Final stage is complete. It went from Seaux-Anthony to Paris. The route consisted of 60 miles of urban riding through the suburbs of Paris with the finish in the Champ Elysees. I did not mind the urban riding too much, as we got to see areas of the Paris metropolitan area that a tourist would not normally get to see. It felt like a ride through Vienna and Great Falls, with similar ups and downs.





Along the route, we passed the Flechage guys one last time and this time we stopped to say goodbyes. They are awesome guys that get to travel all of France marking the routes one day ahead to help the caravan and organizers as they set barriers, etc. The placement of their arrows was great for us, as we never had to worry about taking a wrong turn. The guy in front of the paceline just looked for the arrows whenever we got to an intersection.



After circling the suburbs, the route took us closer to Paris and we could start seeing the signs and Eiffel tower nearby. Then we hit the final circuit, going through the tunnel and getting into the cobbles for the laps around the Champ Elysees and Arc de Triumph. The track where they do the final laps is huge. It is 6.5K per lap, it is super wide, at least three car lanes, and it has cobblestones through the entire circuit. It would be wonderful to race this like the pros. What an awesome circuit.









Once we got to our hotel right by the finishing circuit, the team got to congratulate each other and toast the culmination of such a unique adventure. It seems hard to believe that for the past three weeks we have been riding our bikes all around France. We got to see more of France than a typical Frenchman would see in a lifetime.



It has definitely been the trip of a lifetime. Every day has brought its own experiences and emotions that I will treasure forever. I have enjoyed sharing some of the highlights of each day with you all.

Now it is time for me to get back to my regular life in the Northern Virginia area.

I want to thank my wife, for her love, support and patience during this eight month project. I know that my training for this challenge took valuable time away from family events and time together in general. Through all this, she kept her cool and kept things going at home with our 9yr old. I will always remember this.

I also want to thank Alain and Marc Cohen, President and CEO of OPNET, for their understanding and encouragement for me to attempt this endeavor. Their attitude embodies the mantra that at OPNET, anything is possible.

I sign off now. Goodbye.

Alberto.

The penultimate stage is complete. It went from Le Creusot to Mantceau-Les Mines. It was the time trial stage, which means a much shorter distance, since the pros go one at a time. In our case, we simply ride it as a group, at the same pace we have done the rest of the trip. The stage was 57KM, and it felt pretty much like a recovery training ride at home. The terrain was flat to rolling, not very different from the roads in the Warrenton area that I ride back home.







I felt so much better today. It is amazing what a single day of rest will do to the body. I felt I could have easily done an 120+ mile day again. The ability to recover quickly is a key ingredient for this event.

However, a quiet, eight hour sleep night in this trip has been rare. One would think that if we have everything taken care of, we should be able to get some good sleep. But that is not the case. By the time we are done with the 120+ mile stages, it is easily past 6 PM when we get to the hotels. Then there is massage and getting dinner, which depending on the day, it could be 8PM or even 9PM. Then it is past 10PM and you head to your hotel room. Now you either have a choice of preparing your stuff for tomorrow now, and get packed, or wait until the early morning to do all this right after breakfast.

If the hotel has AC is it wonderful. At least you will be cool. Also, depending on the location, your hotel might be noisy. Then there is the early morning start. If we have to drive to the start, we have to start even earlier. Breakfast at 7AM was the norm, but we have had 6AM and even 5:30AM breakfasts.

The mountain stages, in addition to the difficulty in terrain, combine all of these issues: No AC, LOUD drunks outside, very late dinner because of late finish from the prior mountain stage, and very early breakfast. The organizer tells us that this year was much easier for us with transfers. Last year’s tour, they had to do a lot more driving from finishing city to starting city. We did not have that problem this year, except for a couple of stages. So recovering quickly, and with little sleep is key.

Now, having finished this time trial, we drive closer to Paris for the last stage. As we drive in the vans closer to central France, I realize the trip is ending. It feels like I am in an airplane and I am feeling the pilot getting ready to land. I start noticing all the different things that have made this trip so awesome.





The Flechage van passes us and honks. We have seen those guys all along the stages. We have established this unspoken bond with them. They see us and smile and wave and honk. If we see them first we do the same. They have been so critical to this trip. Imagine having someone nailing arrows all along the routes so that when you go through, there is no question where to go. Sure we had GPS, but an arrow is easier for us on the bike, we do not have to wait for the van if it got stuck in traffic. These Flechage guys have tried their best to stay ahead of us and place those arrows before we would get there. One night, we saw them at a hotel, and they asked what time we were starting to make sure they got started earlier. Those guys were great!



