Aug 20 - a pre-ride workout

Well, I really worked up a sweat yesterday and last night. I don't know whether we ate something the disagreed with us or whether we've had a 24 hour flu or whether it's just jet lag ... but I don't think the latter ... but the last 24 hours has been hell. Alternately hot flashes, shivering, every bone aching, every hair hurting, it's been rough.

I got through the morning ok but Sandy was feeling under the weather by mid-day. Perhaps it was because I was busy getting to the check-in etc. that kept me going. Hamid was very, very late, so I left without him. He didn't even get into town until 1pm and our check-in was 11am. I left around 11, rode the 15 minutes to the start and went through a very efficient bike check, documents retrieval, jersey and vest pickup and rode back. When Hamid and Shab came in by train, I went and picked them up, brought them to our hotel. Shab visited with Sandy while Hamid and I went over to his hotel to check him in. Back to the Novotel, Hamid and I were dying of hunger since it was about 4pm, so we went to the McD's.

I've now had my first McBeer. Beer, water and soft drinks are all the same price in McD's here. The "meal deals" included a drink, which can be beer. In fact, my large fries and beer came to 5E while the meal deal with fries, sandwich, beer came to 6.50E.

By then I wasn't feeling like doing much of anything and Sandy didn't want to go out for dinner. She went upstairs and I sat outside with a group of Ontario Randonneurs who later headed to Versailles for dinner.

About 8pm, Sandy and I went down for dinner, opting for a soup to start and for Sandy, that was it. She didn't even finish the soup and headed upstairs. I finally got the waiter over again and ordered a ham omelet with penne. Well, it came with fries. He said that he'd be right back with the penne. I cut into the omelet and it was cheese, not ham. It was another 45 minutes before I finally got someone over to get this corrected ... I refused to eat what I hadn't ordered. Besides, I'd already had my patates frites for the day.

I missed a step ... after Hamid and Shab had checked in, Hamid and I rode to the start so that he could check-in. We timed it so that I'd be there for the 2:30 Canadian group picture. My picture took 10 minutes; Hamid was gone for a hour. He's quite a talker and speaking multiple languages, ended up giving an interview to someone. He and Shab are also shoppers. He brought back some t-shirts yesterday and they headed over this a.m. as well for more t-shirts. I dropped them off and went to Mass ... except that the church was under restoration and a different place and time were posted on a sheet of paper behind glass ... obviously not info that was on the website ! Having attempted to do my duty, I drove to the start, parked on the boulevard and went in to find Hamid and Shab. I bought a couple of t-shirts too -- at 6E a good deal.

We're both feeling a lot better now -- not top notch, but better. Neither of us were actually sick to our stomach, but it was a near thing. I've done some packing/organizing and must go down and attach frame numbers etc. to my bike. Sandy went for a walk while I was out and I guess at some point we'll want something to eat since we didn't have a big breakfast. On the other hand I do have a roll that I brought up from dinner and just discovered a couple of squishy date squares that will taste just fine (courtesy of Sheryl) !

Tonight we ride. It's a good thing that this didn't hit us a day later because I'm not sure that I'd have been in any shape to ride, in fact I'm sure that I would not have been. I forced myself to eat some breakfast because I know that I'll need it later. I'm forcing myself to drink the bottled water beside me because I know that I'm dehydrated from all the sweating. Yikes, what a way to start !

I think that we'll head over to the start around 7:30 p.m. We are signed up for the 9pm, 90 hour free start. At 4pm the 80 hour people leave; at 5pm the special bikes -- tandems, recumbents -- and at 6pm the regular 90 hour start in groups of 500. Tomorrow morning the 84 hour people leave ... I'm wishing that I was starting tomorrow morning.

Onward !