A typical day in camp....

I don't think I have mentioned in any of my blogs, but a day in camp was an experience of another world (well in my world). If you know me very well, you know I do not like to wake up early and I like to sleep comfortable with all the amenities that a hotel would offer.

Imagine all of this

Mornings:

• having to wake up at 5am in COLD WEATHER everyday;
• wait in line, to use the restroom (portapotty) (COLD MORNINGS, brrrrrr)
• wait in line for breakfast (trying to wake up)
• Go back to my tent, get dressed, take my tent down (i was rooming alone, so I had to do this alone-- but sometimes with help from my nearby tent friend Peter)
• walk my luggage, tent and sleeping back to the gear trucks (which was never close to the tent area)
• go to my bike, check the tires, put water in my bottles, stretch, put on my helmet, sun block, gloves, eat some more snacks..
• All this, as 2,500 cyclists are attempting to the the same as I am-- all so we can leave by 8:30am (which i usually left at 8am- which is late for a slow rider like me)
  

A rest/lunch break:

• Look for bike parking (amongst hundreds of cyclist)
• Get in line for the restroom (portapotty)
• Get in line for snacks
• Get in line for water (for my bikes)
• stretch out
• put sun block
• take pics with friends
• get on my bike and leave (before they close the route on me, which usually meant 15-20 mins for me)
  

Evenings:

• try to make it back by 6:00pm (i think that was the time)
• take my bike to parking
• go to gear truck to get my luggage, tent and sleeping bag
• find my sleeping area (which was never near the gear trucks)
• put the tent up (sometimes fighting with the wind), and lay out my sleeping bag
• change into something comfortable
• walk and find the showers- wait in a long line
• go back to my tent to leave my shower bag in my tent
• get my stuff ready for tomorrow (shorts, jerseys, etc)
• get in line to eat dinner (sometimes eat twice)
• hang out for a bit and go read my support messages (which I LOVED TO READ)
• go to sleep (by 9:30) in a cold and windy area
• middle of the night-- go to the restroom (since i would drink lots of water)
  

wake up and do it all over again.......

what a day huh? Well, I must have loved it, since i already signed up for next year! All that waiting in line, talking to others makes it all fun!