In the van, I also have time to contemplate the company I have kept over the past three weeks. I have been with an outstanding group of people. The support staff, the participants, everybody here has a can-do-anything attitude, extreme toughness level that one does not see everyday. They have been an inspiration all along.

Another item I will miss will be all the food we have been able to get away with eating. Candy, Cokes, McDonald’s cheeseburgers, milkshakes, patisseries, you name it, we ate it. And that was in addition to the lunches and dinners. When you are riding 8-9 hour days, you can get away with it. Now, I do not think I have lost weight, but I do not think I have gained a pound either.



Having arrived at the hotel for the final stage into Paris, I can definitely tell I am close to Paris. The hotel is more modern, and traffic and highways are bigger and busier. Yes, this journey is coming to an end; one more 100 miler tomorrow and we will be in the Champ Elysees.

Stage 18 goes from Morzine to Macon. It descends from the mountains area to flatter terrain for a distance of 197 km. I did not do this stage. Last night I still had stomach cramps and could not get to eat much. This morning I woke up with a sore stomach and I opted to pass on this stage. I want to start regaining my strength as I will get back to my regular life soon.

So I am in Macon already, having arrived in Van No 1. We are staying at a four star country side hotel, so I am definitely not roughing it today. I am having an outdoor lunch by the pool. It is the perfect time to reflect on the Alps stages.

The last three days have been surreal. The distances we cover, 120+ miles every day, plus the terrain, make for super long, hard days. Add to that the fact that we have been riding 120+ miles every day for the past two weeks and that makes this challenge truly extreme.

I look at the few pictures I took, and it is hard to believe that we went up those passes. The roads wind at different grades for hours at a time. When you see a Cat 2 climb you know you will climb 45 minutes plus, when you see a Cat 1 it is an hour plus and if it is HC, well be patient, because it will be an hour plus, and it might really kick at the end.



As you climb throught these winding roads, you learn to look for the campers and caravans. When you start seeing them, then you figure you are about 3K or so from the top. But some of the famous climbs, like Alpe D'Huez, campers line both sides of the road from the bottom of the climb all the way to the top.



These fans are amazing. They cheer everyone, no matter how fast or slow you are going. They will spray water at you, offer you a drink, etc. Whatever they can to help you get over the top. You see the fresh paint on the road, where the fans have written down the names of their favorites, and you are inspired to keep moving.

When I started this challenge, I thought that our efforts would not compare to the efforts that are put out by the pros. But now I disagree. I definitely think we got a taste for some of that suffering and overcoming. We might not be doing it at the speeds the pros are, but we are out there two or three hours longer than they are. And believe me, tackling an HC climb, with 7 plus hours on the legs makes a difference. Climbing the same climb with 4-5 hrs on the legs is much easier. The first and second climb in the day, I can go at it fine, but as the day progresses and I get past 7 hrs riding time (not including stops), my muscle strength is not there anymore. I know that further training would enhance that, as when I started this challenge, I would get to that feeling flat after only 4 hrs riding time.

But if there is a place for an extreme challenge climax, it has to be the Alps. Their beauty, vastness, and cycling lore are unparalleled. If you are a cyclist, by all means, do try to make it to the Alps. They are awesome.

Final mountain stage done. The last hc climb took everything out of me. No energy left. Felt great in the morning when we started but towards the middle of the day about 5 hrs riding time my stomach was cramping. Not sure is if was the heat or something I ate but I was fealing weaker and weaker. After the last cat 1 climb, I decided to stop at the top and wait for a couple other riders that were riding behind and ride with them. That wouuld give me time to rest and eat some more. But that did not help either. When the hc climb came,I wanted to finish it so I gutted it out. I had to stop a couple of times to catch me breath. It took forever but it is done.

Another 9 and half hours of hard riding. Anyway, I know I can climb now.

I am ready to move to the flatter stages.

stage from Bourg-D'Oisans to La Toussuire is done. Another good climbing day for me. I am exhausted beyond belief, I do not think I took any pictures other than at some climb tops. But there is no energy to download them.

