Bikenaked.net

Remembering The 1981 IBM PC

cheeseflavor — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 19:51:00 GMT

Here's a blast from the past, recently featured on The Register. I can distinctly remember having one of these more a couple of employers ago :)

IBM Personal Computer (IBM 5150)
Released: 1981
Price: $1,656
OS: MS-DOS, USCD Pascal, CP/M-86
Processor: 4.77MHz Intel 8088
Memory: 65KB (first shipped with 16KB)
Display: 320x200
Storage: One or two 160KB 5.25" disk drives IBM PC front shot

And let us not forget the operating system that started Microsoft on it's way to becoming the largest software maker in the world:

Source: Remembering the IBM PC | The Register

Technorati tags: MS-DOS, IBM PC, Tech Closet

Where Are the Most Bicycle-Friendly Cities in the World?

cheeseflavor — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 00:32:18 GMT

By Marty Jerome, November 09, 2007 | 3:43:59 PM

We all know Amsterdam leads the list--since bicycles
account for 40 percent of all traffic in that city. Virgin has put together a list of the top 11 friendliest cities for bikes in the world, based on criteria advanced by the League of American Bicyclists. And what would those criteria be?

Why, they're enshrined in the Five Es:

Engineering (bike parking, designated lanes, etc.)

Encouragement (events and campaigns)

Evaluation and Planning (ongoing political bodies that make changes to existing laws and plan for the future)

Education (bike maps and awareness campaigns)

Enforcement (making motorists heel)

And the 11 most bike friendly cities?

Amsterdam

Portland, Oregon

Copenhagen

Boulder, Colorado

Davis, California

Sandnes, Norway

Tronheim, Norway

San Francisco, California

Berlin

Barcelona

Basel, Switzerland

Source: Where Are the Most Bicycle-Friendly Cities in the World? | Autopia from Wired.com

Technorati tags: biker friendly, bikenaked, communities, bicycle awareness

Man who had sex with bike in court

cheeseflavor — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 07:24:45 GMT

Hi Folks!

Every once in a while, I'll find some strange cycling related story. Well, I thought this was a rather odd one. I like my bike alright. I mean I love my bike, but you just have to draw the line somewhere :)

Take care,

Steve

----------------------------------------------------------

By Richard Alleyne

Last Updated: 2:07am GMT 31/10/2007

A man has been placed on the sex offenders’ register after being caught trying to have sex with a bicycle.

Robert Stewart was discovered in his room by two cleaners at the Aberley House Hostel in Ayr, south west Scotland, in October last year.

On Wednesday Mr Stewart admitted to sexual breach of the peace in Ayr Sheriff Court, where depute fiscal Gail Davidson described how he had been found by the hostel workers.

She said: "They knocked on the door several times and there was no reply."They used a master key to unlock the door and they then observed the accused wearing only a white T-shirt, naked from the waist down.

"The accused was holding the bike and moving his hips back and forth as if to simulate sex."

Both witnesses, who were extremely shocked, notified the hotel manager, who in turn alerted the police.

Mr Stewart was placed on the sex offenders’ register but his sentence was deferred until next month.

Continue at source

Technorati tags: cheeseflavor, bikenaked.net, humor, strange news, bike sex

Bruyneel to lead Astana

cheeseflavor — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 14:43:30 GMT

By BikeRader & AFP

Can Bruyneel continue his streak with Contador at Astana? (DOMINIQUE FAGET/AFP/Getty Images)

Discovery Channel team manager Johan Bruyneel will take over at the Astana team in 2008, the Kazakh Cycling Federation (KFC) announced on Friday.

The Belgian, whose Discovery Channel team will wind up at the end of this season after failing to find a sponsor, will replace Swiss Marc Biver.

The Astana team quit the Tour de France this summer when Kazakh star
Alexandre Vinokourov tested positive for blood doping.

The new Astana team will strictly apply the anti-doping measures of the
International Cycling Federation, the team statement said.

Bruyneel led the US Postal team which later became Discovery Channel, to
victory in eight of the last nine Tour de France races - seven consecutive
from 1999-2005 with Lance Armstrong - and this year with Spaniard Alberto
Contador.

