Laramie

Laramie 2008 is in the books. If I don't write up our experience now, I never will so here goes the long version. First, I have to say that the course was much more diverse and enjoyable than I thought it would be and I am happy we finally made the trip up for this one. It all started with a rush hour drive up 287. We finally got into Laramie late evening and picked up our race packets. We then headed for the camp site I had already reserved which was right at the start/finish line. We found a good spot and Jessica quickly set up the tent which was smart because within a 1/2 hr, we were eating dinner while sitting in the car during a thunder storm. I am envious of the rain they have been getting up there and it made the trails pleasant to ride.



The rain fell steady which made it difficult to get anything ready for the next day so we headed to our home away from home. The rain fly made the tent hot and humid and sleep hard to come by. 5am came fast and the 7am start time was not far behind. Some coffee, a couple bites of food, a lot of " I can't find this and I can't find thats" and we were off heading to lineup for the start.

Luckily the singlespeed class started with the first wave so we had an opportunity to get out front fast and get a gap on the soon to leave very large sport class. I didn't want to jinx myself the week before by saying I was feeling good but the legs were feeling in tune as far as I could tell so I was excited to go. We started out and I try to get up the road quickly due to the fact that I had no idea what passing would be like once we hit the first piece of trail. The legs warmed up fast and I start to pedal to get by a clump of people. As we head into a left sweep in the trail, a few guys throw on the brakes when someone washes out and I get off my line causing my rear tire to bounce off a rock and land offcamber. Normally, this would not cause any concern but as soon as the wheel hit the ground, a gunshot went off and I find myself in shock looking down at a bare rim and twisted up rear tire turned inside out.

The Schwalbe racing ralph that I had ridden the week before after the stans tubeless setup process, had completely blown off the rear rim. We were maybe a mile into the 70+ mile course and I jumped off the trail as the rest of the pack rode by. I look down with the sound of bikes whizzing by in the background. I was not sure if the tire had torn or just blown off the rim. The stans liquid made the inside out inside tire look like a yogurt covered pretzel intertwined in a figure eight around my frame and rim. I gather my thoughts and get the wheel off and my tube and air out of the bag from under my saddle. Jessica passed and looked at me in disbelief, all I could think of to say was go get it! It took me a while to get the tire back in shape and get all the stones, sticks, debris, and anything else that could poke a hole in the tube out of the stans latex that is inside the tire. Pulling the spent cartridge out with wet slimy hands was almost impossible though so I decide to go against the advice of my dentist and use my teeth. This works and I get enough air in to get going and I later borrowed a pump to top it off at aid 1.



By this time, the sport waves had been going by and I knew it was going to be crowded getting through everyone to get back up. I just start to push it and try to get around people every chance I get. Luckily things started to string out a little and open sections allowed for easy passing with safe passage. I saw Jessica at some point on a little climb and she looked bewildered at what had happened to me. Obviously I wanted to hit my time goal so I knew I had to utilize my 32:18 in the beginning 3/4 of the race before the tough climbing started so I just kept the best pace I could.

The tire was obviously going to blow off the rim at some point so better in a flat section in the beginning of the race, than a technical downhill I thought. Overall, it was a smooth fix but it just threw me for a loop being so early. It's funny to think about now as it was quite a scene and it really scared some people when it blew. EDIT:today I took off my rear wheel and found the rear tire flat!

There are plenty of open dirt road sections in this race where you can get some speed and pass safely so it was just a matter of settling into a pace and not blowing up completely before the end. I had to stop and take my wheel out of the bike as I was hearing some funny noises. The rear rotor was rubbing after I had ridden on the rim but it seemed to be ok. I spent a bit of time at the 2nd and 3rd aid stations trying to get it together after pushing to get back in it. I have to say, it is unreal how supported the aid stations and course are at the LE. The people are absolutely great and even though I don't find it possible to eat much in terms of solid food during an event like this, the three table spreads were just overwhelming.

Toward the end of the course, we rode through some great areas with beautiful rock formations. We got into the Veduawoo area where many of friends of mine have come to climb so it was cool to put a landscape with the name.

