Tour de France Pt 2

Hi again friends!

Well our time at the TdF is done...I was thinking that I'd feel relief that the rush rush, hectic-ness was over, but when the grupetto (collection mostly sprinters who ride together at the back just trying to make the day's time cut-off) went by us, I was a bit sad that it was over.

Tent city was good to us Wednesday night - man, did it rain, thunder, lightning, etc. The mountain was angry. We managed to stay mostly dry, despite our set-up which was on a bed of tall grass/weeds, next to a stone wall on a narrow bank--a small, tent-sized piece of real estate among the throngs of RVs...forgot to get a pic of the site, hence the description.

Up early and as planned after fueling up on coffee, I descended almost to Luz St. Sauveur (incidentally where I sit right now) and turned back up the mountain (the gendarmes told me not to go any further down or I may be told to stay put - now that would suck - bad!). So up I climbed, back to Bareges, where we had spent the night, collected my rain coat for the descent, and again set off climbing. I had super legs yesterday - felt so great; I think the mood of the whole scene was wearing off on me. I climbed and climbed in a total downpour (ps, I usually feel good in such conditions - not sure why). I managed to still be feeling great at the 4km to go banner when the gendarmes halted me and instructed me that the climb was closed off to 'velo' from there up and that I could walk (in the rain? what are you crazy? I'm not WALKING in the RAIN.). So, after sufficient begging and pleading and bull shit stories about having left my wife on the summit this morning, I snapped a couple of pics and pointed the wheels down. Fun time, but hypothermic to say the least. When I got back down to our camp site, I was frozen, but very happy if a little pissed. The Dutch family in the RV next to our car made us a couple of cups of coffee which I drank as I peeled off my drenched layers of spandex.

With the day's ride out of my system, we ventured into Bareges to catch the early part of the stage in the pub...fun scene there, then back up to watch the group come by about 200m above the 10k to go banner. Group, what group? Happily for spectators the day's route and the mood of the riders shattered the peloton, and the riders came by us one, two, or three at a time over a period of twenty-five minutes...there was only the grupetto and one other group of any size. Lance must have been tucked in one of them, because I didn't get a good look at him, but I did see (and speak to) virtually every other big-name rider. Cancellara gave me a pop-a-wheely. I congratulated Cadel Evans on a great season and Giro - he replied that he wasn't doing too well at the moment :) Andy Schleck (in the white jersey) and Alberto Contador (in yellow); Chris Horner again (he seems to love our camera), Lance (I think Selena got him after all), Levi (!) Leipheimer, Fecha, Basso (yes, Aaron, Basso), Wiggins (yes, Aaron, Wiggins), Vino (yes, Brad, Vino), Sastre, Mick Rogers, Jens Voigt (!), Cavendish, Hushvod, Pettachi...saw them all...very thrilling.

With the riders off to to summit, we listened on the radio to hear about the finish - Andy and Alberto caught the remnants of the break and thrilled the crowd with attack after attack and eventually Andy took the win with Contador right alongside. Chapeau Andy, here's hoping you have the TT of your life on Saturday.

Into the car and down to Luz St. Sauveur where we stayed in an actual campground on an actual tent site (amazing how the tent pecks go smoothly into the ground) and had actual showers (our first in 4 days). And that gets me to right now--we've packed up yet again, coffeed/croissanted up and are about to point the car back up and over the Tourmalet (and Aspin and Peyresourde Cols) en route once again to Espagne.

Rod and Dee show up tomorrow at about noon. Girona rides and beaches await us, so tune back in in couple of days to hear more adventures.

Seleno
PS, if you read, try to comment to let us know you're there :)

The gendarme instructed me - you shall not pass en velo.


Somewhere near the top of the Tourmalet

Dutch coffee and a happy guy

A happy couple awaits the peloton in the sun (which lasted about 10 mins) on the Tourmalet

Andy and Alberto go by

Horner (again), but on the right is Canadian Ryder Hesjedal on the ride of his life, finishing 4th on the stage and slotting into 8th on GC at 9:18

Lance

The Rainbow jersey (World Road Champion) of Cadel Evans

Fabian Cancellara!