Massive Photo Archive

Because our travel photos form a massive photo archive I am unable to post them "all". When your an expert a photographer as I must admit I am, one must exhibit every single frame and subsequent edited version. I will have my archivist transport them to southern California in the near future. Beth is estimating a full showing lasting many hours. Of course all of you will be enchanted and in awe of this creative and finely executed collection. Individual photos will be available on a cash basis only. Save now for this premier event. Student discounts will be permitted.

Ice Tea & Lazy Days

The Tour de France ends and you know what that means? Add 3 hours of time back in each day for me! The loveseat has a me-shaped space on one cushion from all the broadcast viewing time I invested sitting entranced with the Tour de France for three weeks. The end of the tour also tells me summer is passing by. Lazy days are limited. My return to school is drawing near (but not as near as Beth's!).

I love summer, fall, and winter for the seasonal changes and certain activities that parallel those times. We now have a simple daily ritual of brewing sun tea for ice tea during this time of year. In the morning, I love filling the jar with tea bags and water, and then setting it outside in the sun to brew. When it's time for a tall glass of ice tea to make the heat of the day bearable, it is ready to pour. Ahhhhh! Since we don't have a pool to plunge into, ice tea will have to do. And Sam still sits and waits for his very own ice cube treat to chew, while my hand is in the ice tray of the freezer filling our glasses.

Perfect Day for a Criterium [UPDATED]

On a bright clear morning, the cylcists lined up for a test of their bicycle handling skills, determination, strength, fitness, and compliance with rules unpublished. (Daniel is in the picture in the center with the red and black jersey.)


After the race Daniel said: "I couldn't shift." He went on to explain that something was sticking causing shifting diffuculties. He said his Dad had to fix that once before using some kind of lube.



In this photo the official (the one on the left--the Jean Marie LeBlanc of this race) is explaining why Daniel's mirror was an illegal modification to his bicycle and why it is important that you only ride your equipment the same way you bought it. It is safer that way. This made Daniel's mother comment about the fact that the wheels had recently been swapped with Daniel's dad's bike. Daniel mentions that the judges did not say anything about his mirror last time.

During the race, Daniel's aunt, Cindi, was overheard screaming, "Allez! Allez! Allez!"

The results of the day's race will be posted sometime here. Next time this reporter will pay more attention to the finish line so he can report the results directly here.

Next race is in 2-weeks. In West LA. Make your plans now.

Kayaking at 50

Why wait until you are 60 to learn to kayak? There are always fun things to do at every stage of life. One does not have to be old to have fun. Cindi and I went to Long Beach for kayaking lessons.



Our instructor, Andrew, from New Zealand, had a sense of humor. He gave us instructions on safety and handling the paddle and the kayak. Then he had a good laugh with us as we did the capsizing drill.





Our friend Sarah joined us for the lessons, and the search for bivalves. What do you expect from a biology teacher?

Lance! And then Dance W. Tomorrow

In France it's almost over.
Victory in sight for Lance.
"Oui" becomes "ennui."

But right here there is another emerging hero story:

Daniel Wilson with 3 points currently ranks 39th in the Jr. Men SoCal Cup standings after placing in the top 10 in the Wings Memorial Day Criterium.

Tomorrow morning Daniel does a criterium in Long Beach. Reporters are being dispatched for media coverage. More later. Download a PDF with info here.

Go Dance Wilstrong!

Physiology of Lance

Tonight on NPR Science Friday they had a scientist, Ed Cole, who talked about Lance Armstrong's physiology and why he is such a strong cyclist. Of course, those of us who have been listening to Bob Roll and OLN have heard most of it. If you follow the link in the title, you can read the research.

Tour of California

Just heard from a reliable source that one or two of the proposed stages of the TofC will be in El Dorado and Amador counties. The thinking is to include all or a portion of the "Death Ride" in a mountain stage. There is also a stage that would parallel high way fifty and include the old Mormon Emigrant Trail that would end in South Lake Tahoe. I would be excited if one or the other becomes a reality.

London again

It was sad to wake up to another incident in London. My thoughts are with those affected and the emotions it must raise for them. My hope is that these incidents will lead to an end of the terrorist incidents.