These stages take everything from you. My body is finally able to provide the energy necessary so that I can finish the stage without cramping totally.

The riding is 9 hr days like yesterday, then there is so little time for everything else, it is unreal. We finished with dinner last night, and Alpe D'Huez was a full party. Music, shouting, yelling all night. I mean that literally, you could still hear people yelling at 4AM.

And for today's stage we had to start early to get out of Alpe D'huez and on to the Galibier before the roads closed. So breakfast was at 5:30AM and departure around 6:15AM. Yes 6:30AM the guys roll out with their bikes down Alpe D'Huez to Bourg D'Oisans.

I was feeling terrible, my heart rate was elevated and I did not know if I would do the stage. I told the organizer that I would go in the van until I felt better. The van drove to the Col du Lautaret to make sure we could get into the Galibier. I ate some breakfast and started to feel better. More than anything, I was awake now. I cut about 37K from the stage that was 182KM. With what was left of the Galibier and the four other cols, I still got 8:30 hours of riding time. I can not believe some of these guys put 10hrs plus of riding time today.

The ride was either going up or down, except for one section in the valley that had wind. But as the day continued, I continued to feel even better. I could not believe how my body recuperated from the previous stage.

The last climb though, a Cat 1 climb, took all the energy I had. By the time I was done, I was completely spent.

Now I feel pretty much as exhausted as yesterday, and tomorrow we start with breakfast at 7AM, for an 8AM start. I better go to sleep now.

All I keep telling myself is that tomorrow is the last mountain stage.

The stage from Gap to Alpe D'Huez is done. The day went very well for me today. I finally found my climbing legs and attacked the first two climbs. I am still learning to climg these long steep climbs and I am realizing I was spending just as much energy going at a slower constant pace or going in surges where I get up and power for a few meters then sitting to recoup a bit and then get up again. The first climb was not suppopsed to be our first climb. Some joker switched the signs and we went the wrong col. But I was feeling good then, so when the real Col came I continued to climb the same way. Finally I could get ahead of the group and try to recoup before getting to the top. These guys are strong and caught me within 5k of the top. I still managed to get to the first col within a few minutes of when they got there. My ailments are still there, but my body is learning that we are going to continue riding, so it seems to complain less.

It was now close past 4 hrs of riding and we had two more cols. Our stage was going to be 12 k longer. But the day of rest did wonders to my legs. That and being the Alpe D'huez stage I was super motivated to do well.

One aspect that I have not figured out yet is how to eat. One is either climbing or descending. And we only stop for a few minutes at the top of the cols. There I just can not eat. I am too spent. So I am drinking SPIZ a protein drink. I had two bottes today and another one at the end of the day.

But on the third col, I just had to stop. We were now past 5 hours, and I had not eaten a full sandwich yet, nor gone to the restroom. So I said screw it and waived for the van. I put my bike in and ate and it stopped at the most discrete spot. Every col is full of campersd, but I did not care. I met the group at the top, had cut the ride by 7k but it saved me.

Then downhill forever get to Bourg doisans and now we have Alpe Dhuez. Some of you ask me how hard these climbs are. By themselves they are long but doable. I had climbed the first col at a good clip. However here I am at the bottom of Alpe Dhuez caked in salt, having been 7:30 hrs on the bike riding. This is the tough part. I already felt spent, but powered it up as best I could. Still using the surges, but now much slower. I was spent, my heart rate could not get past 145. But climbing alpe dhuez the day prior to the tour is surreal. Everyone encourages you, they throw water at you, no matter what speed you are going. Finally I see turn 2 and I know there is just one more.

I arrive totally spent. Again could not eat much. Even during dinner it was a huge effort.

But the queen stage is done and I feel good. Finally, a good climbing stage.

Now tomorrow, less than 9 hours from now we get to do it again. But that is tomorrow. I am going to bed happy tonight.

Today Sunday is rest day. I am on the third and last week of this Tour with three of the toughest stages ahead of me. The next three days we climb the Alps; and we climb them every day, several times a day, for 8-9 hours a day. But that starts tomorrow, today is rest day.

As I reflect on the journey so far, I look at the “could have’s, should have’s”. And top of my list is structured preparation. The guys that are fairing best have been with a coach and power meters for the past 6 months. I did not believe in either of these tools, but I can see the results in this trip. So I am a believer now.

