The city of Paris has quieted down a notch since the finale of Le Tour on Sunday. I am following suit, spending a couple of lazy days myself.
Yesterday I did manage to make it into our Paris office and visit with a couple of colleagues. The rest of the time has been spent walking the city browsing the various boutiques.
Today I will bring a book with me and head for the 'plages,' which is an artificial beach Paris constructs next to the Seine river in the summertime. It includes palm trees, sand, and any locals that have not fled the city for the real beaches of Nice. Perhaps I will hit a museum. Perhaps not. I have seen many of the greats on past trips. It sure feels good to have no agenda...
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Saturday, July 26, 2008
summertime
This morning we bid farewell to Annecy and took a ferry across the lake to catch the TGV (pronounced Tay-Jay-Vay). Thanks to my French tutor Yasmina, from Berkeley, I can pronounce my alphabet. Completing a sentence in French is another story. The TGV is the high speed train that transports you to Paris in about 3 hours. I sat next to the window and watched as we passed field after field of sunflowers. Once we arrived in Paris, we quickly walked over to a bar to catch the time trial stage on television. This was going to be the day to decide who wears the maillot jaune (yellow jersey) in Paris. I had been rooting for a dark horse to win the tour. Although Carlos Satre was still considered a favorite by some, most people thought today's stage was in the bag for the Australian, Cadel Evans. As they say, the time trial is the race of truth and Carlos rode the race of his life today. I was so excited that I was still wearing goose bumps on my arms as we exited the bar. This was likely Carlos' last year to make the podium in Paris, and he'll be standing on that podium in yellow.
Tomorrow the riders take to the line for their final stage of the tour. The finish will end in Paris and I will be there to witness them head down Le Champs Elysees. We have amazing seats for the finish. I'll be standing on the balcony of the 2nd floor of the Automobile Club. It's located on Rue de Rivoli, right across from the Place de la Concorde. It doesn't get much better than this I'm afraid.
There is something truly captivating about Paris. After dinner, I strolled with some friends from the trip around the St. Germain area. We came upon a bridge (Point Desarts) that crosses over the Seine river and spits you out just in front of the Louvre. As we crossed the bridge we saw groups of young teens huddled in pods of 5 or 6 picnicing on the bridge. It was dusk and the air was still warm from today's heat. My favorite moments of travel are when I can see a city through the eyes of a local. At that moment, I felt as though I was spending my Saturday evening a Parisian.
As we walked to the Louvre, I heard a saxophone playing 'Summertime.' How fitting I thought. Afterall, it is 'summertime and the living is easy.'
We made our final turn back to the hotel and saw the Eiffel Tower light up. It started as white, dancing lights and eventually faded to a steady, true blue. I caught some pictures from my phone tonight. I hope you can see them on the slideshow portion of my blog. They aren't the best of quality, but should help capture the essence of a remarkable evening.
Tomorrow the riders take to the line for their final stage of the tour. The finish will end in Paris and I will be there to witness them head down Le Champs Elysees. We have amazing seats for the finish. I'll be standing on the balcony of the 2nd floor of the Automobile Club. It's located on Rue de Rivoli, right across from the Place de la Concorde. It doesn't get much better than this I'm afraid.
There is something truly captivating about Paris. After dinner, I strolled with some friends from the trip around the St. Germain area. We came upon a bridge (Point Desarts) that crosses over the Seine river and spits you out just in front of the Louvre. As we crossed the bridge we saw groups of young teens huddled in pods of 5 or 6 picnicing on the bridge. It was dusk and the air was still warm from today's heat. My favorite moments of travel are when I can see a city through the eyes of a local. At that moment, I felt as though I was spending my Saturday evening a Parisian.
As we walked to the Louvre, I heard a saxophone playing 'Summertime.' How fitting I thought. Afterall, it is 'summertime and the living is easy.'
