With my bike and gear all settled, I was feeling pretty good. The rain still isn’t letting up, but I’m trying not to think about it. I laid down on my bed and tried to rest.
About 15 minutes later, I woke up and realized that since we put a big plastic bag over my bike, I wasn’t sure if my bike computer was on the bike. Plus, if it was on the bike, I wasn’t sure it was turned off! Yikes. Now I’m panicking.
I left the hotel room, took the Cabriolet (a little open aired chairlift/gondola that takes you quickly to the base of the mountain and right to the Ironman Stage/Expo area). It was now 4:12 pm. Transition area and bag drop-off closed at 4:00 pm.
I didn’t care. I needed to see my bike and make sure the computer was there and it was OFF!
I got to the entrance and asked this one volunteer if I could get in to check my bike. I explained that my husband put this bag over my bike and I didn’t get a chance to confirm my computer was there and that it was OFF. He hesitated. Another volunteer appeared. He seemed to be more senior. I told him my tale. He looked at the first volunteer and he said, “This is the LAST person you can let through! I don’t care if a bike is on FIRE! No one else can get through!”
I thanked them both and found my bike. The computer was there and it was OFF! Phew.
As I left the transition area, I thanked the two volunteers again. The first one said, “Now you can sleep well!” I smiled and headed back to the room.
My daughter pointed out to me later at dinner, “There’s no way a bike would be on fire, it was raining too hard.” She has a point.