A pro woman came up behind me on on a flat section before aid station 4 and we informally trade pulling until 5. She was off like a shot at 5 after grabbing a H20 bottle on the fly. I wanted to get some energy in before some of the bigger climbs so I grabbed a gel and had an enervintene. I thought we had more miles than we actually did from aid 5 to the finish so I was pacing myself through the first 1/2 of this section. I had to jump off to walk some loose stuff that the legs refused to go up and was really unsure what was in store. I had caught back up to G.Reeves, who is quite the hammer by the way, at the headquarters trailhead. She had already pulled back from 2 or 3 early flats so she was really cranking with only one possible pro woman in front of her. This made for a good pace. Even though passing crossed my mind in a couple sections, my misinformed self was thinking there was more to go in the race than there really was so I settled into her pace which was pretty fast anyway. Right before we top out one of the last big climbs before the final open section and wooded singletrack, a photographer tells me we are almost done," what?!" I say. Yeah, only a few more miles he says. My navigation was off obviously as I was thinking we had maybe 8+ miles left and more climbs but I was more than happy to accept reality. I started to stand on it but realize the pace was ok at this point and I ride the rest of the way in behind her.

We rolled across the line a 5:58 just inside the sub 6hr (unspoken) goal I had set for myself. I was 25th overall unofficial and 3rd in the mens SS class 10 minutes behind 2nd place. Charlie Hayes took 1st in SS and 4th overall, amazing. I guess he finished around 5:32 or so, all I know is the guy is incredibly fast!

I chatted it up with several really nice people after the finish and headed for food and a Dale's Pale Ale in the shade. No women SSers had come through yet and I had no idea how jessica was doing out there. It was getting hot so I knew it would be getting tougher around the 7hr mark. Kara Durland, the first SS woman rolls in before 7hrs. I have a feeling Jessica is not far behind her so I stand there with my camera waiting. I see Neil from our team and chat it up while keeping an eye out for my lady. He was hurting and had to bail around aid station 4 due to a leg issue which was unfortunate. Of course Jessica comes in while I am not looking and I pretty much miss the shot.



Yeah, I missed the shot but what strong work, talk about a hammer! She did such a great job staying out front most of the time and got passed by only one other in her class. Kara D. is a very strong rider/SSer so what an incredible job getting 2nd! She rode really well.



Most stylish bike award went to the Fat Chance Yo' Eddy. This vermontster is pre-suspension corrected with the original fork. An MTB classic in the truest sense. I spoke with the owner for a while who was really cool and he said he was going to restore the paint this winter. A sweet setup for sure.



There were heaps of VW vans young and old out there too. I know Timmy will appreciate this shot, to the future buddy! One day we will be rolling some sweet trails based out of these (one can dream).

The rumors of how well supported the LE is does not do it justice. The people that came out to help and cheer for us on the trail were incredibly nice and friendly. I tried to say thanks and hi to everyone working the course and to all the supportive and encouraging people running the aid stations. It really is a very unique event. The after bbq is sweet and beer from Oskar Blues and New Belgium hit the spot. It is the type of event where you are smiling at every course photographer. There is climbing but it is only about 7000 ft for the whole course from what two people with garmins told me. I thought I read 8500 in the course description but the race director said that was not accurate when I emailed him before the race. Funny, that is half the climbing of double boundary with a handful more miles, can't wait until September!

I met some other cool SSers before the race and out on the course but unfortunately rarely get names or recognize people outside their bike helmet and glasses. Bill from Arvada, Steve from FC, someone from Utah, the guy with the Chance, etc. I did see EdE on the course who I have yet to meet formally on a beautiful SS Eriksen. Sounds like you had a good time as well and we should hit a ride up in the mtns sometime. I have never met Jesper either but his photos of the course are really good, check it out.

I talked with several people on the course and at aid stations that had taken wrong turns so I was happy that I did not get off course. I was hearing a lot of stories after the finish as well of wrong turns here or there and lost time frustrations that were understandable. I was disappointed about my tire issue as well but all was quickly diluted with a couple Dale's pale ale. The course was marked well for the most part but a few sections were very tricky so I guess I lucked out. I know to keep a keen eye on the flags next year. I am sure we will be back for this one.

Breckenridge 100

Congratulations to Josh Tostado, a fellow Bach Builder team member, for dominating the Breckenridge 100. He killed the field for a 4th year in a row and set a new course record in the process. Read about it here. 4 or 5 insane guys decided to do it SS as well and Matt Turgeon, who started the NMES, took the top spot on what is considered an extremely tough course. Great job to everyone who finished!

riding along

I have been getting in heaps of riding and the legs are feeling worked. I have been plagued with some sort of minor lung ailment for weeks. Coughing up fun stuff daily. Hopefully it clears out some day and I can feel like I have full lung capacity. I am not big on structured training so I always question myself or feel a bit off before doing an event. I took too many days off before firecracker50 and tapered off big rides too early. For Laramie I did the opposite so we will see how it works out. Looks like it could be a hot one out there next Saturday at the Enduro so hopefully they will be handing out some cold beverages. Still trying to decide on a gear...