Contador is also reportedly joining the Astana team. Fellow Tour podium dweller and Discovery Channel team mate Levi Leipheimer is also reported to be joining Contador and Bruyneel at Astana in 2008.

Source:

Technorati tags: bikenaked, Team News, Team Discovery, Astana

Its' Been a While, My Friends!

cheeseflavor — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 06:06:47 GMT

It's been a long time since I posted, and I am ashamed to say I have neglected the site terribly. It's not that I've lost interest - far from it. Life has a nasty way of, well, getting in the way of the things that we enjoy. Sometimes it's those very things that we enjoy that have a sneaky way of taking all of our time.

This summer has been a busy one. It's also been a sad one and also sometimes a cause for celebration. I've been blessed and I've been cursed. Life's funny that way, but it does indeed go on, and we make the best of it. Someday, maybe I'll elaborate on what all has gone on in my life, but for now, I've got a bunch of catching up to do!

So let's make this the official return post.

Take care,

Steve

Technorati tags: cheeseflavor, bikenaked.net, it's been a while

Basso admits involvement in Puerto scandal

cheeseflavor — Mon, 07 May 2007 20:10:00 GMT

Ivan Basso today confessed to the anti-doping prosecutor of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) that he was involved in the Operación Puerto blood doping scandal. CONI said the 2006 Giro winner came to them of his own accord and offered to cooperate with their investigation and clarify his part in the scandal.

The 29-year-old Basso now faces a ban from cycling of up to two years and an additional two-year exclusion from riding on ProTour teams. If his doping is connected to his 2006 Giro win, authorities could also strip him of that title. "He wasn't feeling good and he wasn't calm, and he wanted to lift a weight off his conscience," said Basso's lawyer Massimo Martelli. "During the interrogation he was shaking, but then he regained his composure to show great character."

Ivano Fanini, owner of Italian cycling team Amore and Vita, was happy to see Basso come clean. "I knew it would finish this way and it could be a great chance for things to change," he said. "Basso has shown his intelligence and understands that this is the right road to take. "He mustn't only think about saving himself, and I hope that what he has done proves to be important."

For those keeping score at home, 2006 was not a good year for cycling. To recap:

American Floyd Landis becomes the first Tour winner to fail a drug test after testing positive for the male sex hormone testosterone during the race. Landis, who continues to deny using performance-enhancing drugs, is due to appear before the U.S. Anti-Doping agency on May 14.

Germany's 1997 Tour winner Jan Ullrich, Giro d'Italia champion Ivan Basso are among nine competitors forced to withdraw on the eve of the 2006 Tour de France prologue after being implicated in a Spanish doping investigation, Operation Puerto. Ullrich is subsequently sacked by his T-Mobile team and retires from competition in February.

DNA tests confirm that some of the bags of blood seized in Operation Puerto belongs to Ullrich, the Bonn state prosecutor's office says in April.

Having dropped their investigation into Basso last October, the Italian Olympic Committee reopen it and he appears before a doping hearing on May 2. Today, Basso admits his involvement in the scandal.

I can only hope that this year's Tour not be conducted under a cloud of suspicion like last year's race. Maybe we can actually have a winner of the 2006 TdF declared by then.

Source: Basso admits involvement in Puerto scandal

Technorati tags: rants and ravings, cycling, bikenaked.net, basso, operation puerto, doping

Cyclists going nowhere on 15ft path | Metro.co.uk

cheeseflavor — Sat, 21 Apr 2007 21:38:00 GMT

Humerous little article spotted on metro.uk.com:

Cyclists going nowhere on 15ft path Thursday, April 19, 2007 Cycle lanes are supposed to help protect cyclists and give them a safe haven in a busy, snarled traffic network.

But cyclists in Oval Road, Camden, have been baffled by an apparently pointless lane, just 15 ft long. It offers just a few seconds of safety, before, with another pedal-push, riders are once again on the same road as cars.

The lane is said to have been painted by accident. However that happens, it looks like it takes some skill to create the little laid-down bicycle, complete with handlebars, seat and pedals by Camden Council.