Manned Moon Landing 36 years ago today

I can remember sitting in grandma Pete's (that's my mom, your grandma)living room watching one of the moon landings--I can't remember if it was the first or if it was live coverage. Google has a little site showing the landing spots here. If you are one of those people who think it all might have been staged to scare the Russians, zoom all the way in on the moon surface over that at that google thing. If that doesn't prove the authenticity of the moon landing, I don't know what will!

Kayaking Day 2 in Red Tide

On Saturday, we went for our second kayaking lesson in the Pacific Ocean, in a quiet little cove. The instructors informed us that the reddish, brown color of the water was because of the "Red Tide." They said we'd be OK for our tipping the kayaks and getting in the water, a technique to be practiced that day. Yet they recommended a good shower at home following class. Hmmmm. That got my attention. Made me wonder. I do love a little good nature science now and then!

It was all something to do with very small, very important sea creatures that were multiplying so rapidly...called an algae bloom. A rare event that is not even connected to the tide. I read more information after a "Google" search. Here is some of the helpful information I found. The fascinating part for me is how it can glow in the dark. I want to go to the shore and look soon to see if I can see that event. The nasty part is it can be toxic if I consume shellfish who have consumed the algae. That won't happen!

More Useful Red Tide Information
The following information was adapted from correspondence from Peter Franks at Scripps Institute of Oceanography in La Jolla, California: A periodic occurrence along the California coast is the appearance of water that has a red, brown or purple hue, commonly referred to as "red tide". This is caused by dense accumulations near the surface of dinoflagellates (think: tiny cellulose-covered balls with two little whips for propulsion). Many dinoflagellates are photosynthetic (make sugars from light and carbon dioxide), and bioluminescent (make their own light).

Each cell is about 30-40 microns across (there are 1000 microns in a millimeter, which is about the thickness of a dime). The cells have tiny sacs of enzymes that react when the cell is jostled (for example by the breaking surf). When the enzymes react, they give off a bluish flash of light. So our waves (and your footsteps on the beach; your hands and feet when you swim) will be adorned with gorgeous flashes of light at night.

The bioluminescence of these cells is on a circadian rhythm - they don't bother making light during the day because no one could see it. Try this to amaze your friends and children - get a clear jar or bottle, and fill it with some water from the surf zone (ask a friendly neighborhood surfer to fill it for you in deeper water, to get less sand in it). Take your bottle home, and wait until after the sun has gone down. Then take your bottle into a dark room (bathroom or closet with no windows). Wait for your eyes to adjust to the darkness (a minute or so), and then give your bottle a swirl. You should see a really amazing light show. For extra added excitement, add some vinegar to the bottle. You'll get a particularly bright flash (but then all the cells will die, so it only works once). The acid of the vinegar makes the enzymes react inside the cell, even without stirring.

Tour de California Update from SLO

A bicycle race modeled after the Tour de France may ride through San Luis Obispo next year.

New blogs are showing up everywhere

I have 33 blogs bookmarked. About half of them I check for new posts regularly with RSS or Atom. Four or 5 of them I read somewhat routinely. There are two brand new blogs listed on the right panel over there ---------->>

You might recognize their authors, both also members of this blog, if you click through to see who they are. One other among us has another type of blog which I have not seen yet. I'll search it out and report back.

I also author 3 other blogs. One is for church, another for work, and yet another for my future business. They are pretty much special interest.

New Blog Feature

I have added the names, including links, to some of the restaurants that I have personally found outstanding. Over there on the right panel> ------------->> Just click through to their web sites.

Oh, there is one there in which I have not eaten, but I did cook along side of one of their staff. I have eaten at a lot of other restaurants that are good. These are better than those.

Do you have any suggestions? Restaurant reviews?

Post away--I can add yours to the template if you'd like me to. Or, even if you don't want me to.

best day yet for tour

What a day for Lance Armstrong today. I was very impressed with his effort. Looking forward to tomorrows stage.

Alex Trautwig

Al Trautwig, the OLN commentator, has a 14-year-old son with a blog at blogs.active.com, where he tells what it is like in France in July.

still on london time

because we are still on london time we are up early watching the tour. slept well and awoke at noon london time. beth leaves for chicago this am. here are a couple of pictures on the current theme. they were taken at a park that is preserving the historical buildings of belfast.

heathrow airport

We are sitting her at Heathrow waiting for our flight home. I am using the t-mobile hotspot Glen. Took me a while to get connected and am not sure how much this is going to cost me. We had a nice dinner in Kensington last night. Very relaxing. The area we stayed in is mostly residential so we walked to a business district and had a cold drink in a Starbucks. Passed three in less than a half mile. Will post pictures on our return. Hope all is well with all of you. Beth and I are still trying to figure out what we liked best on this journey and there are just too many things to choose from. We are very appreciative of our opportunity to take this time and this journey. Now time to work and save for the next one.