Drove up the canyon tuesday and put together a nice ride. I was feeling much better than I was Sunday and it was pleasant and mellow up in the hills. Followed a couple trails I had never ridden before and had fun exploring. I finished fairly quick compared to some past times even with the extra trail and got back to the car to find I had left my Ipod cord plugged in and killed the battery. I was able to pop the clutch and get home before dark though.



Some hippies left everything and the kitchen sink out in the mtns. I always wondered who drove this thing up here and when? There is a little shack behind it too. I guess these people were living the simple life off the land away from the man and his taxes when suddenly, they just up and left all their crap to rust on the mountain when they heard cable TV was only $29.99 month.





I was spinning down that road off in the distance a 1/2 hr ago and now I'm breathing like I took a bayonet to my lung.

Hit the road for a couple rides later in the week. I was able to get in a nice slow flat road ride Friday and it was feeling really good. Roadkill observed: 7 birds of various varieties, 1 rattlesnake, 1 rabbit, 1 prairie dog, and something with spots that I could not identify.

Saturday saw us make plans to get high and avoid the heat that was cooking the front range all weekend. Chris suggested some trails that we had not ridden in a couple years and we quickly jumped on board. It payed off with some pleasant cool uncrowded trails and beautiful views.





We stopped for a little break at the top of this climb and took in the views. SS trifecta





While the front range cooked in the easy bake oven, we rode in the clean mtn air and gazed upon views like this.



Represent! Blackeyed Susan, the MD state flower.



You're not in Easton anymore! Chris enjoying the GF and fun trails.



Opportunist.

It was really fun rolling at a mellow pace and just enjoying the mountains with my special lady and homie Chris. So many trails and such a short summer.

After years of riding rigid, I have really been enjoying the Fox 29. The lockout is superb and the adjustments make it easy to customize the ride. The combination of 29er wheels and front suspension was really noticeable on some of the more tech downhills that I last descended on a 26in rigid SS. I still love the rigid ride but there is no denying that fork is damn fun!

Sam Hill knows what I mean. A superb ride indeed despite the final outcome.

A great last climb in the TDF stage today with lot's of action. It was like amateur fight night at the bar. People were just stepping to one another taking swings and it looks like we may have a race after all. The arial view of the crash in the roundabout was crazy, both sides of the peloton sliding out in unison like the road was covered in bacon grease. It was one of the most elegant mass spills I have have ever witnessed.

Cheers my good friends

surprise surprise

Actually its about as big of a surprise as a recreational mountain biker testing positive for THC. I guess this cobra had some faux venom. Young, dumb, and full of dope.

More on the new derivative of EPO he was using here. it's just a joke when riders get caught now. I thought he looked a bit too comfortable on stage 9. Well, top riders getting busted is nothing new and less of a let down over the years. After Vino pulled a Tyler last year, I lost faith but yes I will still watch the tour. I have decided to start cheering for 64th place and further back though. You know those guys aren't doping or at least if are, they don't know how to properly use a syringe yet.

Speaking of dope, I really like the new power bar gel blast product, much easier to eat than cliff blocks and they taste better.

The rides have been good lately and the legs are actually feeling a bit tired. I would rather be in Salida or Crested Butte next week riding some fun trails but we already paid the entry fees last winter for the Laramie Enduro so we will head up to sweat in the hills of Wyoming and shelf said rides on dreamy trails until the week after. It looks wide open and hot up there but the support seems like it will be solid and we start early so hopefully we will have a comfortable first half of the race. I think I am going to stick with the 32:19 gear I have been riding all year and just deal in the flats. There is a little bit of climbing there so I think that gear will be comfortable. I have wanted to do this race for the last couple years and it seems to fill up quickly so it should be fun times. You would be wise to stay tuned to velonews after the enduro though as I predict several of us riders will test positive for beer.

Speaking of beer, I was in the mood for something simple and cheap on the beer tip this week so I went hunting at the liquor store with the quantity over quality mentality. I usually go Dos Equis amber when I get this urge but after seeing a retro bottled beer from Full Sail, I had to give the Sessions a try. Get these little bottles cold and they go down smooth. They remind of the bottles I fetched for the grownups while staying on the finger lakes as a kid. Cool marketing on this beer. Crisp, clean finish, and very easy to drink.

