A Bit of Craziness

It seems Halloween came early to the Denia Marriott.

I'm getting ready to head out from my stay at the Denia Marriott. There were some interesting images all around. Saturday night's party – which had something to do with costumes – didn't wrap up until 5 a.m. Sunday. Yikes.

Here are a few more photos from around the hotel:

This guy must have had a really nice time at the party.

I got these rookies from the Ladies European Tour to help me out.

They really liked the free stuff we gave them.

Slash And Burn

A little cosmetic work was done my backpack today, courtesy of mechanic Aaron Fairley.

Molta Bene

This mug of mint hot chocolate was pretty amazing, as recommended by Jackson Stewart.

The food at training camp has been fabulous. BMC Racing Team's new chef, Massimo Carolo, served up some incredibly delicious meals. Unfortunately, despite running/walking nearly daily and trying to eat healthy, the pounds just aren't coming off. At least not at this camp.

Here's a sampling of the cuisine:

Lots of vegetables and a little pasta.

The chicken pieces were very tender.

Yes, that's risotto next to the pasta.

I really like the tomatoes with cheese (lower right).

There's some potatoes hiding under all that salad.

Dessert was amazing. Most days, I tried to steer clear of it.

Maybe the beans are keeping me from shedding pounds. There they are again.

And one more shot of desert.

As Seen On My Run

I pass this railroad crossing daily on my training run.

A nice view of the houses nestled on the nearby mountain.

Live Chat With Brent

Here's the photo taken right from the BMC Racing Team's Twitter feed.

Brent Bookwalter was first to give the BMC Racing Team's live chat a go. I've been wanting to use "Cover it Live" again since my days of Team Type 1 (from 2008 or 2009) and using it for live race coverage.

Brent did a fabulous job and the nearly 80 people who participated seemed to come away with a positive experience. We did it at 9 o'clock in the evening to try to get the U.S. audience at work.

An added bonus of "Cover it Live" is that you can replay the chat anytime afterwards. Take a look.

Busy Nights

It looks serene, but nights are equally as busy as the days at training camp.

There's always a lot going on at training camp. And nights are no exception. I usually have a planning meeting at six or seven o'clock, followed by the drafting of the next day's schedule. Then there's the approval process. Ultimately, I try to get the next day's schedule out before the riders are finished with their dinner. And dinner doesn't begin for riders until 8. (Staff eats a half-hour later.)

On this night, the NHL All-Star game was playing in the lobby, more than 24 hours after it happened.

A look at part of one of our daily schedule e-mails. Click to enlarge.

BMC Racing Team Photo Day

This was the final shoot of a five-hour portrait session with the riders.

I'm not sure what is happening in this photo.

One rider had wet feet, which marked up the tarp. So I used a hair dryer to clean it up.

Dinner After A Long Day

My iPad kept me company at the restaurant.

I woke up a little after 3 a.m., sweating profusely and obviously suffering from a fever. Fortunately, it broke – twice – over the next few hours. But the damage was done. I was tired, developing a cough and my forehead still felt hot, meaning no working around the staff at training camp today.

Ultimately, I was able to get my work done from my room. And, while I missed the go-karting outing, I was able to get pictures to post in the staff training camp album.

Because the staff went into Denia this evening, I was able to enjoy a quiet meal in the restaurant (see photos below). The best part? It was free! So that was a welcome surprise.

This is a Caesar salad. It was amazing.

This four-cheese pizza was easily the size of a medium in the U.S.

Dessert was fabulous.

Here's video of Gunther Landrie announcing prize winners from a contest.

Some New Gear

This year's December camp new gear includes a pair of Nikes,
new Pearl Izumi socks, a new Thule backpack and a suitcase.

I also received a nifty new suitcase and was told the old one has a 10-year guarantee.

What A Disaster!

At least we were able to crack a smile at the top of the mountain.

