Arrival in Klagenfurt

Have not located wireless access so am using the Hotels workstation ( can not upload any pictures)

Arrived in Klagenfurt with no hassles. Connections went well, the bike case fit in the propeller plane that we had to take from Vienna to Klagenfurt, United did not charge any extra luggage for the extra 20 pounds ! I LOVE YOU UNITED !

Met with Andrea and Armando at Dulles and met a couple of others as well who had done this race before.

Austrian airlines had real silverware and served salmon as dinner, the bread rolls were warm and crispy, seats had individual screens and I was able to watch 'Premonition' ! We had mild turbulence and some people got sick but it kind of rocked me to sleep.

It is my first visit to Austria, it was interesting to observe that the background musics in the planes,terminals immediately changed to waltzes. People were very polite, they definitely looked a lot happier/content than the poeple that I saw in OIA and Dulles. I gave it to the abundences of gourmet chocolate/coffee floating around. I am finding it increasingly hard to resist to indulge but cant affort a chocolate binge right now, need to keep the GI track healthy for Sundays beating.

Almost everyone I talked to spoke English so language is not going to be a problem.

The Arcotel Mosel Verdino hotel shuttled me from the airport. Immediately I got my bike reassembled by the Premium mechanic before even going up to the room and then after looking at all the other bikes there made a last minute decision to switch to a 27 cassette. The bike shop will be putting it on Mephisto (thats my babies name) tomorrow I might need to buy a 27 cassette from the expo tomorrow if they do not have one in stock.

The room has a nice full size bed a mini fridge and a tub ! ( I am looking forward to my Sunday post race soak ! )

I also got a sim card and now have a local cell phone. It is great that Fred gave me the idea to unlock my phone so I could use it here.

There is a grocery store across the street got my essential shopping (water, some fruit) done exchanged the Dollars to Euros at a bank.

Talked with Daphne and Steven ( they had done this race numerous times) and learned that the airlines had not been able to deliver Steven's bike for 4 days now, so at this point its status is lost. That would be such a nightmare ! They had flown 1 day after the terrorist attack probably something happened in security. Daphne was a dear and offered to pick me up and drive the course tomorrow but I think I will go with Premium's bus tomorrow afternon.

Took a short nap and will now go out to dinner with Chip and Ilene.

The weather is miserable, rainy and the forecast for Sunday just changed to 30% chance of precipitation from 0%. There is still time for it to change to 0 again, as of now it is showing 30% chance of rain with a high of 87.