If you're in the area, come by for one of my soon to be famous iced espresso drinks. Double shot with two melted cubes of Swaziland caramelized cane sugar poured over ice. They can keep their EPO and I will get by just fine with a little help from my caffeinated friend.



Happy trails and hope to ride with some of you filthy animals soon!

tour de summer

After feeling ill all weekend, I am starting to feel a bit better. The weather has been hot and the riding has been good. We are getting into the meat of the summer and it's not uncommon for the mercury to get strangled into the 90's on a daily basis.

We rode up in the mtns yesterday and despite feeling like straight ass, it was still good to get a ride in with lots of singletrack beneath the wheels. I caught a nice stick to the leg on a downhill and was rewarded with a zipper like slice on the lower shin. It woke me up for sure.



Indian Peaks basking in the warmth of the afternoon sun



Heading back down to cross over to the next trail



Chris likes his GF Rig and I like the geometry of this frame. Tim has the same frame and although I didn't take it down anything tech when I took it for a spin, it did feel nimble. An incredible deal for a 29er SS at $1200-$1300 for everything.

Bob K. and I were able to defy the odds and sneak in a nice road ride this afternoon. We headed up to Ward and turned around right before the last turn to make it back to town in time to drop his bike off for a new BB. His nice easton wheels had us descending fast and it was fun to actually ride down lefthand canyon for a change. I had Beloki type images as I was on his wheel but all went well and we made it down in one piece.

I won't talk about the crumbling economy or belly-up banks but I will talk about the tour as there has been some fine riding in the last two stages and nothing says summer like the watching the tour. Valverde took yet another shot on the chin in stage 10 and things are looking dark for the spaniard. Miracles can happen but I think he may as well head to the tapas bar and start drinking.

The "Cobra" Riccardo Ricco is one of the most dynamic guys to watch right now on a mtn stage. Hopefully he is clean...He may be a bit cocky but he is a straight street fighter when he stands on the pedals. He actually pulled a Babe Ruth calling one of his wins before the stage and with more power than Contador, he will surely be a threat in the future.

Evans actually had to set some pace today which was something new for the shadowstepper. He is the most consistent overall and even though I don't care for him much, he is hanging tough and riding strong so far. Whimpering into his lion when he took the podium like he won the whole tour was a bit premature I thought. It's a long way to Paris monsieur and some of the guys will be smelling blood. He better win it this year because next year will be another story. I believe Chris Horner was the one who said, no matter who wins in 08, in the back of their mind will forever live the fact that the strongest pro team and challengers were not present. I thought that was a bit cold but true none the less. Eat some freedom fries and get ready for next year because they can't keep the top players out forever.

I thought Frank Schleck put in a bangin ride on stage 10 as well and how about Vandevelde? He is having a great tour so far and hopefully he can hold on to a strong overall to rep a little something for the good old U.S of A. Menchov has been strong too, we will see what he can do in the alps.

Favorite quote from the day came from Bob Roll when talking about Vandevelde," riding cooler than the other side of the pillow." Most diehard fan(s) award goes to the hundreds of spanish cycling fans wearing orange. The orange tide as they are known, are for real and obviously rep orange in support of team Euskaltel even though they never win shit. Can you tell I'm not working right now?

shop class

A busy past week with the highlight being a 5 day crash course I took in welding. We were taught the basics in all types of welding applications and I have an even greater respect for the trade now. There are numerous mistakes that can be made and getting it right is not as easy as an experienced welder makes it looks. Plenty of things that can go terribly wrong when welding so safety is always first. We were introduced to using torches and plasma cutters as well. The plasma cutter we used was straight science fiction and could easily burn through a 1/2 inch plate of steel with just the pull of the trigger. I am thinking of trying to get into the machine shop class as well by the same instructor.

I really liked tig welding and found that this was the easiest for me in terms of control and quality of my welds. I have several ideas for things I would like to try to create so we will see how things shake out.

Riding has been up and down. I did get a good road ride in last Wednesday that saw me riding peak to peak hwy via Ward. On Friday, I got Chris out on the new GF Rig and broke out the Surly fixed gear for a little ride from town out to Heil via the reservoir trails. After riding my IF 29er so much, the 1x1 feels super small. I like riding the fixed setup though and wanted to get a ride in on the bigger gear. I knew from the noise that had been growing over the past two rides, that I would need to break it down and possibly get a new BB soon but thought she had another ride or two left. Famous last thoughts and about 2 hrs into it while on the trail, I start to feel some funky knock that grows more frequent by the minute. I begin to get nervous about the bike and want to avoid the crank arm backing out from a a seized bb so I suggest going home over Old Stage rd to shorten the trip after the trail. It's funny to think about descending old stage on a fixed gear but it seemed to be a sensible decision in the moment.