It was just the White House calling . . .

Click here to read about it.

Note from Steve on Sunday

we will leave the ship at 9am on monday. will travel to our hotel in london. not sure yet if we are renting a car or taking the train. will call when we get back on tuesday. then prepare yourself for a flood of pictures.

Kayaking lesson #1

Cindi and I survived our first kayaking lesson today. We met up with 14 other eager learners with our instructor Andrew near the Long Beach Marina. We kayaked through the Naples area canals and all 16 of us got back to the starting point on time. Cindi is really good at this—what do you expect. She is older than me and has more experience. This week we stayed dry. Next week we will have to capsize and learn to recover--this means wet!

One more lesson in the beginners class and then its on to the intermediate class. Maybe next week someone will bring a camera.

McEwen Makes it Two

Robbie McEwen (Australia) won his second stage of the 2005 Tour de France today (7th in all) by beating Magnus Backstedt (Sweden). German Fabian Wegmann was in front of the pack all day, but the sprinters' teams pulled him back in. There was no change in the overall classification, but that could change tomorrow, as there are five catagorized climbs in the 144-mile stage.

So, this is what it's' like to get out of the house!

Sent by Steve from somewhere over there.

Beth standing next to one of the stones in the ring of brogar. It is a ring that is older than stonehenge.


A cottage in the welsh countryside.


A picture of the town in wales with the longest name.


The train we took in the welsh countryside.

We have just arrived back to the ship from Kirkwall. Very clear and no rain. The temp was in the low 70's.

Bernucci Takes Stage 6; Vino Makes Time

Lorenzo Bernucci grabbed his first victory as a pro today by taking stage six of the 92nd Tour de France.

Christophe Mengin had attacked and been in the lead, although not certain of a victory as the peloton was closing in quickly. Apparently, it didn't seem too quickly for Alexandre Vinokourov, so he attacked, and Lorenzo Bernucci followed. As the two caught up to Mengin at 200m to go, Mengin's front wheel slipped out from under him because of the wet roads and sidewalk paint, causing Vino' to slow to avoid going down also. Bernucci took advantage of Vino's lack of momentum to take the win. Vinokourov, a potential problem for Lance, was awarded a 12-second bonus as well as being seven seconds ahead of the pack, and therefore getting 19 seconds back from Armstrong.

"We knew the finale in Nancy would be dangerous," said Alexandre Vinokourov, "so I was up front. When the sprinters teams hesitated in the last kilometres, I decided to attack. It's too bad that I had to slow down at the end, but I'm happy how things turned out as I moved up on GC."

"It's always dangerous when it's raining like that," said Lance Armstrong, who was delayed by a crash. "We always have a good look at the stages when they have a difficult finale. But Johan (Bruyneel) was telling us through the radio earpieces about the dangerous sections in the end, telling us to turn left or right. It was a dangerous stage."

From Dr. Steve Somewhere in Scottland--bombings

not a hurricane, but bombs. ask Kyle about our trips to Florida. we are rethinking our return to London. the difficulty is most trains, subways are closed and no one knows when they will reopen and on what basis. we are thinking about renting a car and staying closer to the airport. looking at all are alternatives. will know more by Sunday. we are hoping that the G8 conference will be over by the time we visit Edinburgh.

sorry for the life lost and injuries. those on board with relatives are using the satellite phone to check on relatives. from the conversations in elevators most are relieved. will let you know more when we do.

take care

Touring in Belfast

Steve reports that he and Beth are enjoying the Great Britain and beyond.

