Alas, blog-writer subcontractors don't have much staying power. Don had to go back to his PhD studies, so I am going it alone. Let's see...where were we?
Oh yeah. El Salvador:
Stages III and IV were to be centered around the commerce god, MultiPlaza. Our time trial began in the Banco Cuscatlan parking lot, and meandered San Salvador’s busy streets, then ended at the MultiPlaza. You wanna talk about harrowing? To start, it felt like cyclo-cross. I kept wondering when I’d encounter a barrier after all the curbs, planters, and speed bumps I ran over. Then I’d win this damn stage race for sure! 10k of insanity. I dodged buses and cars, was misdirected at a traffic circle and had to come to a complete stop, and almost caught my 1-minute girl. I was pretty pissed about the misdirection at the traffic circle. It would have felt awesome to catch my 1-minute girl. But she had me by 30 meters at the end.
Poor Hiroko was pointed the wrong direction, as well, in addition to her bars slipping during her TT.
But nobody had it as bad as Lorena from Guatemala. She was struck by a bus during her time trial and sustained multiple compound leg fractures. Thankfully, her husband flew to El Salvador in his private jet (he’s running for president of Guatemala) and she was okay. The driver of the bus, needless to say, is in jail. I don’t envy that guy. El Salvador is lucky it didn’t get a trade embargo or something in the chops on account of their shoddy officiating of the course. This is a UCI race, people. The highest level in the world. At least you can make sure riders can safely ride their time trial (and get proper directions).
Whatever. We washed our hands of it and chilled at the hotel till the afternoon circuit race starting and ending at the MultiPlaza.
We took it easy on the first lap. The circuit was challenging with all of its road hazards. Each lap we encounter these evil lines on the road, designed to slow down a car but little thought was given to what they do to a bicycle. It’s like being thrown into a blender. And my bottle bounced out of its cage. Every lap somebody lost something on those cursed things.
At the close of Lap 1, going through the start/finish, I attacked. It was chased down, inevitably, and it set Andrea up perfectly. She took a few girls with her, and Anna and I rush to control the field. I worked! Andrea is up the road, and we let the leading team do the work on the front. In the end, Andrea ends up 4th. In a UCI race in her second year f racing! That’s awesome! We all hold on for the field sprint and are somewhere in the middle with the same time as the field.
After meandering back to the INDES, we agree that shopping at the MultiPlaza is on tap. If not for the fast food (welcomed, at this juncture, since everybody but me is feeling so-so or had tossed their cookies at some point); for the change of scene. I grabbed a snack and went in search of shoes. Corporate Mandy developed a fondness for hot shoes while working in big biznez, and old habits die hard. Though we were advised by Jorge and Director Sportif Greg not to bring high heels (“this isn’t a fashion show”), no rules were laid out with regards to purchasing them IN El Salvador. With my eagle-eye for style, I found a pair…brown patent leather with a wedge heel, faux silver metal buckle and pink leopard lining. 1950s secretary effect, perfect with a pencil skirt. Now that I think about it, I just did a craptastic job describing these chocolate-colored confections…but if it gives you an idea, I was told by someone to “stay away from me with those shoes; I’m trying to concentrate”.
Mandy = 0, Shoe Addiction = 1
Poor Hiroko was pointed the wrong direction, as well, in addition to her bars slipping during her TT.
But nobody had it as bad as Lorena from Guatemala. She was struck by a bus during her time trial and sustained multiple compound leg fractures. Thankfully, her husband flew to El Salvador in his private jet (he’s running for president of Guatemala) and she was okay. The driver of the bus, needless to say, is in jail. I don’t envy that guy. El Salvador is lucky it didn’t get a trade embargo or something in the chops on account of their shoddy officiating of the course. This is a UCI race, people. The highest level in the world. At least you can make sure riders can safely ride their time trial (and get proper directions).
Whatever. We washed our hands of it and chilled at the hotel till the afternoon circuit race starting and ending at the MultiPlaza.
We took it easy on the first lap. The circuit was challenging with all of its road hazards. Each lap we encounter these evil lines on the road, designed to slow down a car but little thought was given to what they do to a bicycle. It’s like being thrown into a blender. And my bottle bounced out of its cage. Every lap somebody lost something on those cursed things.
At the close of Lap 1, going through the start/finish, I attacked. It was chased down, inevitably, and it set Andrea up perfectly. She took a few girls with her, and Anna and I rush to control the field. I worked! Andrea is up the road, and we let the leading team do the work on the front. In the end, Andrea ends up 4th. In a UCI race in her second year f racing! That’s awesome! We all hold on for the field sprint and are somewhere in the middle with the same time as the field.
After meandering back to the INDES, we agree that shopping at the MultiPlaza is on tap. If not for the fast food (welcomed, at this juncture, since everybody but me is feeling so-so or had tossed their cookies at some point); for the change of scene. I grabbed a snack and went in search of shoes. Corporate Mandy developed a fondness for hot shoes while working in big biznez, and old habits die hard. Though we were advised by Jorge and Director Sportif Greg not to bring high heels (“this isn’t a fashion show”), no rules were laid out with regards to purchasing them IN El Salvador. With my eagle-eye for style, I found a pair…brown patent leather with a wedge heel, faux silver metal buckle and pink leopard lining. 1950s secretary effect, perfect with a pencil skirt. Now that I think about it, I just did a craptastic job describing these chocolate-colored confections…but if it gives you an idea, I was told by someone to “stay away from me with those shoes; I’m trying to concentrate”.
Mandy = 0, Shoe Addiction = 1
Fun with a Trader Joe's shopping bag
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