Cyclist David Jones, from Archway, said: "It's the sort of stupid thing the council would do. It's just crazy. What a waste of money. It's a useless little strip in the road."

The council, which had no knowledge of the pointless path, didn't even know it was there, until it was shown the pictures. A council spokeswoman said: "This marking was put down in error after the road was resurfaced many years ago and, while it has caused no problems, we will now get it removed as soon as we can."

She added she was not sure how much the work would cost.

15ft Cycle path What's the point?

Source: Cyclists going nowhere on 15ft path | Metro.co.uk

Technorati tags: metro.uk.com, humor, cycling

Paris-Roubaix: PEZ Rides The Cobbles - Ouch!

cheeseflavor — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 10:11:00 GMT

Roubaix: PEZ Rides The Cobbles - Ouch!
Thursday, April 12, 2007 7:22:27 PM PT
by Richard Pestes

It was a day of historic – and epic – proportions. We’d journeyed far, across continents, oceans, and the toughest roads in Europe, to arrive at the route for Sunday’s Hell of the North – Paris-Roubaix. Me and my butt found out first hand what it’s like to ride the “pavé”.

Historic sections of pave are marked by these posts, and protected as national monuments. The Arenberg Forest, for example, is only open to vehicular traffic one day of the year.

I rode the cobbles in 2004 as a guest with Velo Classic Tours , and although the soreness of my muscles has faded, the memory of riding the harshest roads of our sport has not. As I updated this story, I found myself hoping to get back soon to enjoy the ‘punishment’ again.

The pave sectors have changed slightly since 2004, but this year’s collection of pain has all the classic stones, plus some – 52.7km of pave in 30 sections. The list below counts down the final 20 sections from the decisive ‘Trench of Arenberg’.

18 Tranchée (ou Trouée) d’Arenberg
17 Wallers à Hélesmes
16 Hornaing à Wandignies - Hamage
15 Warlaing à Brillon
14 Tilloy à Sars-et-Rosières
13 Beuvry-la-Forêt à Orchies
12 Orchies
11 Auchy-lez-Orchies à Bersée
10 Mons-en-Pévèle
9 Mérignies à Pont-à-Marcq
8 Pont-Thibaut à Ennevelin
7 Templeuve - L’Epinette
7 Templeuve - Moulin-de-Vertain
6 Cysoing à Bourghelles
6 Bourghelles à Wannehain
5 Camphin-en-Pévèle
4 Carrefour de l’Arbre
3 Gruson
2 Hem
1 Roubaix

Friday was Day 9 of the Belgian Pez Spring Classics adventure, and after some of the nastiest, coldest, wettest weather I’ve seen, the day dawned bright and sunny. We were off to ride the second part of the Roubaix course, and were accustomed to heavy drenching rain during some part of any given ride – all I can say is thank God it did not rain today – as I now have even less interest in experiencing the pave in wet conditions…

We had transferred about 1 hour south from Ghent, where Velo Classic Tours had set us up in yet another beautiful town – Tournai – for the next 3 nights. The Hotel d’Alcantara is themed after the great artists – Gauguin, Renoir, et al – and located just off the town square.

Looking back to the entry to Sector 17. There are 22 sectors of pave, numbered in descending order to the finish, covering about 50km.

PAVÉ: Sector 17
As we drove to our ride start point, low cloud rolled in, adding an eerie feeling to our anticipation of what lay ahead. The temp was again cold - around 44F degrees (6C), but it was dry! After a short warm up on smooth paved roads, we turned hard right in the town of Haspres, dodged under a small rail bridge, and met Sector 17 – 1700 m cut through a field, slight climb to the mid-point, and then straight cross the potato fields that cover the countryside.

Everything is worse than you think when riding the cobbles of Roubaix. Not even a week in Flanders could prepare us for this…

We’d already ridden several kms of cobbles in the past week on the Flanders and Ghent-Wevelgem routes, but it was clear the cobbles of Roubaix are the worst by far. The stones are older, the paving less uniform, the edges sharper. The cobbled sections are just tiny and ancient farm paths that cut across fields, beside people’s houses, and in one case what appeared to be down an alley.

