The beach right in front of our apartment, perfect weather

From out apartment deck in Albufiera, Atlantic in the background

Sunday Nov. 7th

Yesterday was a LONG day. We went to a dinner night at the resort on Friday night called "Fado" night. Basically, a five course traditional Portuguese dinner of baked pork, fish, potatoes, tons of food that did not stop coming. Oh, and the never empty wine glass. Fado is traditional Portuguese folk music. During the first part of the evening, we had a saxophone player walking the room playing music for all the tables and then as dinner started finishing, 2 folk guitar players and a female singer arrived to sing for us. I had a bit too much of the local water, which by the way you shouldn't be drinking, so I didn't eat or drink much but it was enjoyable. I left early, the alarm set for 3 A.M. so we could drive 3 plus hours to get to Lisbon by 7 A.M. Saturday morning. Our plane didn't leave until 9 but with all the bike stuff, it is just easier to be there early and handle to logistics. Plus we needed to haul all the stuff down from the room, load the car, find our way out of Albufiera and back to the freeway, get to the airport, fill up with fuel, turn in the rental car and check in. Good luck! First snag, the door out of the parking garage was closed and locked, second snag, how do we get out of town? We drove a ways and stopped at a gas station for directions, I speak English, gas station guys, Portuguese only. Let's see down this way, turn left, then right onto A2 and away we go. Uh oh, road just bent left, was that our left. Hope so, turn right go a bit more, doesn't seem right, stop, get the map again, turn around, it's been 45 minutes and we really aren't out of town yet. OK, back to the last turn, go straight, there is a sign for A22 and then A2, feeling better, finally onto the freeway, which by the way are very good, better then ours. The speeds on the freeways are posted 50 KPH to 120 KPH. Most driver's drive over 120 KPH easy. Just stay in the right lane, if you do pull out to the left to pass, look back first before making the move and then get back to the right immediately. Signals, hardly ever used. We got what was supposed to be a VW Passat, and you all know what I think of VW's. I don't know what we got, didn't say VW anywhere on the outside. Did say Exso or something on it but it was a manual transmission 6 speed, TDI diesel wagon that had a fuel range of about 1100 kilometers per tank. The gauge barely moved but when you did need fuel, diesel of course, fuel was about 1.21 Euros per liter. The Euro is worth about .50 more than a dollar, so that means about $1.80 a liter or $7.00 a gallon for fuel. Glad it got great mileage.

It was roomy, all the bike gear fit inside, rode and handled well and had lots of power, rain sensing wipers, dual zone climate control, steering wheel controls for the radio, cruise, etc. The deluxe package, very nice over all.

Anyway, I digress, back on the highway, set the cruise at 130+KPH and off we go. Lisbon, 250 K ahead.

Not much traffic at 4 A.M. on Saturday. We made good time, found all the right turns to get us pointed to Lisbon, stopped for fuel not far from the city and then got on the the Vasco de Gamas bridged that travels over the huge bay that Lisbon straddles The bridge goes on for ever and eventually makes a big turn and enters the city center and drops you almost right at the airport. It took us a while to slowly find the entrance to the rental car area, then find the Eurocar guys, the car checked out good and we were in the airport at 7 as planned. I checked us in the day before but knew there would be over sized baggage issues, so we went through the same routine as coming over, refund some $ and recharge some $. We flew Continental, I refuse to fly NW/Delta every chance I get and don't even get me started on that discussion. Continental treated us good. Luggage, 2 small carry on per person is OK. No extra money for 1 checked bag. $45 for a second bag, $100 for an over sized item like a bike box, so for $145 each way bike, wheels, rollers, and all the necessary gear made it over. The plane was on time and as we were standing in line to clear customs, who walks up behind us but Norm and Helen, the Canadians we had dinner with a week or so before and the guy who lead out the 3 up race I was in. We talked a bit, got through customs and away we went, us to MN and them to Calgary. The plane rides were uneventful, we switched in Newark again and got back on another express size jet that holds a max. of about 60 passengers but only had about 25 on board. We landed about 1/2 hour early got picked up and made it home before dark but about 17 hours after the alarm went off.

Things look normal here, nice to have some warm days left but I'm sure that will change immediately.

Sunday has been spent unpacking, doing laundry, eating, preparing for back to work tomorrow.

I feel like I am in a daze yet and can't really focus on what really just happened in the last 2 weeks, it will all come clear and then become great memories of where this track cycling craziness has lead me in the last few years.

Quite a marvelous bunch of adventures that can't easily be described but I hope can continue and maybe even get better.

