So right now I’m sitting at the kitchen counter looking out at high 30 degree temperatures and the old favorite, “a wintry mix.” Some roots reggae is going in the background but it really isn’t helping things look any less bleak outside. It looks like today will be the first day I concede and give in to some good old-fashion indoor training torture. First time this year though!
The trainer will be one means of enjoying this fantastic winter day but the real excitement is saved for this afternoon. I have to get my visa before leaving for Belgium. Now I wish it was just the credit card-type of Visa but I get the luxury of applying for the bureaucratic (and international bureaucracy nonetheless!) work visa that accompanies racing over in Belgium. At first, I was very naive about how long this process takes. The best analogy I’ve been able to come up with to describe getting a work visa is equating the process to the biggest and most convoluted scavenger hunt of all time.
Here is a quick recount of one of my most recent adventures. Firstly, I need fingerprints and nationwide clearance from the FBI. To do this I need to get fingerprints by the NYPD, have them sent to the FBI, and then the FBI gets back to me with my clearance “stuff.” My first step was to go to the local NYPD precinct where they gave me a sheet of paper that said I needed a $30 money order and a letter from the Belgian Consulate. I was to bring these to One Police Plaza behind City Hall and get my finger prints which I could then send off to the FBI. Easy enough…So I head to the post office, wait half a century, and get my $30 money order. I then hop on the subway and head to the Belgian Consulate by Bryant Park. I go up to the desk, ask about getting the required letter and the person behind the desk says they haven’t written those letters in at least seven years. OK! Back on the subway now and heading down to One Police Plaza. Once I get there I go through all the metal detectors, etc. and finally arrive at the fingerprint department. Once again, I approach the desk and tell the lady behind the counter that I am here to have fingerprints taken for my work visa. She then asks me for my $15 money order. I tell here I have a $30 money order. Obviously, this won’t do and I need to come back with the correct money order. I try everything – I’ll take two sets of fingerprints (one as a souvenir?), I’ll donate the extra fifteen dollars, anything! None of this worked and now I have a $30 money order sitting on my desk at home and need to go back to the post office and One Police Plaza to finally get these damn fingerprints!
Besides visa woes, I’ve been training hard to get ready fro Belgium. I’m putting in 3 day blocks ranging from about 5.5hours to 6.5hours each day. The weight is starting to come off and I’m getting excited for the start of the season. I’m leaving on the 9th of February and my team training camp starts on the 15th. At the end of the third week in February we have the team presenation. Racing starts immediately after that with the Beverbeek Classic (www.beverbeekclassic.be). Going to be really hard!
So here is some numbers from training the other day. Thought some people might be interested:
January 21, 2008
Average Watts: 236
Normalized Watts: 258
Work: 3711kJ
Time: 4hours21minutes
Distance: 82.04 miles
This was a pretty hilly ride in Housatonic area in Connecticut with Chris Jones from Team Type 1. Anyway, that’s it for now. The season is just around the corner so keep up the hard work!
David Wiswell
www.echappeonline.com