Lance has Surgery

He had 12 screws put in his clavicle.

via twitter: "howdy folks. Made it thru. Took longer than we thought. Playing with my kids right. Making me feel A LOT better."

ToC Prologue

Fabian Cancellara won the Tour of California prologue in Sacramento today. It was 2.4 miles, and he averaged 31.25 miles per hour. Levi Leipheimer, the blog owners' favorite, was just 1 second behind. Expect him to be the overall winner in a week.

Many of the world's top professionals were there and did well. It's odd to see Lance Armstrong in tenth place, 4 seconds behind.

That's about all I know.

Register for the Tour!

The Tour of California is now looking for volunteers! Whether you be around Sacramento, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, or Pasadena and Escondido, there's liable to be something for you! See details here. Oh-- and Lance might participate.

Bicycling in Beijing

There is a schedule of the cycling events on the USA Cycling website here.

G's Cyclery has a blog!

And, they have a sense of humor! Check in out here.

I just saw Ernest yesterday for a new tire and some spare tubes. Now I am all set. And, for a ride with Rob at 6 AM! Oh, My!

Tour of America Cycling Race--September 2008--21 days

Announced here. What do you think about that? At least it's not baseball Mr. Mitchel. And, anyway, those were just vitamins I took.

More on Landis

KTTV, Channel 11, in Los Angeles says they have an interview with Landis at 10, they are showing footage of Floyd talking in front of the front door of his house.

The news was broke to the world by EDDIE PELLS, AP National Writer.

According to Ken Barbalce of EnvironmentalChemestry.com says, ". . .Today appears to be a very, very dark day for science, fairness and due process." You can read his summary of the information here.

Constant information update can be seen at Trust But Verify.

AP announces Landis verdict. . .

According to documents obtained by AP, and to be made public later Thursday, the vote was 2-1 to uphold the results, with lead arbitrator Patrice Brunet and Richard McLaren in the majority and Christopher Campbell dissenting.

Landis responds:

"This ruling is a blow to athletes and cyclists everywhere" "For the Panel to find in favor of USADA when, with respect to so many issues, USADA did not manage to prove even the most basic parts of their case shows that this system is fundamentally flawed. I am innocent, and we proved I am innocent."

The panel says that the lab did not do it's job and at least the first test cannot be trusted, and the second one is suspect. But the ruled 2-1 anyway. There is a ton of information out there Trust But Verify links to most of it. Both the majority and minority opinions are available a pdf downloads. More than I will be reading today.

Gotta go no and take medicine for my gout.

Pan Am player at CSUF - Sports

If you haven't already had the opportunity to do so, you might want to check out Rob's article in the Daily Titan's sports section: Pan Am player at CSUF - Sports. I am proud to be his uncle.

Cycling Free Post

What? No posts about Russell Martin yet? Two home runs, how about that! And, he is such a nice fellow.

Anyone see Beckham bend it last night?

A great Tour de France

How can the Tour not be? Started 104 years ago, this race has seen too much to not evoke wild excitement in the bike racing fan. For fans around the world who watched the Tour stages daily, it was very exciting to have the first 3 places separated by just over half a minute over 91 hours of racing. For the American fan, the race was a success because Levi Leipheimer took 3rd place overall--with a stage win. The American-based team sponsored by Discovery Channel and Johan Bruyneel took yet another overall victory with 24-year-old Alberto Contador of Spain, who also won a stage. 1st place, 3rd place, 8th place (thanks to Yaroslav Popovych), victory of the team race (for the first time)--what a great Tour, the 'Disco' boys must be thinking.

Here's how it looks internationally:
London appreciated having the Tour, as it amassed huge profits from (T)ourism. They're already planning on the next Tour visit to Britain.
Australians must be happy about Cadel Evans being in 2nd place--he's the 1st Aussie to be on the podium.
Colombian Soler took a stage and the King of the Mountains jersey (maillot à pois)--"Lucho" Herrera was the 1st Colombian to do both of those things in the '80s.
Of course, Spain took the overall victory, their 9th.

And locally:
My aunt and uncle hosted their 5th annual TdF watching, and Sam learned to behave like the dog he saw in the hat, not crossing the road when the riders fly by.

The Dancers

Beth and I went to watch Brianna and Shawntea dance tonight. It is the last time Shawntea will perform. She will continue to teach. This is Brianna's first performance, one of more to come. We enjoyed the performance. Here are a couple of pictures. Had to add one more.