I only concentrated on the endurance aspect. In addition, one needs to be able to sustain power for 45 minutes to an hour at a time. And one needs to measure the power output and work on increasing it over time. I have no idea how many watts I spend on Dickey Ridge for example. And the climbs in France are not short. That is where a power meter and a coach help maximize the “zone” where you can pedal strong and maintain the power for the whole climb.

Then there is the toughness factor. The better athletes are able to concentrate to the point where they are able to work through the effort and get through it. The only parallel I can relate to is the focus factor in business. The nuances that distract you in this challenge are the body and environment ailments. The better athletes somehow block that out and continue. I am still learning to do this.

As to the support during the trip, it has been wonderful. As I stated before, Destination Cycling does whatever they can to help us succeed. You raise your hand, you get water; you are hot, all of a sudden you see them coming with sorbet bars to hand out. At lunch stops, we will have watermelons, apples, candy, two different types of sandwiches, cokes, water, juice, it is awesome. You get a flat, you get another wheel and are towed back to the group. You are having a bad day, a van stays behind making sure you are not left out. At night, the hotels have your bags waiting in your room, and dinner is always top notch. The staff encourages you and support you along the way. All this goes a long way towards making this challenge doable.

Another aspect that makes this doable, is that this is fantasy camp after all. If you have a bad day, which I have had a few, you recover as best you can and get participate again the following day. There are no time limits or DNFs to worry about. So we all continue to chug along.

Today being a rest day, I get to relax as best I can. I am so used to getting up early so I am up by 7AM. After breakfast, this morning I soaked my legs in the pool. The cold water did wonders to tired, aching legs.

Now, a bit past noon, I am on the bike on a leisurely stroll around Gap. This is the second city where we get a chance to see the actual Tour de France arrive.

Anyway, I sign off for now, and will try to rest for tomorrow’s Gap to Alpe D’Huez stage.

Stage 13 and Stage 14 are done now. I am in Gap once again with no wifi, only mobile blogging for now.will post pictures later.

Stage 13 was 145 miles long in 105 degree weather. If there was a death march this was it. To add to the mix, I went down today just before lunch. My butt was killing me so I stopped to play with the positionig. After, I took a tow with the van and we hit some gravel and went down. Not too bad, but enough road rash in the leg and elbow to be bothersome.

It was a low point, as it appeared I was full of bad luck. But when I think about it, everyone is hurting, in one way or another. We have a guy with stomach issues, someone's hamstring is bad, and saddle sores are there too. But somehow, most of these guys are able to surpass these issues and ride. I had quit after lunch, feeling sorry for the road rash and bruised knee. But then it hit me, thse guys are having issues and still overcome them and keep riding. Here I am in the van.

That was inspiration for today. The start was past hurt, it was comical. I have a bruised knee, road rash, my but is sore and my left leg was so tight it felt it would cramp any minute.

To add to the mix, today's stage was not an easy one. Two Cat 2 climbs, two Cat 3 climbs. Temperatures were expected in the nineties. So we get going and I am glad the pace is slow. I kept telling myself, tomorrow is a rest day, just surive today.

Within 10 kilometers we hit the first cat 3. I fully expected my left leg to cramp. I kept a harder gear, trying to keep the same cadence, speed as the group. I kept moving the leg, and the right knee was more bruised than I thought. It was commanding more attention. I realized it really hurt when I stood on the pedals.

I was pleasently surprised that the grade on the climb was easy, it was just a freaking long climb.

The only good thing about climbs is that when you are on top, you get to go down. I would not have to worry about a climb for another 50 km.

It is all mental now. My body recovers only so much. Even massage, it helps only up to a point. And yes, massage is very painful; as the muscles are so tight.But you know it is needed so you make do.

The pros that do this for a living, live a very hard life. This is extreme for sure.

The human body is amazing, but more amazing is the determination these people have to endure. Some might not know any better and do it, but the stars, the ones that get the comforts in life and stay in the sport amaze me.

Anyway, back to the stage. The Cat 2 climb shows it face and this is a long climb, 14 km or so. I try my best to keep pace and realize that the group is climbing together. Either they are slow or I am going faster today, because I usually lose contact within 5km. However today we were 10km into it and I was still there. Finally with 2km left in the climb I slowly see them ride away.