Rained in Belfast in the am yesterday, but cleared up in afternoon. We visited a living history exhibit that is trying to preserve some of the buildings they are clearing for new development. They have done a nice job and you get a feel for the small quarters they have lived in during different eras. I haven't downloaded the pictures from Belfast yet but here is a picture of Beth and I on the little train we road in Wales. Very green and lush vegatation.

school plans

i don' t much care for bikes, so not much to respond to in many of these posts. my mom never seemed like a big fan of ireland, i'm interested to hear what she thinks of the u.k.

i'm not very motivated to attend school at this moment. to clarify, i am eager to take classes, and to learn fascinating, character-enhancing things. however, i am not motivated to merely select a major and rush to join the often ruthless, soul-less world of commerce and capitalism. the furrowed brows and groans i imagine among those who invest in me high hopes certainly sting, and due to my occasional complete absence of self-esteem, cause me emotional anxiety. my parents, and their respective families have taken starkly different paths in life, and from both i am able to draw pros and cons to each. a philosophical issue is raised: at the core lies my dilema of whether to make haste towards educational goals, thus improving my projected life-long income of lucre and material wealth, or to accept a role as a man among billions existing solely for the purpose of performing manual labor, making the proverbial ends meet briefly, until next paycheck. when i look around at so many working class, so many with so little who CHOOSE to somehow be happy, it makes me wonder if striving for a superior position in the caste of our rhetorical "equal society" is merely a fool's goal. would i, in possession of a benz, with a wife and children be genuinely happier than i am at this moment, living in solitude, dutifully performing acts of customer service routinely each week for enough money to feed myself when i'm hungry? is it wrong for one to set the bar so low as to simply desire happiness for his or her self? it is my suspicion that happiness remains elusive to those who prosper monetarily if it has been so over other phases of their lifecycle. over the period of a few years, i have noticed that i'm personally far more sensitive about the day to day abuse dealt from people i am expected to admire and mimic, to those less "fortunate" than are most people around me. it saddens me to the brink of depression to think of the lives discarded, as if bare bones from a lioness devoured carcass, under the guise of "national security," "crude oil reserves," "a clash of culture," or "holy war." all of these assertions are completely moot, filthy rhetoric when compared to the importance of someone's family member. i struggle for literally hours at a time, pondering how people can sit in their cubicle and tune out the fact that people are being killed by gunfire and mortar blast, for the most irrelevant, self-serving reasons. has the new testament taught us NOTHING? the answer to that is emphatically no, but the abusers choose to forget the very thesis of the text they've just cited. i wonder if chris kal is still alive, or if he's given his life to support this hollow cause. likewise with adam withrow or henry hoya. their bravery, and that of many other schoolyard chums who've embraced the armed services bring tears to my eyes. what an absolute waste of humanity and opportunity purported by those born socially ahead. if the ambitions of those who hold all facets of power and influence in the world are supposed to serve as an example and inspire me to succeed and achieve higher education, why then do i feel so bitter towards their actions? why do i often feel embarrassed of our global police tactics? why is a man in charge of deploying the largest juggernaut of death and destruction on our planet unable to correctly pronounce the word nuclear? if the central reason for my continuing attending school is to aspire to become these people, then it is an immoral cause, one without merit.
i want to hold out for something that i can attack with zeal and relentless vigor, rather than point to the option on the list that appeals to me tepidly. i want people to be proud of me, but first, i need to be proud of myself. so far, i'm not.

Ullrich on his PreTour Crash

"Seems like we already had our minds on tomorrow when we went motor-pacing this afternoon. It led to a really scary moment. As I followed the team car, I didn't notice the brake lights and collided full-speed into the back windscreen!

"It could have been much worse than it was. Luckily, apart from a few cuts and bruises, I'm fine.

...

"Obviously, I'm asked about how I'm going to beat Lance. The answer is very simple. I hope that I'll have stronger legs than him. I've prepared everything so far for that."


(image and text: t-mobile-team.com)

Press at the Tour

(Photo ©: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
That's how CyclingNews.Com can have 88 pictures for stage 5.

Boonen Loses; McEwen Takes Stage

Tom Boonen was beaten on his third try at winning a stage when only Robbie McEwen of Australia on Davitamon-Lotto beat him.

The General Classification (GC) stayed the same, but Zabriskie had to have stitches in his right arm. Since Zabriskie only lost the yellow jersey because of a crash yesterday, Lance didn't want to where it today, but finally swapped jerseys in order to not risk being DQ'd.

There was a breakaway that lasted at least 100 miles before being reeled in the at six miles to go.


McEwen takes stage and salutes as if he's Alessandro Petacchi (image: Roberto Bettini).