We made our final turn back to the hotel and saw the Eiffel Tower light up. It started as white, dancing lights and eventually faded to a steady, true blue. I caught some pictures from my phone tonight. I hope you can see them on the slideshow portion of my blog. They aren't the best of quality, but should help capture the essence of a remarkable evening.
Friday, July 25, 2008
argyle & annecy
Yesterday at the start of stage 18 from Bourg d'Oisans, I had a chance to stroll around the buses to check out the boys before they headed out for their sign in and start. Team CSC had a major crowd, so I swung by to visit the Boulder based team, Garmin Chipotle. The team physiologist, Alan Lim, was outside. I told him that I had checked out his rice cake recipe online, which he cooks for the riders when they're on the bike. I asked him if the guys really liked the egg, ham, rice, and soy sauce concauction and he said the guys love it. He quickly jumped in the bus and pulled out a sample for me to try. It was actually really gross! But what a nice guy, huh!
There's something about a man in spandex. These boys are so cute! I was thinking about how I could jump one of the podium girls in Paris so I could have a chance to get a kiss. The boys all look super thin. It shows in their face and in their arms. Here I am out riding less than a third of their distances each day at a touring pace and I feel exhausted and constantly hungry. It's a very humbling realization. These men are the absolute best in the world. Not only are they talented, but they sacrifice a lot of pain and dedication to compete at this level. I've been reading various news sites and many of them speak about the phsycological component that only a select few have. It's the mental toughness that only the elete riders possess. Reports say that both Carlos and Christian Vande Velde are among the riders that carry this rare strength. What a gift...
Today we rode Col de la Forclaz and Col de Leschaux. 72k in total with roughly 4050 ft of climbing. We stopped in the town of Annecy, which is absolutely devine. There's a lake in the middle of town that is as clear as Lake Tahoe. We're staying in Talloires, at Abbaye de Talloires. If I ever return to France, I'm coming here again. It has been my favorite stop thus far.
We have a wine tasting in an hour, so I better run. Thanks everyone for your comments on the blog. It has been really special to share this experience with you.
Kimmy
There's something about a man in spandex. These boys are so cute! I was thinking about how I could jump one of the podium girls in Paris so I could have a chance to get a kiss. The boys all look super thin. It shows in their face and in their arms. Here I am out riding less than a third of their distances each day at a touring pace and I feel exhausted and constantly hungry. It's a very humbling realization. These men are the absolute best in the world. Not only are they talented, but they sacrifice a lot of pain and dedication to compete at this level. I've been reading various news sites and many of them speak about the phsycological component that only a select few have. It's the mental toughness that only the elete riders possess. Reports say that both Carlos and Christian Vande Velde are among the riders that carry this rare strength. What a gift...
Today we rode Col de la Forclaz and Col de Leschaux. 72k in total with roughly 4050 ft of climbing. We stopped in the town of Annecy, which is absolutely devine. There's a lake in the middle of town that is as clear as Lake Tahoe. We're staying in Talloires, at Abbaye de Talloires. If I ever return to France, I'm coming here again. It has been my favorite stop thus far.
We have a wine tasting in an hour, so I better run. Thanks everyone for your comments on the blog. It has been really special to share this experience with you.
Kimmy
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Le Tour Toujours
Witnessing yesterdays mountain top finish on Alpe d'Huez was nothing short of amazing. I had a front row seat at switchback 2 (they count down from 21), so I was right near the top just before the 3k to go sign. I will upload a few shots that I snagged from my phone, but the best photos are on my camera, which I'll have to upload later.
Yesterday was my rest day. I woke up at 5 again, which seems to be the time zone my body is sticking to. I had breakfast and the chilled in the room for a while. Our hotel is at the top of the ski resort here, so I walked around town and caught a glimpse of the finish. The town was already buzzing. Our guides had organized massages, so I swung back to the hotel and melted on the massage table.