The final climb went very similar so I felt really good about today.
One nice moment that ocurred close to the top was that one of the support riders eased up and waited for me and encouraged me to keep the pace strong. He was asking me not to ease up, to keep it smooth and strong. So I got to the top feeling the best I have felt for a while. On the downhill we catch up with the others.


I learned quite a bit today about my limits. I just hope I do not hurt myself badly in the process.

Some of you might wonder if I am having fun. It is an experience for sure, with lots of contrast. The scenery is spectacular, we pass wineries,peach farms, olives, and lots of gorgeous little towns. The hotels and food are first class, so we get very nice dinners and desserts.

Then when morning arrives, we just have to ride our butts off for 8 hrs :)

Stage 12 is now complete. It went from Luchon to Carcassone. The stage was 130 miles which took us 7 hours to complete. The route was easier, although it did manage to have a Cat 2 climb and a few Cat 4 climbs. However, most of it was flat and with favorable winds.



A couple of friends came to visit me from Northern Virginia. It was nice to see familiar faces. They did the ride with us on this “recovery day” – if you can call 130 miles recovery. They got a taste for what it feels like to ride 7 hours on a hot day in the Tour de France route. They are also doing tomorrow’s stage, which is close to 145 miles. Glad that they could come and visit and provide moral support. At this point, it is more a mental game. We are past the halfway point, and everything is at close to the limit.



As for the ride today, my legs were tired today of course, but so were everyone else’s so the pace was nice and easy for most of the time. It was good, because any hard push would have cramped my legs for sure. Once we got to the last third of the ride, I think several riders could sense the finish and picked up the pace. Having a tail wind for the last 10 miles did not help matters, and we raced home. I kept thinking my legs would go any minute, specially with the heat. But finally we made it to the hotel. I was happy to have finished the stage.



When we got finished the temperature had climbed to 95 degrees, a very hot day on the saddle. And here in Southern France, internet access and AC are not that common. I am sitting in a bar with wifi and putting up with the smoke because my room is easily over 90 degrees. Hopefully it will cool down a bit.

Finally, I want to thank you all for your encouraging comments. Being in France, it is nice to know you all are pulling for me, as I go through this adventure.

This is an awesome experience, something that I will treasure forever I know. Yesterday's stage brought all emotions to light, I was in awe, pain, in tears, and laughter, and that was within the first climb alone. By the second one, I was so punch drunk I completely forgot to eat and drink. That did me in for sure. I need to remember that for the next alpine stages.

Stage 11 is over. I went as hard for as long as I could. I managed to finish the first three climbs and my legs had no more.

This was a tough stage. It put in perspective the enormity of this attempt. After yesterday, I was so tired, I could not believe 12 hours later I would have to climb again.

So this morning, I was glad we had about 60 kilometers before hitting the climbs. And this time, the run into the climbs was easy grades and flats so I was grateful.

But once we hit the Col du Tourmalet, I knew it would be a very hard day. I brought the ipod and thank god for that invention. I was able to pace myself with music through it. Did the same for the Col Daspin and the Col de Peryscope, and at the lunch stop there, already 3PM, I was cramping badly. I was concerned about the descent with the legs as stiff as they were. There was no more energy left.

The group continued on. I realize I am outclassed here, and need to recognize my limits. Tomorrow we still have 211 km to go and then the Alps. So I thought better of it and stopped before the two additional climbs.

I gave it everything I had, I just do not have the legs these guys have.

Stage 10, the first mountain stage is done. It was everything I expected and more, a lot more. I am glad it is over and that I have first hand experience with a Tour de France mountain stage.

I realize now that I should have trained differently. All my training has been done on what is considered here Cat 3 climbs. That did not prepare me for what I am facing. So I am climbing at my own pace, trailing the group on the climbs. We regroup at the top and plunge down to the next mountain.

My Polar reads about 11,000ft total climbing. The stage was about 115 miles. The route consisted of a Category 3 climb (Col D’Osquich 4 miles long), an Out of Category climb (Col de Soudet 13 miles long) and a Category 1 climb (Col de Marie-Blanque (6.2 miles long).

The day started with cool temperatures and overcast. I was actually glad it was not hot. That would have done me in for sure.



We begin the stage and I notice that we start climbing right from the start! Yesterday, when I studied the stage, I figured flat, then Cat 3, flat, then HC, flat then Cat 1 and downhill to the finish. Well in the mountains, it appears there is no such thing as flat roads; you are either going uphill, or downhill. Even the foothills have ups and downs. And not short ones. We are talking hills like Freemont, Taylorstown and 211. They don’t bother to categorize those in the mountain stages.

