hotel by myself eating an irresponsible amount of pizza, dipping into my beer supply, and watching '80s action movies until I pass out from exhaustion.

But still, four three days of camping/four days of riding.  I haven't done the ride/camp stage race thing since the 2013 BC Bike Race.  My physical form's positive energy has a carbon half life of 24 hours when sleeping in a tent after a long day of riding.  Even more so if it's wet/humid/hot/cold/etc.

But I'm going because that's where my friends that I don't see very often will be.  I'm going because I'm pretty sure every mile of trail I ride will be entirely new to me.  I'm going because... it's Memorial Day weekend, and where else am I gonna go that every other human on the planet isn't already there existing and walking around with their mouths agape?

This should be interesting.  My few Tour de Burg experiences have taught me some useful tactics for getting through such an event, but this race is much more remote.  No sleeping in beds or on couches, no stopping at Mr J's for breakfast bagels, no night at the Little Grill Collective for all you can eat Mexican plates... no bathing? 

Dunno.  I didn't ask. 

The two most important things I've ever taken away from the TdB?

"Never miss an opportunity to get up the road." ~ Buck

Expect the worst and be pleasantly surprised when it's not quite.

See yinzers in a week.