Le Alp

We slept in a bit this morning and then checked out of the Hotel
Patrick in Grenoble.

We grabbed a bite to eat on our way to Bourg D'Oisans which is where
we currently are.

We found a nice shady parking spot across the street from this cool
little hotel to get dressed and get ready to climb Alp D'Huez.

Awesome day in Switzerland

So I've been out of touch today due to some crazy charges I would've incrued while in Switzerland. I'm back in France now, so I am once again connected.

Rodrigo and I stayed in Geneve, Switzerland last night. Our Hotel wasn't the classiest joint I've stayed in, but I was able to sleep off 36 hours of travel. We had dinner at a place called "Buffalo Grille". There is something funny about eating at a foriegn restarurant that is attempting to serve American Bar-B-Q. Not bad, not great but our choices were severly limited. We picked up some things at the local grociery after dinner so we'd have breakfast this morning.

We woke up and drove to a little town about 24K from the finish line of today's stage called Martigny. We unpacked the bikes and rode all the way to the final climb in Verbier. TONS of people everywhere...very exciting to climb a mountain on your bike in that kind of atmosphere, not to mention the views, WOW...pictures on the way.

Hung out on the top about 50 meters past the finish line. We met Jeremy Schapp, an ESPN commentator. He was really cool and talked to us for about 30 minutes. Got a ton of great shots of the pros as they crossed the finish and met up with their sougnier's (team helper).

After the crush of people died down we started to make our way back down. We saw Bob Roll along the way and stopped for a quick chat and a photo. We passed about 10,000 cars on the way back to Martigny (not that much of an exageration)...loaded everything back into the car and drove about 3 hours to where we are now, Grenoble, France.

Tonight's hotel is much nicer and we're just about ready for bed. Tomorrow is a rest day for the Tour de France so we're going to get up at our lesiure and drive towards the little town of Bourg D'Oisans and climb the fabled Alp D'Huez.

Stay tuned as my posts should come more frequently and accompanied with photos.

Au revoir

The last stage...

We're picking up our rental van here in Lyon, France and we'll be off
to Geneve, Switzerland.

Looking forward to a shower, a good meal and a bed.

Still Traveling...

I'm now sitting at the airport in Paris drinking a latte and reading
(really only looking at pictures and yesterday's Tour stage results)
L'Equipe.

Rodrigo just showed up and we're off to Lyon in about an hour.

Finally Boarding

The layover from he'll is drawing to a close. My eyes are burning and
I'm hoping I'm just sleepy, which will soon be solved. My fear is that
I've contracted a rare bug from one of the 2 million coughing dirtbags
I've encountered today.

I just went to the bathroom, so I can now be considered "Duty-Free".

Sent from my iPhone

The Presidents Club

I'm hanging out I'm the Continental Presidents Club at the airport in
Newark trying to kill my 8 HOUR LAYOVER. The free food, drinks, booze,
WiFi, cable and magazines makes it a bit easier...thanks Rodrigo.

I currently have a hazy view of Manhattan although that alone doesn't
make this MASSIVE layover worthwhile.

Next stop, Paris.

Checked In - NO CHARGE!

I'm sitting at the newly-renovated Gainesville Regional Airport. I
just checked my 44 lb. suitcase and my 50 lb. bike box without even
getting charged for an extra checked bag!

The lady working the desk asked if I normally get charged for my bike,
to which I said, "no", so she said, "well I won't charge you then."

I'm off to a good start.

Sent from my iPhone

Tightly Packed

I was feeling pretty good about the packing job, everything was in the
suitcase and getting it zipped shut would be NO problem...OOPS, I
still hadn't packed my 4 Zip-Loc bags!

After some re-shuffling, I've got all my provisions ready to go. Bike
box is in the car, medium suitcase and a backpack are all set... It's
3:45am and I'm getting ready to head out the door.

Next stop...Gainesville airport.