So eating and drinking is tough. You are always working. I only managed a few photos at the beginning, at one mountain top and then the finish. It started raining within an hour of the start, and the rain would go to a light drizzle which stayed with us for a good while.



The first climb was simple, very similar to Dickey Ridge in Skyline, so that is easy now. Then we continue to work the ups and downs and then we get to the HC climb.






I kept thinking, 13 miles long, that is unreal. And you get to the Col, and there are signs at the start showing you the grades by kilometer, etc. Everything you may want to know (or not). Then as you climb, each kilometer has a marker showing you which kilometer you are on, and what grade to expect for the next kilometer. At times I would not bother to look, I was cooked by mile 5; and I still had 8 more miles to go. One nice thing is that every once in a while, you get over a hump and there is some relief, the grade is almost flat, or so it feels. Not long enough to catch your breath, but enough to give you psychological boost. My heart rate was pegged at zone 5 and I could not bring it down. Only the changed in grade would allow me to go to a very easy gear and try to recover. I started going through those as slow as possible in an effort to recover.

To top things off, the fog was unrelenting. I could not see past 5 ft in front of me. At times, I thought it was better not to see what was coming. I was drenched, it was so misty. I did not care though. I kept telling myself “it could be 90 degrees, this is better”.
Finally I get to the top and rejoin the group for the plunge downhill.






That was bit hairy. Imagine being covered in fog, only being able to see a few feet in front of you. We spread out and we were following the line of the guys in front. We went down pretty quickly, and even with a wind jacket, I was freezing. The difference in temperatures at the top and bottom of the climb are incredible. I was shaking by the time we stopped to regroup for lunch.

After having done all that effort, I did not feel like eating, but I knew I had to eat some sandwiches. So I stuffed them as best I could. We are all wet, so this is nothing like the ideal conditions we have had so far.

Then, without too much of a break riding the foothills, we get to the next climb. This one was going to be hard. The grade starts easy at 4% and builds up constantly, until you get to the top at 11.5%! The 11% grade went on for the final 4KM! The sucker just kept getting steeper. The Col de Marie Blanque is famous, and I know I have seen the pros climb this in TV. They are flying through these turns. I could not believe how fast they can go through this. Definitely a humbling experience.

I finally make it to the top, and same thing, fog everywhere. The decent was also a bit dicey, but clearer so we were going faster even. And when we got to the bottom, we knew the rest of the stage was slight downhill, and this group, which appeared to have plenty of energy left, hammered all the way home. I stayed at the tail of the paceline, not having any interest in showing my face out at the front. I was done for the day, eager to see any signs for Pau, the finishing city.



I finished the stage about two hours ago, but still feel my chest. I have not felt like this since my racing days. When you finish a hard road race, or crit and you have this feeling in your chest for about an hour or so. And I was crawling uphill.

My massage is done, and dinner is served in about 30 minutes. I hope I can sleep tonight. I hope I am not too tired for tomorrow.

Tomorrow is about 30%-40% harder than today. 5 climbs. Oh the mountain stages, they are brutal. They have both the distance and the difficulty. I hope by some miracle I feel stronger tomorrow. When the mechanic came by a little while ago, I asked for a fresh pair of legs. I hope he can deliver.

Stage 9 is complete, about 105 miles today. We went from Bourdeaux to Dax. It was a very flat route, and we went through it quickly. We finished in less than 5 hours, averaging 21 miles an hour.

The heat is noticeable in this area. It was 93 degrees and getting hotter. We finished just in time today. It is probably 95-96 degrees out there now.







Tomorrow will be a different story. We will be out there for 9-10 hours at least. We are all talking about it. Right now, all the bikes are being setup with the appropriate gearing and stuff. Everyone is a bit worried because tomorrow will be our first day in the mountains.

The organizers are checking the radios, making sure we absolutely have communication tomorrow. So far, the group has been able to stay together in the flats and even the Cat 3 climbs. But tomorrow, with our first “out of category climb” and Cat 1 climb, we all expect the group to string along and for us to separate. Everyone has a comfortable climbing pace, so there will be some gaps. That makes the logistics a bit more challenging as support riders, support vans will be spread out. I am sure we will ease into a pattern.

