Today I rolled into Florianopolis this morning around 9am, after yet another crazy check-in line adventure. I swear, every business, every person in Brazil or working for a Brazilian company moves in slow motion. There is no urgency or sense of customer service anywhere in the place. Even at the line to pick up our Ironman registration bag, I spent 30 minutes waiting in a line with only 4 people in it.
Thankfully, Ken Glah’s triathlon travel company, Endurance Sports Travel, made it all worthwhile. They had this huge bus waiting for us and drove us to our hotels. One unfortunate thing: probably 70% of the athletes didn’t get their bikes and/or luggage. How nice. TAM is SO efficient.
Thankfully, my dear readers, I have my bike and luggage. Many thanks for my Ritchey Breakaway which, when disassembled and packed into its case, masquerades as a normal piece of luggage and not some big ass bike box to be thrown about and left behind.
I went to grab lunch and then put my bike together. Before dropping off my bike with the nice EST bike mechanics, I went for a swim under a beautiful sun. I threw on my wetsuit and found the water to be cool but not so cool to freeze my toes, and not so warm to be uncomfortable in my wetsuit. Perfect water baby yeah!
I walk my bike over to the mechanics. I tell them to do 3 things and WHOA they rejigger everything on the bike making it sing. BONUS!
I make it out to expo to pick up my Ironman registration bag where I wait a ridiculous 30 minutes in a line with only 4 people in it. Before I get my bag, I spend some serious dough buying some great Ironman Brazil wear. They have some pretty cool stuff here this year and I gotta look cool when I get back home.
A bit of dinner when I get back and I meet up with my lone buddy from the Bay Area who comes out, except that he crashed his bike and probably can’t race. Go figure.