Finally...

Yes, it's been too many days since my last update, but I'm sure you can imagine I've had better things to do here in France with a little bike race I've been following.  You can see where I've been and where I've ridden by checking out the links to Strava on the right of the blog (one thing Strava won't tell you is that I've climbed nearly 8,500m this month, which is more than I'd done in the previous 6 months combined!).  I'm just going to let pictures tell the story for now, some of them are bad, but that's OK, since it's all about the moment.

Col de Moissiere.  9km at 8%, but felt a whole lot harder than that

The approach to the Col du Lauteret.  Snow tunnels and glaciers!

Yes, it was that cold at the top of the Col du Lauteret.  The Col du Galibier is another 600m up, and the risk of snow and exposure meant the Gendarmes wouldn't let anyone ride up further, as if the weather turned, there was no way to get everyone to safety.

Andy Schleck leading up the Lauteret, about to hit the slopes of the Glibier.  He had a4 minute gap at the bottom to the bunch of contenders, including Cadel.

Cadel dragging the bunch up the Lauteret.  He single handedly bought the gap back to 2 minutes  on Andy Schleck by the top of the Galibier, a move that would save his Tour de France.

If this looks steep it's because it is.  The first few ramps of l'Alpe d'Huez are well over 11%, if you blow a valve here, it's  either another 11km at your limit, or failure

The 1km to go kite on l'Alpe d'Huez, just after  I cleared a pack of  knuckleheaded Luxembugers who either don't know how a door operated since they were hanging out of bars in the alpine village, or the smell of whatever it was they were cooking was forcing proprietors to kick them all back out on to the street.

Cadel gives it the beans on the bottom of l'Alpe d'Huez

Cadel about 200m off the off the start ramp at the Grenoble TT

And in the finishing straight, more beans!  On his way to tour victory

This was as close as I could get to the podium presentation in Grenoble, but I couldn't have cared less.  A truly emotional day.  I have never and may never see my football team win a grand final, but Saturday in Grenoble was special on a whole other level

Me, Champs Elessees, Arc de Triumph, Yellow

Cadel, Champs Elysees, Yellow (though he earned his jersey, mine cost me 70 euro).  The longest victory lap taken by anyone, ever, but probably the most deserved.

 I may or may not return to normal programming in the next day or so, we'll just have to see what Paris can throw at me first.