It's Beginning to Come Back Together

Finally, my guts are happy.  And that means I'm getting happy again.  There's not a lot to report because it's been a long, slow slog.

I'm watching the Tour de France again for the first time in a few years.  Man, the love of suffering those guys go through.  There is NOTHING like it in sports. 

Yesterday was a time trial (each rider against the clock, no teams, "TT") and it was brutal.  It was a 11KM course (shortest in TdF history) and took the winner 23min.  Basically all up hill.  Clibbs are rated 4, 3, 2, 1, Beyond Category ("HC) from easiest to worst.  The last 9 clicks a Cat 1.  And there was a pitch at the end of it that was 13% I believe. 

It was taking guys 2 minutes to cover the last 400 meters.  That's about 20KPH.  Some guys took 4.  The winner about a minute. On a flat, windless pitch these men can do 50KPH for hours on end. The winner's time was 23min.  For 11Km.  Superhuman.  Others took 30+min.

And the guys up front are skinny little fuckers.  Because it's all about Watts/Kg of body weight.  They can all handle 500 Watts easily.  But 500 Watts at 80kilos vs. 65kg is a substantial difference.  At my best I was able to pump out 150 watts.  At 100kg.  Tadej Pogarcar (of Slovenia) the current leader does over 7w/k.

Watch it , even if just the highlights.  2 days ago was 181km with a Cat1, Cat 2 and an uphill HC finish.  One rider reported eating 7,500KCal at dinner.  Then yesterday's TT.  Today is an HC, Cat 2, Cat1, and HC over 182km.  That's 3 days of maximum effort.  This is the Pyrennes.  Next week is the Alps.  

This will be the 3rd weekend of Springbok Rugby too.  It's rugby test season.  They looked OK against Italy 2 weeks ago.  They destroyed them last week.  Tonight is Georgia.  Should be a blood bath.

Next weekend F1 returns.

Good times.


It's generally been dry.  Today is sunny and windy but feels wonderful.  That wind.  The other night while I was dining a squall blew ashore.  Crossing a street got my left side wet.  (Sidewalks here are generally protected from rain and sun - sensibly so!)  But when I got to a 4 lane divided road with a rotary I stood for 10 minutes to let it pass.  Torrents.  Sheeting.  Howling wind.

(I'm sitting on the pool deck.  A grown man just walked by with a floaty.  With a llama's head!)

Before the bout with not fun I was walking 7-10,000 steps a day.  I've had sub 1,000 more than a few days since.  Targeting 5k for now.  But not during peak sun.  I'm going to keep sitting in the breezy shade for now.  It feels so much better than my couch.


I'm on Blue sky.  If you are and want to connect, let me know. 

😀