Anybody watching the Tour de France?

[Kent A Bathurst]

I just hope none of you who are "watching men ride bicycles on TV" were bashing golf on a previous thread.

Followed Fuzzy around Augusta for a while, some years back. '87, when Mize chipped in from downtown, in OT, to put the dagger in Norman's back - one of many Norman has to this day..

Fuzzy was my kind of "athlete". Got to his ball, scoped it out, addressed it, one last drag then tossed his smoke to the side, hit the shot, picked up the cigarette, and continued on down range. Always smiling, laughing, hitting tremendous shots, and smoking a cigarette. Have to assume that on "non-tour" events, his caddy had a "beverage" in the bag for him. Great golfer, not a care in the world.

Why would anyone bash golfing?

[Mike Henderson]

Worse than that - what was it, Stage 3? Someone in the middle of the peloton goes down, and there are a number of riders than can't avoid the ensuing carnage. Not just you hitting the road - there are 20 guys about to run over you.....and then they hit the road..........

Like the NASCAR thing last week, except it was 25mph, not 180.............

Yep, that happens in club rides, also. Someone runs off the asphalt (with a drop to the dirt) and they go down. Anyone following goes down, just like in the Tour de France. Just not going as fast. Still causes injuries and damage to bikes.

In club rides, if you're not really up to the level of the ride, you hang tight to the wheel in front of you which gives you no space to move if someone goes down. Also, you're just concentrating on that wheel in front of you because you're so tight - you don't see a crash until you're in it.

But it was good times. Good people, lots of hard exercise, good camaraderie. We often would stop at a restaurant (with outdoor seating) and have breakfast at some point in the ride. Had to be outside because the riders had been sweating for maybe two hours and were sopping wet - and stinky.

Mike

[Kevin Barnett]

Not only tough, but extremely fit. And fearless. Try going down a curvy mountain road on a bike at about 50 to 60 MPH. As an ex-bike rider, I'm in awe of what they do. 40 MPH downhill used to scare the heck out of me. You can't help but think about what would happen if you lay the bike down. The result is known as "road rash" - that is, if you don't kill yourself.

Mike

My top speed is 63 mph on a hill in the Midwest. Not really terrifying. I'm sure these gents are going faster.

[Mel Fulks]

Well, I have a story similar to Kent's. Several years ago I decided to to attend commemoration of Civil War Battle of First Bull Run. Walked into bus station and asked for Bull Run ticket,paid, boarded bus. Slept most of trip. Got off the bus and suddenly I see a bunch of bulls running toward me.....yep,you guessed it ...it was the other bull run. The one in Pamplona.
I'm pretty fast so I made it ok, but ruined a nice pair of wing tips. Don't think they should have both bull runs in July,just too confusing.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

I am not watching (see Kent B's comment a few posts up- not into watching dudes on TV playing any sport, especially where tight-fitting pants are involved) but I did hike throughout France on two separate occasions. The first was Paris to Cannes. Oh the food!!!

The second was hiking over the Pyrenees. Let me tell you- it takes kahunas to bicycle up the Pyrenees. I know, because I did it on foot, and it nearly killed me. I started the Camino de Santiago in the South of France and hiked through the southern border to Spain and across Spain. The French part was by far the hardest, but the food was by far the best. :-) One of the greatest memories in my life was when we FINALLY made it to the top of the Pyrenees and I said, "Okay, where's the albergue?" and Amy said, "Um... we've still got to go back down before we stop." It is a moment I often reflect on when I am faced with something difficult and have to keep on going. I remember looking down this enormous steep mountain and at the very bottom is this tiny dot that was the place we would bed down that night.

[Kent A Bathurst]

You probably thought Lance Armstrong was clean too!

Lance? Absolutely. 100 % scrubbed clean.

Stage 10, first into the serious hills, and Froome shows up with Warp 6 -- smokes the field by 2-1/2 minutes +. That's no indicator of drugs.

And - they made up all the stuff about Charlie Hustle betting on baseball games.

And Area 51 has the sound stage where Armstrong landed. Not Lance - the other one. Neil.

You guys gotta get out more - connect with reality. Watch 1984 again. Not the one with Willie Hernandez, the one with John Hurt.

[Larry Edgerton]

I don't watch any more but used to, kinda lost interest when my knees got so bad I couldn't ride. I spent a minimum 5K a year in spandex every year for about 30 years. I have nothing but respect for those guys as athletes. I was maintaining about a 27mph average in my peak years and had legs like iron, and those guys would blow me away. I usually rode alone, being as I live in the middle of nowhere in a place where spandex was not cool.

My last bike was a work of art. It was a Colnago Master Lite, signed by Ernesto, with full Campy Record Ergo and Ti Speedplays. Couldn't bring myself to sell it when my knees went, so I gave it to a young guy that could never afford such frivolties. He is still riding it, I pass him once in a while, and its still putting a smile on his face.

Larry

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Paul, I've been watching intermittently.

You're correct about the great scenery...............Regards, Rod.

[Mike Cutler]

I don't watch any more but used to, kinda lost interest when my knees got so bad I couldn't ride. I spent a minimum 5K a year in spandex every year for about 30 years. I have nothing but respect for those guys as athletes. I was maintaining about a 27mph average in my peak years and had legs like iron, and those guys would blow me away. I usually rode alone, being as I live in the middle of nowhere in a place where spandex was not cool.

My last bike was a work of art. It was a Colnago Master Lite, signed by Ernesto, with full Campy Record Ergo and Ti Speedplays. Couldn't bring myself to sell it when my knees went, so I gave it to a young guy that could never afford such frivolties. He is still riding it, I pass him once in a while, and its still putting a smile on his face.

Larry

Larry

That Colnago was a beautiful bike. I always liked them but they favored the smaller riders more than the "big guys" like me.
I "retired' about 10 years ago when my lower back just said "enough is enough" . I used to not be able to feel my left leg below the knee at the end of races.
I couldn't bring myself to sell my bikes, so they hang from the water pipes in the basement. There's a Cervelo P3, Two Seven Ti's, and a Corima Puma down there. I got enough Campy' gruppo's down there to start a small bike club.
Maybe I'll ride again some day.

[Paul McGaha]

I'm glad the guy that had the bad wreck today is ok. I was thinking he was going to be seriously hurt. A tough dude.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58sysTxxFlQ