Afterwards I got a small pack together and hiked down the mountain to locate my cheering spot. Keep in mind, many people have been here for days. Somehow I managed to find this little spot on a steep section. Perfect! I stood next to a South African couple and a couple from France that had a golden retriever. Like I said, perfect! We waited for about two hours for the caravans to arrive. This included course officials, VIPs, and lots of funky looking cars featuring sponsors of the race. I caught a video of them rolling by, which I'll upload later. The caravans would hand out free stuff. People went crazy for samples of dishwasher soap and salami! After they passed through, I could hear the helicopters in the canyon, which meant the boys were close. We heard reports that Carlos Sastre attacked at the base of Alpe d'Huez and had a lead of 30 seconds. Carlos would later go on to win the stage by two minutes, catapulting him into the yellow jersey going into the final time trial.
As if the days events were not enough, we finished the evening at Le Restaurant de l'Altiport. It was a very rustic place that served raclette (sp?), which are large cheese wheels cut in half. You would melt the cheese and when it started to bubble, you would scrape the cheese onto your plate and eat it with small boiled potatoes and salami. It was actually quite good. As always, good wine carried us through the end of the evening.
Today we make our final descent down Alpe d'Huez into the town of Bourg d'Oisans to watch the boys head out for their next stage. After they leave, we'll take off and ride the two climbs the men did before they climbed Alpe d'Huez in yesterdays stage. The climbs are Col du Glandon and Col de la Croix de Fer.
Yesterday was my rest day. I woke up at 5 again, which seems to be the time zone my body is sticking to. I had breakfast and the chilled in the room for a while. Our hotel is at the top of the ski resort here, so I walked around town and caught a glimpse of the finish. The town was already buzzing. Our guides had organized massages, so I swung back to the hotel and melted on the massage table.
Afterwards I got a small pack together and hiked down the mountain to locate my cheering spot. Keep in mind, many people have been here for days. Somehow I managed to find this little spot on a steep section. Perfect! I stood next to a South African couple and a couple from France that had a golden retriever. Like I said, perfect! We waited for about two hours for the caravans to arrive. This included course officials, VIPs, and lots of funky looking cars featuring sponsors of the race. I caught a video of them rolling by, which I'll upload later. The caravans would hand out free stuff. People went crazy for samples of dishwasher soap and salami! After they passed through, I could hear the helicopters in the canyon, which meant the boys were close. We heard reports that Carlos Sastre attacked at the base of Alpe d'Huez and had a lead of 30 seconds. Carlos would later go on to win the stage by two minutes, catapulting him into the yellow jersey going into the final time trial.
As if the days events were not enough, we finished the evening at Le Restaurant de l'Altiport. It was a very rustic place that served raclette (sp?), which are large cheese wheels cut in half. You would melt the cheese and when it started to bubble, you would scrape the cheese onto your plate and eat it with small boiled potatoes and salami. It was actually quite good. As always, good wine carried us through the end of the evening.
Today we make our final descent down Alpe d'Huez into the town of Bourg d'Oisans to watch the boys head out for their next stage. After they leave, we'll take off and ride the two climbs the men did before they climbed Alpe d'Huez in yesterdays stage. The climbs are Col du Glandon and Col de la Croix de Fer.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Alpe, part deux
Last night, our tour crew of 20 had a wonderful dinner. It started with salad and quiche. The main course was pork loin, sauteed mushrooms with roasted chestnuts, and rosemary potatoes. Can't forget the countless bottles of wine! There was also a cheese course and a dessert course, but I was so tired I opted to retire early for bed. I wasn't the only one to bid bonne nuit either.
We have a great bunch. Several folks are from Texas and they fit your typical Texas bill. We also have a couple of people from my neck of the woods. They're great riders and I'm sure we'll connect for rides back in California when the trip is over. Our guides are super cool as well. Cendrine grew up in France. She is very bubbly and you can just tell she loves life. Both of our male your guides, Gilles (pronounced Shz+ill) and Christian, are hotties for sure.