20 School Days Left

It's always a happy time when I realize summer vacation is on its way! Rob must be done by now, or maybe a week away from summer. Will he take summer classes? We will wait to hear. Beth is probably two weeks away from summer vacation...or summer school administration. And I'm done on June 8th with students. Wrap-up reports and stuff will last to the 15th, but it just feels better to be mostly finished with another year. And Daniel closes up the run for the finish. I'm sure his school ends mid-June, leaving behind his sophomore year to a summer of cycling. Audrey may be finished before or after Daniel, too, with a break before summer school. Is she teaching it this year? [This is the best I can do to get beyond "Since No One Is Blogging," or whatever that was.] And Doris will keep watching those Dodgers.

Tonight, me and my room mate Dor-Dor were able to break bread together for the first time in recent memory (although we didn't actually have any bread) and we took part in a cooperative effort in the preparation of our victuals.

It was agreed that I would cook salmon, as I had once or twice before when she had obligations in the evening that required me to dine alone, but there was some debate about the appropriate side-dish. I was rooting for egg noodles, but I didn't object much when Doris suggested mashed potatos. In addition, we also had corn. Holla!

I had just awakened from a nap, and the word "fun" was written all over my groggy face...


I handled the task of salmon preparation while my Grams handled the puree de papas, y mais.


Doris took care of her entire portion of pink fish (I'm so proud of her!) while I had to save half for later.


Now, with bellies full, we are bonding over our usual summertime evening ritual of watching our two favorite Dodgers play on T.V. My favorite player is Takashi "Sammy" Saito because of his diminutive stature, and ever present exuberant smile, while Grammy-Gram likes the wiley Quebecois catcher, Russell Martin. (He is so good! she often exclaims)

Dance Wilstrong rides again!

You can read about Daniel's most recent race results here.

What's Fair is Clear

Last night, after our hard work as TOC volunteers in Long Beach, Cindi and I made our way over the Vincent Thomas bridge to San Pedro for an evening with Floyd Landis. It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening for me. Took some pictures, shook Floyd's hand, listened to the presentation on fairness in drug testing in sport.

Tour of California 2007

What a great couple of days. Sunday Beth and I watched the Prologue in San Francisco. 300,000 people lined the route. Warm day with slight wind. I took pictures sitting next to the team photographer from Healthnet Racing. Monday I worked as a course marshal for Stage Two in Santa Rosa. I was posted to a cross street on the run into town. Spent time with a traveling course marshal from Portland. There are seventy five traveling course marshals. This year there were twenty three openings and a thousand people applied. I had a number of unhappy drivers mad at me when we closed the road. One man in a pickup truck tried to drive past me. The traveling course marshal used his radio and several highway patrolmen showed up. The folks sitting on the sidwalks all were chatty and asked a dozen questions. I enjoyed the interaction and adding to their enjoyment. Tuesday I was a course marshal at the start and finish of the second stage. In the morning I was posted on the section leading out of Santa Rosa. Pretty quiet with the main spectators being the homeless men and women who live in the local park. There were more interested in finding drug connections than the race. I drove to Sacramento and found a parking spot. Not an easy task. Walking around I met up with a couple of course marshals just past the finishing line. Spent the next hour with them keeping flying bags and leaves off the course. We had a small section of course where the barracades were missing. The crowd was real excited and almost pushed us into the path of the riders. Added to the excitement. I am glad I took the time to volunteer. The crowds were loud and the cycling exciting. I will have to revise some of the photos to less pixels and post. This one is from Sacramento. What a rush as they swept by.

LA Marathon Acura Bike Tour--March 4, 2007--UPDATE (2)

I am planning to ride in this again this year. The route is changed from previous years. It no longer approximates the route that the Marathon Runners take.

The runners will start at Universal Studios and end up downtown LA. The cyclists start at the LA Colessium and end at USC--Similar start and end as previous years. But, this year we ride east and loop around downtown instead of off to the west and south. I should be fun. Check the link for all the details.

Anyone wanna ride with me? Rob? Timothy? Daniel? Anyone?

UPDATE--The above mentioned names are not to limit. Anyone can go with us. Andrew? David? Steve? Beth? Garth? Audrey? Sam? Doris? Dick? Jane?

My truck would be filled up with 4 bicycles and their riders. Then we could enlist another driver. And, you'll have to figure out a way to be in LA with a bicycle.

Next "fun" ride will be Rosarito-Ensenada April 21, 2007. That one is fifty miles and I think will require a passport now.

END OF UPDATE---

UPDATE 2--

NO PASSPORT REQUIRED. Passports will not be required to return from Mexico by land until January 1, 2008.

END OF UPDATE 2--

Isn't David Beckham like the "Michael Jordan" of soccer? Either that, or, like, the "Dennis Rodman." Either way maybe I'll go check out the LA Galaxy this season.

When's futbol season start, anyone?

I'm with floyd.