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Yeah, I almost bailed on my second TransAm because I'd miscounted the days and booked the flight way to early (like, even if it went to plan this time, too early). Thankfully @DarrenFranks helped with flights so I could finish the ride properly.
Transiberica last year was similar - too many issues meant I was way behind schedule and then it gets to the point where you spend the rest of the race stressing about finishing in time versus just pulling the pin. For once, I pulled the pin and had a relatively comfortable return home with the time I had in hand.
hippy
@frank9755
Tcr 4 - finished the day before the party so had time to hit the local shops and buy a t-shirt and sandals, and a bike box. Wore the shorts that had been my sleeping gear during the race. Got plane the day after the party.
Indypac. Massive stress because I had booked my plane for 19 days but 6 days of headwinds meant I'd struggle to make it. Had posted clothes and computer, etc from the start to WeWork in Sydney. Spent most of my waking moments for about a week trying to work out what to do when I reached Sydney, go to the finish first, hotel first, WeWork or ride straight to airport. I've never worked it out! Massive stress as I'd booked my flight with not enough time. Then Mike got killed and I abandoned. Bought new clothes in Geelong, where I was.
Tcr 2019. Plan was to buy clothes in Brest but packed in Austria. Didn't bother with new clothes, travelled on train in my shorts (same ones as above!) plus gilet and rain jacket. Had ridden in flat shoes so didn't need new ones. Took bike apart and put it in a couple of bin bags (Austrians / Germans so this quite a lot for trains, I think it works in France too).
Buying new clothes at the end is a little ritual that I quite look forward to. Same for binning the old rags I've worn too the start. Getting stuff to pack bike into is a bit stressful but it always seems to work out. You could contact a shop in Nice now and make an arrangement for them to get a box and pack it for you, but I never bother, just wait and see what happens.
Main thing is not to book a flight at the wrong time. I'd rather pay more and book it a couple of days before I fly than stress about not making it. If I'd done TPBR I'd have most likely looked into trains. I'd definitely have got a train to the start. Only thing is Eurostar doesn't take bikes any more so would need to go on the ferry.