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The race to get to the race

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Where to START? There are so many parts to Williamsburg Rev 3 I'll start here. Of course truthfully a race adventure starts when you sign up (March for this one). You commit, you start training, you make travel plans, you plan everything (if you are me). We picked Rev 3 Williamsburg because it was close to home (3.5 hrs), the venue and race are held at a campground, and it was 7 weeks prior to our 140.6. My husband and I own a 36 foot 2006 Paradise Point 5th wheel camper. PERFECT....
In October of 2017 we used the camper for wedding guests. During that use a front jack broke. Then my husband didn't winterize the camper. Pipes froze. We thawed them and put in antifreeze but the sink and toilet had leaks. The AC cover and skylight cover had broken from a hail storm. So WE knew there were a couple of items that needed repairs.
Four weeks to race day. My mother in law moves in with us. She bought a house 1,000 yards away (MAYBE) but was staying with us until all moved in. My husband was the mover. No repairs to camper have been done.
Three weeks to race day I decided to go early. Current reservations were the 6th- 10th. Eric was off July 4th. So to avoid him having to take 2 days off I added the 4th and 5th to the reservation. I also thought maybe this would motivate the repair effort.
Two weeks to the race day. The camper parts are ordered. The jack, skylight cover, and AC cover.
One week from race day, no jack. Um NO JACK!!!! Oh Eric missed an email. OUT OF STOCK!!!!!!! $200 more and expedited shipping to get a jack.
Race week - we will break this one down DAY BY DAY
Monday - I go to work. Eric is off. Jack comes in and Eric installs it. AC cover on. Camper moved to loading spot in yard connected to power and water for cleaning. Skylight cover not here but not necessary for trip. Eric fixed toilet. After work I start cleaning the inside.
Tuesday - Up at 7am. It's the 4th. Plan is to pull camper in before dark. We go to Lowes to get replacement for leaking faucet. Back by 8:15 and get to work. Eric wants to power wash the camper including the roof. He got about half way done. I took a picture of him cleaning away. I was outside and heard a break, boom, hollar. He was half in, half out the skylight. Turns out he had tripped over a cable on the roof. Luckily he didn't fall off the roof, but he DID fall through the skylight. He was hurt. I had to get him out of the shower (where skylight is). He couldn't go down. One leg in shower, one on roof. He wanted to go UP!! I pushed him up on roof then climbed up myself. He is rolling around on the roof in pain. Oh my Lord what NOW. So I finally convince him if he's talking he is breathing and we need to get off the roof. SHEW we get down!!!! REGROUP I'll get somewhere else to stay. Nope he says just give him a minute. Some ice to the ribs. Some pain medicine. Some cool down time. OK he's back on the DAMN roof!!!! WHO CARES ABOUT THE ROOF!!!!!! At this point there's a big hole in it.....DUH. Anyway we proceed. He cleans the camper outside, me inside, and I load. Tons and tons of shit. And taking the camper I do have the kitchen sink! It's 7pm. There's still a hole in the roof. We go to Lowe's to get plexiglass to cover it for the weekend. 9pm putting plexiglass in place. The camper is not going today. We go to bed.
Wednesday - I AM A NERVOUS WRECK. We do some minor touch up on plexiglass. It's leaking a little during rain but better than nothing and leaking in the shower. We are almost ready to go. Eric looks at tires. Bad splits from dry rotted. We need 4 tires installed on a camper STAT on July 5th. ** If you haven't figured this out yet,  this race is becoming VERY expensive VERY quickly. ** We take off. I am following behind. Headed about an hour away to tire shop on the way. One tire could be seen with bubble from the start. We made it to get tires without a blowout!!!Tires installed in less than an hour and we are headed to campsite. 3pm we pull in!!! Holy Gracious God we have MADE IT!!!!! Eric sets up camper and leaves for home (with his Mom riding shotgun). Dani and I settle into camping life. 11:30 pm BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP Holy Hell what is that!!!!! Gas detector CRAP. There is NO GAS in the camper. We forgot to fill the tanks. No way this alarm was real but how the hell do I SHUT IT UP?!?!????!!??!? I call Eric. He Googles. I find screw driver and pull it out of wall BINGO fuse!!! I pull the fuse out and again we have a peaceful campsite. SHEW what a week!!!
Thursday - We met a friend (Kris) and her family also staying at the campground and racing. Both our twelve year olds were doing their first Duathlon Saturday. We take them for a ride. Coming back Danielle was struggling on the hill. I try to stop to help. My shoe turns sideways but won't come out of the clip. It's stuck and the screws have come out!! I get back to camper by riding "Pro Style" foot on top of shoe. THANK GOD THAT HAPPENED THURSDAY AND NOT RACE DAY. Chatting with our friends Kris notices the tires on Danielle's bike are BAD BAD BAD. To the bike shop we go. 2 new tires for Dani and my shoe repaired ( more $$$ ). PRISCILLA arrives that afternoon. We are going on a ghost tour of Colonial Williamsburg. Kris and a couple of her crew go too. She has a minivan and there are 6 of us going so she drives. On the way back we had the displeasure of meeting a Jamestown policeman who didn't care we were unaware we were in a 35 zone. Oh no.... I think my luck is rubbing off.
Friday - A little shopping in Williamsburg including the Candy Shop and the Cheese Shop. More groceries  Then to the camper for the race expo opening!!! We check in and check out the expo. Rock Tape guys ( who become my best friends ) tape me up. Bike taken in for pre-race check your by Gonzo Gears and they polished her up nice. Susan Haag posts that she has arrived at the Expo. I go meet her. Mission one accomplished - meet and picture with Susan Haag. In case you don't know Susan Haag is the first woman to do over 100 IronDistance triathlons, and I think she's AWESOME. What an awesome day!!!! Food, wine, bed. TOMORROW WE ARE RACING!!!!!!
Cleaning the roof. Now you see him......

Now you don't......

Getting "new shoes" on the way

Holy crap - Is he going to fit???

TEARS TEARS TEARS TEARS WE MADE IT ONSITE!!!!

Can see the Rev 3 Trailers from our campsite

Our indoor water feature during the rain storms

The beeping alarm that scared me to death night one

All set up and camping!

One screw gone and the other laying on the table. This was after extricating the shoe from the bike with pliers

This is the floor.... Is their supposed to be light coming in through the floor?

Danielle's tires we replaced $$$

Transition complete with OUR NAMES

Note included in my race packet

The famous Susan Haag

Race goal one accomplished! A picture with Susan Haag.

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