Changing Gears: Hanging On

Phil Gaimon is a young racer from Atlanta who dreams of making it in the professional cycling world. This spring, follow along as he travels from race to race.

I’m writing this from a hotel parking lot in Tucson, where the proprietors have graciously neglected to password-protect their wireless network. After a three-hour ride through the desert, I’ll be back on I-10. As of now, I’ve driven 27 out of the 32 hours from Atlanta to San Diego, which will serve as my base for the next few big races: The Sequoia Classic and The Redlands Classic (I try not to be repetitive in my writing, but “classic” is a much overused term in race titles). I’ve still managed to train every day and stay on schedule (the goal was 4 days), and it hasn’t been too bad.

The first day, I planned to stop on the Natchez Parkway in Mississippi to train, but it was 40 degrees and raining when I got there. It was still early, so I decided to just keep driving until conditions improved. Unfortunately, this weather system was just getting started, and the rest of my drive that day was in heavy snow. I ended up riding my trainer at a Super 8 Motel in Shreveport.

Perfect trainer weather.

The rest of the trip was better. I stopped somewhere in central Texas for my ride on day 2, and got to check out Saguaro National Park in Tucson yesterday. Today, I will ride from Tucson again (as soon as the weather gets warmer) and make it to my friend’s place in San Diego this evening.

Life on the road: the shower, the restroom, and the kitchen 

The hardest part about this journey is passing the time. I’ve gotten pretty creative in boredom reduction strategies over the last few days. Here are some examples of how I’ve distracted myself.

Strategy #1. Sprinting other vehicles for state lines, city limits, etc:
My record is 12-1 on this one, but I’m not looking forward to explaining it to a cop.

#2. Growing a beard:
On day three, I realized that a trip of this length wouldn’t cultivate anything better than severe sleaze. Border patrol apparently agreed (as I learned when they searched my car), so I shaved it.

#3. Engaging in an epic battle with Daylight Savings Time:
On day one, I crossed into central time and gained an hour. On the morning of day 3, Daylight Savings began. This silent and invisible force rudely snatched away my hard-earned hour, nearly leading to a missed breakfast at the Comfort Inn.  

Later that morning, I valiantly fought back, retrieving my hour by blazing across the continental divide. I then entered Arizona, where daylight savings time is apparently not observed, further cushioning my lead (bravo, Arizona!). I expect some setbacks today when I leave the Grand Canyon state, but Pacific Time should prove a valuable ally against DST, and I do not expect my abbreviated nemesis to make much of a comeback.

Saguaro National Park…it’s not all bad. 

#4: Eavesdropping on conversations between my radar detector and my GPS: This requires some explanation, so I have provided a transcript of an argument I overheard just last night. These conversations usually begin when the GPS gives me unsolicited sexual advice.

GPS: Up ahead, stay straight.
Radar detector: (sensing the awkwardness, it tries to change the subject) X-Alert!
GPS: (insistent) in 500 yards, stay straight.
RD: beep…beep…beep…beep
GPS: In 200 yards, stay straight
RD: (becoming impatient and frustrated) beepbeepbeepbeepbeep
GPS: In 100 yards, stay straight.
RD: BEEEEEEEEEEP
The radar detector’s shouting keeps the car quiet for another hour or so, as the GPS sulks.

The electrical odd couple, and a knife to cut the tension.

As you might expect, I am looking forward to actual human contact when I arrive at my friend’s apartment in San Diego tonight. I’ll let you know how the races go.

Thanks for reading.
-Phil

Did you miss Phil's earlier blog entries? Check them out here.
Figure It Out
Looking Back To Look Ahead