Sunday II

So I change the Home Page pic to recognize one of the TdF climbs that was part of the stage yesterday (Saturday 7/19).  The Col de Lautaret is a long grind at about a 4% grade.  I rode it in 2009 when I was on my first trip with 2.

The Home Page pic is actually on top of the Galibier which is the extra special eight kilometers...UP!!!...that they could make you do if they wanted to use that particular route.  Which is what I did, and was the whole purpose of the 2009 trip.  Yesterday, the stage came from the West (Grenoble) whereas I rode from the East.  They ended yesterday's stage South of Briancon (where I started) on another big climb.  So while they didn't do the Galibier, they had an equally difficult summit to make at the end of their ride.

When I made it to the top of the Lautaret, 2 was ready with a sandwich that she had negotiated with the proprietor of the little store at this intersection.  (She was a couple Euro short and had to convince him that I needed some energy.  She was right!)  This pic was me at the side of the rode before hitting those last 8 clicks to the Galibier.  Talk about a death march!

Congrats to 2.  It looks like she has a buyer for her house in Davenport.  Now she has to pack...and find a permanent place in IC.  @srh4 and I drove over to IC on Friday evening to look at a place on which 2 wanted another opinion.  The market there is different because of the university.  Nicer, less-than-pricey places seem to go quickly.  Good luck with that search, Kiddo.

I gave 1 and 1.1 recognition in that earlier posting.  You guys are Daughter and Son-in-Law of the Day.  Congratulations!  Lots of water under the bridge since that day at St. Thomas.  You have much to be thankful for...good health...a wonderful family...a bright future.  Life is good.  Drink deeply.

I don't think that I had ever done the math...or if I had, it was lost in the Sometimer's depths.  But today is also the anniversary of the moon landing...or the staging of the moon landing if you are among the Doubting Thomas's.  45 years ago. 

Sadly, I remember what I was doing that day (American Legion baseball in Moline or Galesburg).  Which means I was old enough at the time to have those things register in the gray matter of the frontal lobe.  Which also means that I am way too old to do any more math.  Anyway, here's to you, Neil Armstrong, and all who made that happen!  You are all American heroes.

The countdown to California-Tahoe is hitting warp speed.  There's no way I will get done all that I need to do before oh-dark-hundred Thursday.  I recommend that we all start with the written checklists now.

Hope it is a good week in your neighborhood.  Thanks for reading.

BCOT