The library/sitting room in our hotel, Curia

My Canadian buddy, Kris from Toronto

  In the Canadian kit of course

The hotel we stayed in, The Curia

Sundays race report

The track infield was open early again, the officials were finally learning that we need warm up time before races, but the track was closed as per usual. Qualifying heats for some of the younger riders were to start at 9, the track finally opened about 9:30, uggh!. I was on the rollers for 25 minutes prior so I went off for some laps, did my 1st hard effort, came in for a gear change for the next "race gear" effort but riders were called off, dam. My race wasn't until about 1 P.M. So a long morning of staying hydrated and fueled. Another new friend from Trexeltown missed out on his qualifier due to official miscalculation, sorry David, but Kris from Canada made his final. My race was getting smaller, down from 16 and people dropping out because they were tired or who knows why. Kim was out for here points race, 3 age groups together, yuck. She rode a good active race attacking when she could to get ahead of the other strong riders but could not get anyone to help her so, eventually, no points. Time for awards then the 5th, 6th and 7th race. Mine being the 7th. Rick from CA, was talking to me and helped me plan a miss and out like strategy for the race which I was thinking about the night before while on the rollers back at the hotel, stay protected in the pack until the sprint lap and then move up and over. The plan was a good one until the second lap when four guys went off the front, I tucked on behind them and the race was strung out in a line, so long miss and out tactics. 3 or 4 strong riders drove the field, it slowed slightly after each sprint but not much. I think I was 5th in at least 2 sprints, no points. One sprint, a Brit pulled up at the start of the home straight when I was flying by him and bumped shoulders with me, getting even, not really just very tired and happy he didn't crash me or him. It was a good race for me as far as tactics, I stayed protected and went up track to take advantage of the banking when the pack slowed, there were just some really fast riders, the last sprint I gave it all I could and eventually took 6th overall, with no points. Saved the best for last again. Last year my best was 10th in the points so 6th was a good number for me.
The rest of the day slowed while I packed the bike for the road trip south, loaned my new Canada friend Kriz my front 808 Zipp because he had a flat and eventually said good bye to some officials I got to know and like as well as some competitors, including an Argentinian who seemed to become my best friend as I packed the car and even though we couldn't really converse he wished me well and said, see you in Manchester next year. Does this mean the 2011 season just started?

Monday morning, where did Sat. and Sun. go

I am officially done with the 2010 track season, started in April and done on Oct. 31st, whew! I was having kind of a low key, down day on Sat. after the adrenaline filled Thursday night races, crash and relegation. Others continued to support me but I really didn't feel good about being involved in the only crash that I was aware of. The plan was to take the day off and do some tourist things and get my head right for the final points race on Sunday afternoon. Vera and I went to the track to watch a bit in the morning, had lunch in their buffet, which has a been very nice and convenient. We were looking for a wine distillery that has an underground museum. If we couldn't find it, next option was a town called Aviero, north of the track 30k or so, on the Atlantic coast. We must have missed the museum signs because the next thing we knew we were in Aviero, kind of a huge port town instead of the small town we expected, lots bigger than we expected. The downtown is quaint, with canals in the old town area where you can rent gondolas for a ride. It was blustery and raining on and off so no gondolas for us. We did find the beach area about 10k from the center of town, giant sand dunes with waves crashing like crazy from the stormy weather. A little walk on the beach to calm my mind and spirit and plus be a primer for our week on the southern coast at the Algrave. Back to Sangalhos, track town, to check schedules for tomorrow and as we drove to the track we spied the Museum sign, so we fit that in as well, last tour of the day. Kind of an amazing place, the museum is scattered in the tunnels below the distillery amongst all the aging wine and brandy of the Allianca wine producers. African art and sculpture, crystals, masks and ceremonial gear, fossils, tiles and of course old brandy and young wine. The tunnels were dark so the photos aren't so good but I will put some of the better ones up soon. After the museum, back to the track for a short bit to wish Kim luck in her final sprint rounds and then back to the hotel, rollers in the room for a half an hour, dinner at our favorite local restaurant and say good bye to the friendly owner. Still raining, Norm and Helen and Kriz and Bieta, from Canada were our dinner partners, nice dinner and friends. Back to the hotel, more pictures of our hotel, packing for our check out bright and early Sunday morning. We were planning to leave from the track after the points race and drive 6 hours to our home for the next week at a place called Oura View Beach club, a resort sitting right at the edge of the southern coast, Atlantic Ocean.
Sunday was a daylight saving time hour change, would my phone/alarm know that? It did, we got up in time got some breakfast, checked out with a surprise that our room was 55 Euros a night for 2 not each, so half price, nice.