Cycling

Oh my aching heart, the sport I love is so corrupt I feel like I am stretching my morals at times supporting it and watching it. Most recent news is that Jan Ullrich has been fired by T-Mobile, one rumor has it he's been chatting with Discovery. Floyd Landis, the winner this year, is under investigation for his high levels of testosterone after his stage win. Questions are rising whether he is telling the truth, if he's a cheat, or if maybe it's a smear tactic. I had high hopes that maybe, just maybe, it would be a clean tour and that really amazing people involved could be people one could look up to and inspire to be like. I am very happy that Thor Hushovd won the last stage, he is actually the only rider to win the prologue and the final stage.




For those of you that want a good editorial read, or at least one that really spoke to me and how I'm feeling about cycling right now follow this link.

Liar Liar Thought Process

Mark, Joe, and Andrew, along with a number of other friends and family members LOVE Liar Liar, apparently their capabilities of randomly spurting out lines from the movie have begun to rub off. We have moved to a very rural, everybody knows everyone area, where people tend to be a little stand-offish to outsiders. This morning I had yet another person in a truck wave to me, every one in pickup seems to wave to everyone up here. The thought came to mind "people sure have been friendly" and the next thought that came to mind was the line from Liar Liar, where Jim Carey explians why people are so friendly to the girl in the elevator.

FYI: Moving

We finally closed on our house on Thursday and have spend the subsequent days moving. We are back at the old house cleaning and checking email one last time before we cancel service and we don't know how long it is going to be before we get an internet provider at the new house. So post may be even sketchier than they already are :0

Race Wear

I have a friend(Katie) that was commenting on her difficulties overcoming cyclists and shaved legs. She stated all the reasons to shave ones legs and the importance of it, but for her, the idea of snuggling up to smooth legs was iffy. Personally I don't mind guys that bike and shave, maybe cause I hung out with a bunch of them in high school so I got used to it. Or maybe cause I have crashed and had road rash and the thought of pulling hairs out of my scab....I don't even want to think of what the pain would have been if I didn't have shaved legs.

But I have found something that I struggle with in the Tri race world. Belly shirts, guys in short race singlets, leaving their mid-drift well aired and cool, but so high in the eeww factor. And there is a way to make the belly shirt even worst, wearing it with a mini speedo race bottom that does offer full coverage to the bottom.

This weekend I felt like I was in a Ray Steven's song; "Don't look Ethel! But it was too late, she'd already been fruit of the loomed". Butt cheeks hanging out and belly shirt combination, oh I am sure it keeps you much cooler, but EEWW.



Shane Reed (3rd place at Ironman St.Croix)at least he is wearing bike shorts.

Tour de France

I love the Tour de France. I've watched it for a number of years, I know most of the top riders and can name many of the category climbs. I was especially excited this summer as Lance Armstrong announced his retirement last year and would not be participating for the first time in 7 years. A lot of people think I hate Lance, I really don't, I think he's a pretty good guy and he overcame a lot to do what he did (win 7 TDF in a row, for those of you that don't follow cycling or have been in a bubble for the last couple of July's).
But the person I really like, who I would probably have to say in my cycling hero, is Jan Ullrich from Germany. He has been Lance's nemesis for the past 7 years and I was so excited that this might actually be HIS year to win. The day before the tour started this year, Spain, who are investigating a huge doping scandal, alerted the tour of the list of all the cyclists they are currently investigating for having contact with a Spanish doctor who is know to supply athletes with performance enhancing drugs. 4 of the top 5 riders in the tour this year were implicated and the 5 had over half his team involved. The teams, not the tour, decided to take a hard line and asked their riders not to ride if they were on that list. Jan was one of those riders. I just wanted to cry when I found out, this was probably going to be his last tour. I hope, hope, hope that it is not true. Jan is denying that he had any involvement with the doctor. I'm disappointed that he's even implicated, I'm going to be devastated if it substantiated.



“It’s lucky Jan Ullrich is not here; otherwise the tour would be over,”
--Johan Bruyneel, Manager of Discovery Channel

Quebec Trip -- Quebec City

I love Quebec, so it was really hard to decide on what pictures to include and which ones not to, there's still a lot though.

Chateau Frontenac

Chateau Frontenac at Night

Inside the Chateau

Terrace Dufferin

Quartier Petit Champlain

Chutes Montmorency

Ste-Anne Rose Window

The Way of the Cross

Trompe L'Oiel in Place Royale

Trompe L'Oiel at end of Rue Champlain