Today we descended down Alpe d'Huez about half way and caught a smaller road to Les Deux Alpes. There are so many wonderful things about this country, but one thing that struck me was all of the gardens that people tend to outside their home. Most folks grow an assortment of lettuce, green onion, and carrots. It shows in the food we have consumed too. Everthing is so fresh. When I left for France, I told myself to try to take some of the things I really admired about the french culture and apply that my own life in California. Maybe this trip will bring out the green in my thumb.
It was another day of ALL climbing. If we weren't climbing, we were descending. We made it to the top of Les Deux Alpes and ate lunch at an Italian restaurant called La Vetrata. I snagged a pic from my blackberry. Hopefully, it is showing up on the slideshow portion of this blog. In total, 75 km and 6000 ft of climbing for today.
Tomorrow marks the first day that we will actually get to see the pro riders. It will be a spectacular day to say the least! Stage 17 of the tour finishes atop Alpe d'Huez. The vibe of this mountain just grows with more intensity each day. I can only imagine how it will feel to cheer on the boys as they go up tomorrow.
We have a great bunch. Several folks are from Texas and they fit your typical Texas bill. We also have a couple of people from my neck of the woods. They're great riders and I'm sure we'll connect for rides back in California when the trip is over. Our guides are super cool as well. Cendrine grew up in France. She is very bubbly and you can just tell she loves life. Both of our male your guides, Gilles (pronounced Shz+ill) and Christian, are hotties for sure.
Today we descended down Alpe d'Huez about half way and caught a smaller road to Les Deux Alpes. There are so many wonderful things about this country, but one thing that struck me was all of the gardens that people tend to outside their home. Most folks grow an assortment of lettuce, green onion, and carrots. It shows in the food we have consumed too. Everthing is so fresh. When I left for France, I told myself to try to take some of the things I really admired about the french culture and apply that my own life in California. Maybe this trip will bring out the green in my thumb.
It was another day of ALL climbing. If we weren't climbing, we were descending. We made it to the top of Les Deux Alpes and ate lunch at an Italian restaurant called La Vetrata. I snagged a pic from my blackberry. Hopefully, it is showing up on the slideshow portion of this blog. In total, 75 km and 6000 ft of climbing for today.
Tomorrow marks the first day that we will actually get to see the pro riders. It will be a spectacular day to say the least! Stage 17 of the tour finishes atop Alpe d'Huez. The vibe of this mountain just grows with more intensity each day. I can only imagine how it will feel to cheer on the boys as they go up tomorrow.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Alpe d'Huez
I am totally hammered, but oh so happy. We rode 80km (50 miles) with 8500 feet of climbing. First we ascended Bourg d'Oisans to La Berarde. We finished the day climbing Alpe d'Huez. There are campers lined up along the entire climb on Alpe d'Huez and that stage of the race isn't until Wednesday. All the old French men cheered for me as I fought my way to the top, screaming 'oi oi' or 'o lay, o lay.'. I have no idea what either of those chants mean, but they certainly helped. I just checked my watch. We were on the bike for about 4.5 hours today, burning some 2400 calories. Crazy! Let's hope I can walk tomorrow.
Off to shower. The entire group is having dinner tonight together. Bonsoir!
Off to shower. The entire group is having dinner tonight together. Bonsoir!
Sunday, July 20, 2008
grenoble
I'm sitting here nice and cosy in my hotel room in Grenoble. The views here are beautiful. Storm clouds rolled over the mountains and right now I can hear thunder crackling outside. Le Tour is playing live on the television. I'm watching our American, Danny Pate, get into the break and build a 13 minute lead ahead of the peleton. The rain makes it difficult to explore the town. I did step out for a bit, but it starting pouring. Don't you worry, I'm a happy camper sitting here in my room. I'm trying to stay awake as long as I can, so I can get my clock sorted out. But I have a feeling I'm not going to last much longer. :)
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