Aside from some nerves about a major mechanical issue before we got up and over, I was feeling pretty comfortable. We top out the first part of the climb and get down and up the next part to start the descent. This is a pretty steep downhill to a stop sign at a 3 way intersection where one side does not yield, so no blowing through it. On the way down, my legs resemble the roadrunner's as he drops the hammer on Wile E. Coyote. I try to control things somewhat with the front brake but its more like 35% effective and makes me wonder. I make it down after all and at the stop sign that I thankfully do not need to stop at due to no cars, things start to level out a bit. A guy on a road bike catches up with me and asks me if I am nuts. I tell him apparently but sometimes you do what you got to do. We made it over and the bike was still in one piece so mission accomplished.

CPM seemed to enjoy his Rig and seeing as how he sold his geared FS bike the same day he bought the SS, there will be no returning from the darkside anytime soon. We didn't officially jump/beat him into the gang but I know the ss will do it in due time.

I got home in time to eat, shower, and run down to Boulder Theater to meet my homie Curtis who had free tickets for the Charlie Hunter trio. It's been a while since I have seen Charlie Hunter and I liked seeing him play with just a drummer and keyboardist. A killer show with a couple little surprises thrown in when you least expected them of course. It was cool to hang with Curtis before he leaves for LA LA land in a couple weeks and hitting a good show was a perfect end to a fun filled day.

Get out the hallucinogens, we are going to see Gonzo next week. I am excited to check it out as I have heard its really well done.

Hopefully we will be in the mtns tomorrow riding trails and hopefully Beltran is the only jackass to be kicked out of the tour.

Fixed spin with a twist

I took the fashion express out this evening for a couple hrs and hit the Southern Sun in the middle. The choices are looking good these days. I was surprised at how many people were drinking the stout though. I know it was on the nitro tap and all but it's summer for gods sake! Oh well, more hoppy goodness for the rest of us, delicious again.



Speaking of beer and bikes, I may be crashing my bike next Wednesday if I make it to the Ale to the Chief release party. 10$ for more than you could hope for, best deal in town by a long shot. They always have special kegs they dry hop just for their events that will blow you away too. It's a chance to taste the new brew as well as some artisan beer that does not get bottled and sold.

How about Frischkorn's contribution to that great breakaway in stage 3! Those guys showed some heart staying away that long. It's good to see aggressive riding this early in the tour. Stage 6 should be interesting.

Fun on the 4th

We celebrated our independence from gears yesterday by riding the Firecracker 50 on singlespeeds. It was a great time and the race was very well supported. One of the best parts was the beginning as we start the 4th of July parade in downtown Breckenridge. All the young kids line both sides of the streets looking for high 5's from the racers so it was a great feeling to start the race with all those smiling faces and cheering spectators.

The cheering faded into the background quickly as we started out of town and up the first of many climbs that combine to equal the 10,800 ft of climbing one endures throughout the two laps on this course. I was feeling good up the first climb and knew what to expect due to the pre-ride the week before. As the trail narrows and kicks up even higher I realize that the 32x19 I usually ride and thought was fine for this course, may be a bit tall due to all the congestion and inability to keep any momentum through the sea of slow geared riders spinning in a gear your grandmother would find comfortable. It would have been much better to start in one of the first groups instead of starting in the thick of things but such is racing SS. One day race organizers will wake up and recognize.

The first lap was a bit more hectic than expected and passing was incredibly difficult. The main hike a bike was really congested and slow and I would find myself chatting it up with people in my class and not in my class. Most 29er SS riders were riding a 32x20 and it showed in certain sections. One new experience for me came about halfway through the first lap after an EXTREMELY dusty section and during a downhill. My eyes were burning and when I blinked, the effect was similar to turning on the wipers after light rain hits a dirty windshield. I lost 50% of my vision as my dust coated contacts were covered with a layer of of smeared dirt but I continued to ride and soon got my vision semi clear. This was going to happen a couple more times but I learned to half blink quickly to lessen the effect.