One thing working for us is that we are getting to the mountains in good condition. Most of us have recovered from our troubles (saddles sore, knee problems, calf, etc). Everyone is feeling fresh and ready. This is a good thing. We will need all the strength we can gather over the next couple of days. We have a couple of back to back tough mountain stages ahead.

Also today, two more riders joined us, and will be with us for the rest of the trip. They flew in yesterday from Seattle and brought a bunch of goodies we ordered. I ordered extra chamois crème, a shorter stem and a saddle neoprene cover. That cover made a world of difference today. I am to the point that I can ride normal without worrying about bumps, etc.

It was nice to have the two new riders. Fresh legs are always welcome. It made the rotations even longer; I think I was at the front maybe a couple of times today. We finished the 100 miles and it did not feel bad at all.

I was praying for air conditioning when we arrived and the hotel did not disappoint. It has wifi, AC, pool, the works. You just never know in France. Even though we are staying in nice hotels, some just do not have AC in the rooms.

The food on the other hand, has been outstanding. The dinners have all been top notch, with three courses at least and wine. The food has been so good in fact that we were getting a bit worried about gaining weight. Imagine that, ride for 6-8 hours a day and still gain weight! So we bought a scale a couple of days ago and have been weighing to check things out. I am about a pound or two heavier. But with the mountain stages ahead, I am not too concerned. Our 4000 calorie effort will go to 8000 calories over the next couple of days. And then we have the Alps with three more mountain stages. That should take care of it.

Anyway, I am looking forward to tomorrow's stage. I am ready to face the mountains.

I hope to have enough energy left (and wifi) to send an update when I am done.

Rest day/travel day went fine. We loaded all bikes and stuff into the vans and off to Bourdeaux. About 5 hours later we make it into town. This is a larger city, so getting out of there on the bikes tomorrow will be a bit involved.

Nothing much to report, except it gave us some time to look at what is coming. Tomorrow is a flat stage, short stage, about 90 miles. Then come two mountain stages. I am trying not to think too much about them, but at the same time, I need to plan for them.

Tonight France is playing Italy in world cup soccer, so if France wins, it will be a loud night again. We have brought the bikes into each of our rooms and taken most everything out of the vans just in case they end up fire. Unlikely, but better be prepared.

Stage 8 is done. 110 miles for today, about 6:15 hrs of riding. I finish this week with 640 miles. Almost double the highest weekly mileage I have ever done in my life!

The ride went well, the second skin reapplied made a world of difference. It is amazing what a 1 mm thick tape will do to improve the situation.

The stage started with a drizzle and stayed overcast for the initial part of the ride. As we got closer to the coast, the sun came out and it felt really nice. The wind however, was still with us and as we got close to the coast it picked up even more. But by now, we are all used to it, we just tuck behind the guy in front as best we can.







As we traverse the route we passed some beautiful places. Too bad we do not stop by. We just cruise right past them. At least our lunch stop was an opportunity to admire a monastery. Since we were making good time we stayed there a full 20 minutes.





After lunch, we were done with almost two thirds of the ride, and the last third of the ride after lunch went fast since we picked up the pace a bit. I like how the team works well together; we can move at a constant clip with everyone sharing the work.



Tomorrow is a rest day and a travel day for us. We will go south to Bourdeaux. A 6 hr car ride. The next stage will be another shorter stage (90 miles or so) flat. The stage after that is in the Pyrenees. The mountains are coming...

Stage 7 was the time trial. So it was a short distance, about an hour and half for us. We rode it as a group. It was a good short ride. For me however, it was an even shorter ride. At about an hour I called for the van. The second skin had come off, and I was worried about my injury. I did not want to take any chances, so I pulled off. I would reapply it as we got to the hotel again.





So now it is noon, as opposed to 6PM and we all have a chance to figure out how to spend the rest of our day in France. Some are going shopping, others into the little town for lunch and then we will all reconvene at a cafe this afternoon to watch the Tour. It is a nice change of pace today. Tomorrow the longer days will start again, with another 180KM day.

I am pleasantly surprised how fresh I feel given that I have logged over 500 miles this week. I now realize that at the pace we go at, we can probably chug along forever. That is of course if the route remained flat. In about three days, we hit the Pyrenees, where the big mountains loom.