Lance Changes jerseys on the go. (image: AFP)


Close but no cigar: the breakaway was reeled in at 6 miles to go. (image: Graham Watson)

Discovery takes TTT; Lance in lead

David Zabriskie was leading Lance Armstrong by two seconds when he started stage 4, but at the end, Lance got it back. Discovery and CSC (Zabriskie's team) were close the whole day, so there wasn't a clear winner. Discovery came in with the best time before CSC, and when CSC came in, Discovery was two seconds ahead. Zabriskie was leading Lance by two seconds, so who gets the jersey? It is not close at all, because just outside of 1 km to go for CSC, and David Zabriskie, the yellow jersey, crashed, and therefore couldn't stay with his team to keep the jersey.


Discovery takes the stage by two seconds... (image: Roberto Bettini)


...over CSC,... (image: Graham Watson)


...but it was Zabriskie's crash... (image: Graham Watson)


...that gave Lance the yellow. (image: Graham Watson)

You can do this too--it's a meme

bold the states you've been to, underline the states you've lived in and italicize the state you're in now...

Alabama / Alaska / Arizona / Arkansas / California / Colorado / Connecticut / Delaware / Florida / Georgia / Hawaii / Idaho / Illinois / Indiana / Iowa / Kansas / Kentucky / Louisiana / Maine / Maryland / Massachusetts / Michigan / Minnesota / Mississippi / Missouri / Montana / Nebraska / Nevada / New Hampshire / New Jersey / New Mexico / New York / North Carolina / North Dakota / Ohio / Oklahoma / Oregon / Pennsylvania / Rhode Island / South Carolina / South Dakota / Tennessee / Texas / Utah / Vermont / Virginia / Washington / West Virginia / Wisconsin / Wyoming / Washington D.C. /

Go HERE to have a form generate the HTML for you.

Collegiate Cycling Clubs

Faculty advisor of Harvard's Cycling club, Jeff Barneson is quoted in this Harvard Magazine Article.

USA Cycling has information about NCCA (National Collegiate Cycling Association) on their website.

From University of Colorado Boulder (in Colorado)

The CU cycling team is a club sport which has been a dominant force in the collegiate ranks since the inception of the National Collegiate Cycling Association (NCCA) in 1987. The Buffs won the mountain biking national championships from 1997-2000, and again in 2002. Before this year’s road biking national championship, the Buffs had brought home the honor three consecutive seasons from 1998-2000.

“Other teams model their programs after ours,” MacEachran said. “We have very talented athletes, but they are also great kids.”

and the United States Naval Academy has a cycling club.

Why the fourth of July and what is the history of this holiday

It was at our little lunch where we started talking about the signing of the declaration of independence, the dates of the actual signing of the document, how that document was then carried forward to let the British know and the colonists themselves know.

Some of that background is here, at the American University in Washington, DC.

Some of the fact according to them:

The declaration was unanomously adopted by the Continental Congress on 4 July 1776; Signature gathering started 2 August 1776.

The Declaration of Independence was publicly read on July 8

It was published in various newspapers

Congress made sure that all states would have access to an authenticated copy of the Declaration by ordering a special printing of multiple copies on January 18, 1777.

So that's how they did things before the internet. Hmm.

Boonen Takes 2 Stages; TTT Tomorrow

Tom Boonen has had a great season so far by winning the momumental Classics Paris-Roubaix and the Ronde Van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders). He now has two Tour de France stage wins under his belt this season in only 3 days' racing.

Tomorrow is the team time trial, where you should expect Discovery to deliver the goods and put Lance in yellow, as they won the test in 2003 and 2004. But so far, Lance is second, two seconds behind David Zabriskie.


Boonen takes stage two. (image: Graham Watson)


Boonen does it again ... (image: AFP)


... by more than a bike length. (image: AFP)

New weather stickers

For our traveling family and those curious about France, two new weather geographies are included to the right.

T de F: Stage Two Notes

Tom Boonan came in first today.

David Zabriskie keeps the yellow jersey.

Lance Armstrong is 9 seconds out of the lead position in today's race, not to worry. He is second in overall standing; Ullrich is sixth.

There was a crash near the end of the route in the main peloton near the end, but I didn't see the video of it.

[Dance Wilstrong is on assignment today. He may check in with news from the field.]

