Tour de France 2010

[Ghoulish Delight]

Gotta love those head-to-head battles

[katiesue]

Awesome pix Steph!

[MouseWife]

So, I'm sitting here tonight watching todays TDF. So beautiful. So magnificent the landscapes, buildings.

Then this popped into my mind:

How did Steph manage to be there for this?

I know I haven't been following anyone very closely, I know you go a lot of places. But, how did you wind up there? Are you there for work/school? Vacation?

Do tell and please do share more pictures and any tales you have of the places you've been. Such history there!!!

Thank you for taking the time to share. :0)

[Stan4dSteph]

Originally Posted by MouseWife

How did Steph manage to be there for this?

I needed to come to France for work, and the timing just worked out well that I could take a few extra days to try to catch the Tour. I've had a goal to see it in person for a while now. I looked at the schedules for the mountains and time trials, and the Morzine-Avoriaz stages worked well. Poked around on the internet to find a place to stay and found an apartment for rent in Avoriaz. It's a ski resort, so there are lots of rentals available there.

If you really want to go, it's best to start planning right when the route is released so you can reserve a place to stay far enough in advance. The only other logistics you need to consider are the road closures affecting access. Those details come out closer to the race though. Hope you get to go sometime! It's a blast.

[alphabassettgrrl]

Don't remember but they're usually together.

[scaeagles]

This cycling stuff has turned into the WWF or some form of daytime drama.

LeMond accuses Armstrong of paying big money for someome to implicate LeMond in drug scandals. Landis disgraced and trying to bring other down with him. Armstrong standing firm about his performance enhancing drug-free status. Some cyclist punched another for some reason or another.

Kind of insane.

[MouseWife]

That part is disappointing.

The fighting, I don't think either of them were disqualified. Poor, poor sportsmanship-like behaviour.

And, Lance, I would be disappointed down the line if ever anything came out negative about his accomplishments. I've read about him and it seems his body creates whatever it is that keeps the blood/energy flowing? Something I obviously lack, seriously. I tried to be the 'breakaway' and only got 'so far'. My legs crapped out and that was all I had. It wasn't much. So whatever it is I don't have, he does.

This negative attitude, that is why I don't care much for Contador. Things he has said. Maybe this year he is trying to be more congenial, but, that is just marketing, right?

[alphabassettgrrl]

I sincerely hope Lance is clean. I'd hoped the same for Landis, and apparently I was wrong there.

The fighting this year is unusual and I hope it dies down. Never did hear why the two racers were fighting nor why Evans punched the other coming up to the finish.

I'm kind of glad they sent Renshaw home. Not for the head-butt, though that was dirty, but the way he cut off the sprinter after that. Not cool. Race it clean, boys. I'm feeling less and less positive about Contador. The things he says, the way he talks about other people, and I'm hearing notes on Twitter about something happening today with Schleck, a mechanical, and a breach of informal etiquette. Haven't seen it yet.

[MouseWife]

My husband told me something about Schlecks' chain coming off or something? Yeah, from that Contador won by a matter of seconds {not a minute}.

The things he said about Lance before. I don't like him. Arrogant, cocky. Lance is going to be {or is} 39. To treat him like he can't be considered competition?

I have to say, I saw him speak during an interview. Squeaky little guy. I laughed imagining Lance back at their compound imitating him....sorry, childish but it just cracked me up.

[alphabassettgrrl]

Yeah, I'd heard Andy's chain came off twice; some people think Contador should have waited for him since he's the yellow jersey. I don't see an issue, it's a competition, but the Twitterverse seems to think badly of C for going ahead.