Traveling Circus

We are a traveling circus.

My “anniversaire” was only 12 hours. This is what happens when you cross the GST. I flew straight from my birthday to not my birthday. And unfortunately United Airlines didn’t say “joie d’anniversaire” to me by giving me an upgrade.

I went LAX-CHICAGO-BRUSSELS.

Ah. Beligium. Home of chocolate, stroupwaffels amd dreary skies. It was raining. Of course it was. We were transported to Izegam, the home of the USA Cycling U23 Men’s Development house. I was very impressed with the set-up there, what a great program for the U23 boys! It is quite the rainy riding, pasta eating, focused racing, factory! It was a short stay as we loaded up the car to head to Holland the next morning for a 4 day stage race starting tomorrow! Nothing like starting hitting the groud running (or racing in this case) as soon as we touch down! We waste no time.

The traveling circus.

We have just began our trek across Western Europe to hit all the spring racing hot spots. Bring on the traveling circus. Our entourage contains 1 USA team bus (including a rice cooker, wash machines, 12 bikes, 36 wheels and full mechanics work station), 1 USA mechanic, 1 USA soigner, 1 USA team director, 6 riders, 1 USA team van. Try getting that through security. Something about mixing electrical components and organic material. We are carrying spare cranks, heart rate monitors, SRMs, rain jackets, shoe covers, food (you never know when they will feed you next), Tums, and a French press…

We are truly a traveling circus. As we sail away from Izegam, we have many adventures ahead of us. We will use our much needed GPS and our acute sense of tracking down some brutal, flat, fast Spring Classic Racing. I welcome the sound of the French language strung along the Flemish influences, the smell of a fresh baguette mixed with the sultry aroma of natural fertilizer, the absence of “to-go” cups with the decreasing in size of a espresso, the multitudes of bikes, and women in heels on bikes, and the promise of very hard European racing.

Bienvenue Traveling Circus.

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