Jan Ullrich wrote in his diary yesterday

Jan Ullrich wrote in his diary yesterday - "I can't quite put a finger on what went wrong. Perhaps it had something to do with the crash, I did lose some blood. But I don't really think that's the reason.

"I felt in good shape actually and because of this was optimistic for today's stage. Lance did, of course, ride very strongly to come in just behind the winner but at first, I did feel somewhat demoralised. Despite that, I´m happy that things have finally got started.

"There is still three weeks of racing to go in the Tour and I will battle on."

From the Daily Peloton

[Reporter Dance Wilstrong was off today.]

Happy Independence Day 2005

So, this is the document that pushed it over the top--your signature, an act of treason or sedition, starts a war and a country.

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

Zabriskie Takes Stage; Lance Makes Big Time

Lance Armstrong was expected to win the 19-km (11.8-mi) first stage today, and he certainly came close to it. Dave Zabriskie, winner of a time trial stage at the Giro d'Italia in May, was the surprise of the day with the win at 20:51:840, and Lance was just two seconds back. Alexandre Vinokourov was third at a massive 53 seconds behind Zabriskie.

Ullrich, the five-time runner-up in the Tour, was passed by Lance today, which was probably the first time Ullrich was ever passed in a time trial, as time trialing is his forté. That must be quite embarrasing to the German.

Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwin were speculating that since Lance was first three seconds behind Zabriskie at the first time check (because right when he started his right foot came out of the pedal), then three seconds ahead at the second time check, then two seconds behind at the finish, Lance could have just let up at the end to let another American win and take the responsibilty of the maillot jaune.


David Zabriskie (CSC) USA, won the opening individual time trial.


Lance passed Ullrich, who was 60 seconds ahead to start.

Photos from VeloNews.com, by AFP.

1 David Zabriskie (Team CSC) 20.51
2 Lance Armstrong (Discovery Channel) 0.02
3 Alexandre Vinokourov (T-Mobile Team) 0.53
4 George Hincapie (Discovery Channel) 0.57
5 Laszlo Bodrogi (Credit Agricole) 0.59
6 Floyd Landis (Phonak Hearing Systems) 1.02
7 Jens Voigt (Team CSC) 1.04
8 Vladimir Karpets (Illes Balears-Caisse d'Epargne) 1.05
9 Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano (Liberty Seguros-Würth) 1.06
10 Bobby Julich (Team CSC) 1.07
11 Jose Enrique Gutierrez (Phonak Hearing Systems) 1.12
12 Jan Ullrich (T-Mobile)

Traveling in Uk

We are on the ship now. Visited Stonehenge yesterday. Very overcast rainy day. We were lucky and no heavy weather to get us wet, just damp. We have today at sea then we will arrive in Dublin. Will post a few pictures. We are having a good time. Lots of naps on the coach between destinations. Impressive structures and interesting food. Never had mint beef before. Everyone along the way has been pleasant and interesting individuals. 23 on the coach part, 2000 + on the cruise. Full cruise. The four of us sat in a stern lounge and watched as we left port. Very relaxing. Our cabin is very comfortable. Had the door to the balcony open and listen to the ocean. The picture is us riding the London Eye. It lifted us high over the Thames. The other picture is us at Warrick Castle. Another of Shakespere's birth place. Still learning how to work this here. My cel-phone hasn't worked at all. Very little coverage in UK. We will check e-mail and keep you all posted.

And, now a word from Doris!

Well I'm back after 9 days visiting with Lorraine Albright in West Virginia. As Cindi said we landed in S Carolina and actually spent a lot of time in Virginia where Jaletta Albright Desmond lives and she and Lorraine sent greetings especially to my family who know her and to those who don"t actually know them but are closelly related to those they know. Did you'all get that? They live about 5 minutes apart and share the town name of Bluefield but the states are different. Taxes are less in Virginia but Lorraine couldn't find a town house there. We learned all about coal mining, millionaires and poverty and wonder what holds them together since coal mining stopped in 1947.

Everytime I'm gone for awhile I loose something in the bloog and this is the only access I can find to write so hope B and S will read this and get me something from Wales. They may already have left that country. Took me awhile to read all the bloog and delete all the trah in my e-mail this morning,
More later on the trip. Really glad that Audrey Albright and I were able to go.

[previously posted a s comment to "Where in the World is Steve"]