DAY 0
And we're off like a herd of dirty turtles...
Speechless... Dumbfounded really, I rub the sleep from my eyes. We'd been up since 3 AM Pacific Standard Time. Two flights later it was 7 PM Eastern Standard Time and we had arrived in Norfolk Virginia. Our bikes had not arrived. I coldly stared at a pudgy man with three day old scruff wearing a red smock and a Delta name tag. I was trying not to lose my cool, because at the time I thought this poor soul could actually help me. I say poor soul because through the blind rage boiling up inside me, I knew this man didn't directly contribute to our bikes being lost. He just had the misfortune of choosing a shitty career.
I envision him as a little boy daydreaming about his life's aspirations. Going to work day after day, telling people who'd like to eye gouge him how their luggage has been lost, that they don't know when it will arrive or better yet where it's at. Handing out little "amenity kits" to minimize the hostile people's "inconvenience".
Maybe I'm getting a little dark, but we paid $300 to have our bikes shipped. And not only did they not know where our bikes were at, they had no answers for us at all. "Here's your reference number for your baggage claim so you can track your baggage online, and a 1-800 customer care number to call. But no one is there to answer the phones after 5 PM, so you'll have to call them in the morning". Dumbfounded...
So let me reiterate what you're telling me.
"You're sorry for the inconvenience"
Well thank you.
"You're giving me a reference number to track my bikes"
Are these the same bikes you can't track?
"You're asking me to call a 1-800 customer care number to speak with someone to assist me... who isn't there"
You can't assist me because?
The bikes eventually arrive at 2:30 AM, delivered to our hotel. We spend the next morning reassembling them and sorting gear. Because it's too late in the day to begin our journey we opt for a test ride down to historic Yorktown. In heavy traffic we fumble with our clip-in pedals and curse the decision to leave our helmet mirrors in the hotel. However short the 12 mile test ride was, it gave us a greater sense of confidence in both ourselves and our gear.
Tomorrow we are off like a herd of dirty turtles...
Weather permitting. Forecast 100% chance of rain, thunder showers, 2-3 inches and flash flooding.
And we're off like a herd of dirty turtles...
Speechless... Dumbfounded really, I rub the sleep from my eyes. We'd been up since 3 AM Pacific Standard Time. Two flights later it was 7 PM Eastern Standard Time and we had arrived in Norfolk Virginia. Our bikes had not arrived. I coldly stared at a pudgy man with three day old scruff wearing a red smock and a Delta name tag. I was trying not to lose my cool, because at the time I thought this poor soul could actually help me. I say poor soul because through the blind rage boiling up inside me, I knew this man didn't directly contribute to our bikes being lost. He just had the misfortune of choosing a shitty career.
I envision him as a little boy daydreaming about his life's aspirations. Going to work day after day, telling people who'd like to eye gouge him how their luggage has been lost, that they don't know when it will arrive or better yet where it's at. Handing out little "amenity kits" to minimize the hostile people's "inconvenience".
Maybe I'm getting a little dark, but we paid $300 to have our bikes shipped. And not only did they not know where our bikes were at, they had no answers for us at all. "Here's your reference number for your baggage claim so you can track your baggage online, and a 1-800 customer care number to call. But no one is there to answer the phones after 5 PM, so you'll have to call them in the morning". Dumbfounded...
So let me reiterate what you're telling me.
"You're sorry for the inconvenience"
Well thank you.
"You're giving me a reference number to track my bikes"
Are these the same bikes you can't track?
"You're asking me to call a 1-800 customer care number to speak with someone to assist me... who isn't there"
You can't assist me because?
The bikes eventually arrive at 2:30 AM, delivered to our hotel. We spend the next morning reassembling them and sorting gear. Because it's too late in the day to begin our journey we opt for a test ride down to historic Yorktown. In heavy traffic we fumble with our clip-in pedals and curse the decision to leave our helmet mirrors in the hotel. However short the 12 mile test ride was, it gave us a greater sense of confidence in both ourselves and our gear.
Tomorrow we are off like a herd of dirty turtles...
Weather permitting. Forecast 100% chance of rain, thunder showers, 2-3 inches and flash flooding.
Victory monument Yorktown, VA
 Starting point of the TransAmerica Bike Trail, back tire in the Atlantic! |
Exploring the historic streets of Yorktown
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Stats:
Miles: 10.22
Average speed: 8.8 mph
Max speed: 18.6 mph
Miles: 10.22
Average speed: 8.8 mph
Max speed: 18.6 mph
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