The final months came, PhilCycling and her daughter Diana was getting involved with the logistics. Our travel arrangements were taking place. Thank you once again to all who helped with the expenses, borrowed bike cases, and airport transportation. Finally, we were at the point of no return.
It's amazing how expensive it is to check in extra luggage during air travel. It was a long flight indeed but it felt very different because of what Deo and I were set to do. It's not like travelling for a vacation. Many hours had passed and we were finally in front of the Immigration Officer at Manchester Airport. With his Brit accent, asking us the purpose of our visit. It was actually pretty neat to say that we are going to compete at UCI's Masters Track Cycling Championships at National Cycling Centre. Just like that, our passports were stamped and off we went to get our luggages.
It was cold and drizzly wet that morning getting out of the airport dragging both bike cases and luggages out to catch the shuttle bus. We were fortunate that the auto hire we requested was changed from a midsize stationwagon to a minivan. Everything we brought fitted in nicely with some room to spare. Driving off to the hotel was not an easy thing to do… the long flight, right-side steering wheel, had to drive on the wrong side of the road, and my first time driving for real in UK! To make the "2-mile drive through the motorway and runabouts" story short, we arrived at the hotel alive! It was still early but we were able to get our room and rest. This day was basically to relax, assemble his road bike, and find dinner!
The following morning, our Olympian went out for a spin…. it was cold, roads were narrow and wet, the morning traffic was in full swing and had to figure his way back because he got lost! But no worries, he was able to get back alive! Cleaned the dirt off his road bike and we later drove north to National Cycling Centre where the event venue will be. Setting up the GPS was different. Needless to say, we got lost around downtown and I now consider that as a tour of Manchester! All the excitement was so strong as we arrived. Seeing Henry Shibata of Encino Velodrome and Gerry Agnew was a welcome surprise! That also meant that Arizona's Miss Gia and her Mom arrived also. Deo unpacked his track bike and got it assembled in record time. We also got the rollers we hired and there goes Deo again for a spin! This first full day was very important to get settled in.
Jim and Carol Kloss, Robert and Rebecca Pelegrin, Mike Birditt, and Kurt Sato, also arrived that afternoon straight from the airport. Jay Wolkoff, Coach Travis Smith, and Coach Andy Lakatosh arrived the next day as with other folks from Texas, Colorado, and NorCal. We were also the first ones to stake our temporary home in the infield.
We finished up later that afternoon and drove back to the hotel... we were alive once again! We had a "smiley face" night of sleep as we knew that this was the first biggest hurdle we had to cross! We should be cruising till the day we return home.... knock on wood!
Coach/Manager Arden Arindaeng
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