A Day of Errands

After running all over North Central Florida diligently crossing
things off of my "to-do" list, I've finally begun the packing process.

Cycling gear, 3 Zip-Loc bags each containing a jersey, pair of bibs,
undershirt, socks and gloves. One Zip-Loc containing cycling
accessories, i.e. knee-warmers, long-sleeve jersey, cycling cap, shoe
covers and wind vest.

CHECK!

I have pulled the canvas tarps off the ol' 5count blog! I've removed the cobwebs, dusted and aired the place out in order to make room for the 2009 Tour de France Travel BLOG.

Starting this Friday, July 17th, I'll be throwing up short little posts and photos chronicling my adventures as I follow the last week of the Tour de France. I'll be riding many of the famed climbs of the Alpine region of France as well as spectating the pros roadside.

Follow along for eleven days as I leave Gainesville, Florida...and finish on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, France.

re-landscaping anyone?

On the Start Line

Ride to Remember

Playin' Hookie

Out on a ride...country roads...no traffic...blue skies...warm
weather...skipping work never felt soo good!

Take #2-Rock gets it right...

I guess Michael Ball read my previous post about Tyler's kit at the the Tour of California. He's made some adjustments and now we have a kit worthy of the U.S. Road Race National Champion.

I just wish this kit was racing at the ToC.

Pro kit review #?

So today I'd like to talk about the Rock Racing's 2009 kit, or at least Rock Racing's February 2009 kit...and more specifically, Tyler Hamilton's kit.

I get it Michael Ball, you're a bad-ass, your team is full of bad-asses and the persona that you're so desparatly trying to project is one of bad-assedness...we all get it, you "don't follow the status quo", you're a "renegade" and you "march to the beat of your own drum". The whole grunge/spray-painted/grafitti-type of design you're going with is right in line with what you've been doing for a couple of years now. It's not exactly cycling jersey design style, but yet it's highly contemporary and as a designer I very much appreciate the envelope-pushing.

Of the Rock designs that have poured out of this team in the recent years, the one aspect that I absolutely love is how there is no limit to the portions of the overall kit that have been printed on. Head to toe, side to side, every inch of their kits is designed and printed. Some find them busy, and while I may tend to agree in certain designs, it's the evolution that I love.

Back in the day you only printed a strip on the chest of the wool jersey. The sublimation process eventually allowed for the entire jersey to be "decorated". Then they added a single panel on the side of the thighs, then a panel on the back of the shorts and now there isn't any part of the team kit that is off-limits to the design. For this I applaud you Mr. Ball, however, I have a few comments on Mr. Hamilton's kit specifically.

Tyler Hamilton, as in the U.S. National Road Race Champion Tyler Hamilton. I was expecting big things for Tyler's 2009 kit. I figured that Mr. Ball and his design staff would take the "stars and bars" theme and cram it down the throats of cycling fans worldwide! I pictured a gawdy display of the red, white and blue. I envisioned patriotic symbolism on Crack!

But what did we get??? A subtle touch of America behind the Rock logo that BARELY distinguishes him from the rest of his own team let alone the entire peloton. His stars and stripes on the sleeves of his jersey look more like he's a former US National Champion, not the current one.

COME ON! At least get rid of the mainly black and replace it with a some blue. I had to really study Hamilton's kit just to see that they did anything at all! Garmin-Slipstream did an outstanding job of OBVIOUSLY incorporating the good ole' red, white and blue into Zabriskie's TT suit while still maintaining the signature argyle look of the team.

Sure, it says "US Road Champ" on the side panel of Hamilton's jersey, but with all the paint splatter and other elements, those words disappear into the jersey just like Tyler disappears into the field.

I know the Rock Racing team has had it's fare share of issues this past off-season and are probably behind the 8 Ball in many aspects of the team-management, they're even reportedly spray-painting their bike frames. My only hope is that when Tyler toes the line at his next race, Michael Ball will have gotten my message and rolled out an entirely new National Champions kit for him.

But I doubt it.