The downhills were slow as many riders were gripped through the technical descents. I was a little frustrated because I find descents to be the fun part and also a place you can hammer by slower riders but that's racing and there were actually a couple cool scenes on the downhills that stuck with me. One was a guy racing for some team in white and orange kit that was sponsored by Schwalbe tires. That was all I saw as he took a left side super sketchy line past a stretch of people on a very loose downhill. He was barely in control and the pass was really dangerous but damn it was a sweet move! He started yelling like a Celtic warrior by the last quarter of the DH knowing that he was just a rock away from disaster. One of the Tokyo Joe women was an exception to the slow descenders as she hammered down one of the major downhills in front of me better than most of the men. It was refreshing to have a competent descender lead the way.

At the half way point/starting line, I had to stop and try to eat solid food as I had been unable to take in anything but gels and Enervintene. I quickly find our cooler due to Jessica's smart idea of marking it with caution tape and slam a gel, another enervintene, and a most of a powerbar. I wash it down with a redbull and head out. I crossed around 2:28 and spent a couple minutes trying to eat and rehydrate properly. Water and gatorade was available at each aid station as well as cliff blocks which I normally like but they were tough to get down on this day. I actually contemplated taking a shot of whiskey a couple miles into lap two from a guy who was setup on the road climb out of town. He had whiskey shots and canned beers for riders, funny shit. I had to stop heading up the hill as I hear my rear brake rubbing so I open the QR and adjust the wheel. It seemed to work. The second lap was better and I started catching some of the lower geared SSers by the halfway point. The course made it tough though and after the final descent I realize that even though I made a few passes in my class, there were several SSers a couple minutes ahead of me. I grab water bottles through aid station 3 and start the long climb back up. I start to see some SSers far ahead on the straight away climb but they are sitting comfortable on easier gears and the climb is nearing it's end. I know that even though I am gaining ground on them, I have little hope of getting near or passing anyone in the final downhill singletrack. I realized after the race that I actually had 7th place through 13th place riders in my sight as we started the last long climb.

I end up catching another SSer in the last tight singletrack section and ride his wheel but he refuses to let me by after realizing I am in his class, weak. I hear a guy behind me and think it is the geared rider I just passed so he asks to shoot by and I let him and I realize it was actually an SSer, Doh! he forces the slow guy off the trail in the only passing zone but I can't get through. Slow guy was quite possibly the worst descender I have been behind for that long but I didn't want to cause him to crash for one spot in tight trees so I ride his wheel hard and ask to pass several times but he doesn't listen and actually closes the door a few times after I call it out. After 10 near crashes he gets through to the field and across the line. I realize someone was catching up in the process of following slow guy down and almost caught us. The guy who was in front of me totally collapsed at the finish line and could barely move. I told him he was way loose and out of control and asked if he heard me call out the pass. He couldn't speak and looked bad so I said good job and walked away and chatted with Chad who races for Spot/Dales and was the guy I had let by. Slow descender guy was looking rough and his wife had to help him try to get to his feet. I realized at that point that I was feeling too good at the end and should have used my energy better in the first lap or at least expended more on the last part of the course. 6 of us SSers finished within a few minutes of each other and 3 guys finished less than a minute ahead of me which made me think about all the what ifs. I had more in the tank so I was a little bummed. I finished 11th in 5:00 hrs and 41 secs. Jessica finished in 6:02 and 25 secs which was a great time and she lost 3rd place by a couple secs after a geared rider crashed in front of her at the very end and she got passed by another women SSer when she had to stop.

I was feeling good and chilled and chatted it up before grabbing a water for the ride back to our room for a shower. I came back to watch Jessica finish but I took too long and missed her finishing. We stayed for a couple beers and food and chatted with some people from our team. I was feeling good but bummed I didn't ride the 20t cog or wasn't prepared for the chaos of the first lap or the fact that I stopped to take leak..etc but it was still fun and you live and learn.



Post race room pic

Race write-up.

The Tour starts today! Who do I think will win? Well hopefully NOT Cadel Evans as I am one of the Cadel anti fans. Spaniard Alejandro Valverde is one I would like to see take it but I am open to a surprise as long as the rider earns it the hard way. Don't count out Menchov either. Cunego, Sastre, its wide open. Boom Boom sits out the tour on cocaine charges and McEwen has to deal with babysitting Evans so who will score the green? Voeckler in dots until the end? Hopefully they let Robbie charge a few between his team duty stages. I love watching him wind it up in the final meters, one of the most aggressive sprinters who is never afraid to bump elbows or even heads. I would like to see Hincapie come up with a stage win as well.

Thats all for now. Time to watch stage one. Cheers, oh and in case you didn't see Tim's 4th of July pic