What was supposed to be an eight-kilometer hike to complete six missions turned into a nearly four-hour debacle that saw us take the lead, then get lost and hike more than 13 kilometers, arriving at the hotel four hours later slumped over with fatigue and in last place.

I'll keep the details short because I am simply exhausted. But we can blame a faulty map and guide for getting us lost. Then we tried to make up time by running, only to get lost again. A hike up and over a mountain was exhausting enough without the added distance. And to top it all off, I was the only one who brought along any water. Wow.

The second task involved being blindfolded. That's me on the left.

By the third contest station, we had already moved into first place and had to wait.

Gavin Chilcott killed this contest, doing a track stand for 90 seconds – twice!

An hour later, we had given up running and started walking, apparently the wrong way.

At least the view from the top of the mountain was a nice one.

Even the trip down the mountain was a treacherous one. And we got lost again.

One reason why we got lost? Someone had covered up the red dots marking the rocks.

Trans-Atlantic Travel

I landed in Paris as dawn was breaking.

Paris – I have gradually worked my way up the status ladder on Delta airlines enough that typically, I am seated in "Economy Plus" on international flights. This section boasts a bit of extra legroom, it's located closer to the front of the cabin (meaning you are served meals faster) and typically, I can get in a bulkhead seat, providing me even more extra legroom.

Unfortunately, for my flight from Atlanta to Paris, I was back in the "peanut gallery." And the flight was a code-share with Air France. That means fewer movies, cuisine that's a bit more international and no personal air conditioning device above your seat. It's not a great mix. But not too bad, either.

I always tell the person seated next to me (in this case, I was on the aisle in the middle of a 2 seat-4 seat-2 seat configuration) to elbow me if they need to get up. Generally, I get up more than they do. But on this flight, the woman next to me decided it would be easier if she just crawled over me. So twice, I woke up to her trying to creatively crawl on top of me to get to the aisle. I don't believe she tried to wake me up either time.

Anyway, my always-sleep-going-east strategy didn't work this time, despite taking three sleeping pills. It was a bit of a nightmare. I finally started getting drowsy in the seventh hour of an eight-hour trip. That's never good. So when I landed in Paris, I was not at "full strength." Here's some photos of my travel today – 18.5 hours door-to-door.

It was a busy Sunday morning at Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport.

Fortunately, I was able to enjoy lounge access in Paris. I always go downstairs. It is less-crowded.

In this terminal, there's no mistaking you are at Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport.

I exited the plane out the back upon my arrival in Valencia, Spain.

Off To Spain

These sure looked nice (and new). Too bad I'm in economy on my eight-hour flight to Europe.

Atlanta – It's "Groundhog Day" in the cycling world. The time of year when everyone ventures off to training camp before the Christmas and New Year's holidays.

For me, this means a flight from Omaha to Atlanta, then on to Paris, and finally to Valencia, Spain. It's a much longer haul than most of the staff and riders (who are mostly exclusively in Europe) have to endure. But it's one I have been making since December of 2010. And for sure, the warm temperatures in Spain will be a nice change from the (sometimes bitter) cold of Omaha.

The south terminal at Eppley Airfield was nearly deserted Saturday afternoon.

I've never heard of this place, but the food was pretty good.

The view from my seat in Delta's Sky Lounge in Atlanta.

Sponsor Shoots

Taylor Phinney is first up on the sponsor shoot front
at the BMC Racing Team camp.

Team Dinner

I actually attended my first team dinner at a training camp tonight. Usually, I'm back at the hotel, working feverishly on something. But this year, I was determined to participate. It was at a nice restaurant in Denia and was a chance to get out of the hotel for a few hours.

What I wasn't expecting was the recognition I received from the staff and riders. It was a moment I will never forget. As Ian Sherburne said, "we won the Tour de France last year and nobody got a standing ovation." A humbling moment for sure. And one that makes me proud to work for such a fine organization.

On to the photos...

Did not eat.

Tried to eat.

Ate and enjoyed.

Somebody made a mess. Not me.