It’s clear which sectors are the oldest by the humped ridge that runs along the center of the track. In some cases the slope is so steep that the one false move and you lose your track across the top and just plummet to the gutter. Usually every line around you looks better than the one you’re on, until you change lines and realize it’s actually worse.

PAVÉ: How Do They Ride This Stuff?

There’s no easing into the pave, no dipping your toe to test the water… forgettaboutit. And the slower you go the worse it is. You must attack the cobbles!!! Ride the biggest gear possible, and use your speed to carry you across the tops of the stones – the pain is worse when you roll into the cracks and grooves between each stone and take the full jolt of unyielding French stone smacking its way through your bike.

Which raises another problem… holding on. It’s 2 hands or nothing. You gotta hold on for dear life, because your once softly padded gel-tape is immediately transformed into what feels like sharply knobbled lead pipe that someone keeps smashing against your hands. Sure it’s like a jackhammer, but it’s worse… way worse. It took me about 1500 meters to wish I was riding dual suspension. And there is no escaping the harsh pounding you take. A rigid bike is a rigid bike – and your poor ass is what absorbs all the shock.

The best position I found was to hold the bar tops in the center, push my self back, and let the bike go where it wants. Keep pedaling and it will track straight, but hesitate and you’re in for it…

Welcome To the Trench

Into the fabled Arenberg Forest: dead straight, 2400 meters long, gradual dip to the middle. It’s dark in here. The cobbles are different from other sectors – they’re sharper and further apart. But what really makes it interesting is the wet – I almost went down a few times as I plodded and picked my way slowly through from one side to the other. More than a little luck is needed to get through here…

The Saeco boys emerge from Arenberg. We bumped into Salvatore Commesso and co, astride a variety of shiny Cannondales featuring headshocks, cross set-ups, v- and cantilever brakes. Then we joined ‘em for a few kms and a couple sections of cobbles.

We stayed politely at the back of their group, rolling along a warm-up pace. We laughed knowing they could drop us at will, and thrilled that they hadn’t… yet.

Then we hit the 1 km long Sector 14 at Wallers. It wasn’t like they so much turned up the pace, as simply held the pace we were riding on the road. Problem for us punters though, was having to notch-up our own game to hold that pace on the pave. Of course we fell back, but caught back on before Sector 13 – an endless, punishing and demoralizing 3700 meters. I decided to give it a go and shoved my Dura-Ace 10 speed into the 53… I hoped for the best. Our little group of chasers dropped off one by one, accepting that survival here is a noble accomplishment. I finally hit my own wall, and watched as the Red Train rolled away across the French field.

So here I am, heart rate in the stratos, arms, hand, legs and feet aching from the bashing, my world closes in and becomes a focus of 6 ft ahead – looking for that line that is just a tiny bit smoother… Bashing on I go. Then … up ahead I see one, then another red suit riding alone. Hmmm… this can only mean one thing… they’re suffering too! One of the Saeco boys turns around and rides back past me… his face showing complete disgust. He’s not a happy camper and I wonder how long before he packs it on Sunday.

I feel a tiny piece of satisfaction as I roll on smooth roads again to Sector 12.

This far I’ve covered only 5 sectors of cobbles, for about 11km, and I am feeling it. The legs aren’t recovering like they should, it takes longer to shake the feeling back into my arms and hands… I sense a turning point for Pez.

The JOY OF LUNCH

After struggling on alone through Sectors 12 & 11, I came upon the much-welcomed lunch stop. There was Lisa from Velo Classic, smiling beside a picnic feast set up and waiting. Belgian breads and pastries, cheeses, sausages, prosciutto, yoghurt, fruit, chocolate… absolutely the right thing to do!

We’d already covered about 65km, and some of the group wisely decided to enjoy the rest of the day from the warmth of the van. But not me…

My legs were pretty much done, and after the next sector of cobbles, I realized the rest of me was also shot. I was now fully in “epic” mode, and riding to get to the end, which came about 40km and 5 more sectors of cobbles later. I was still about 20km shy of the Roubaix Velodrome, but was thoroughly satisfied with the ride.

I feel like I have an actual understanding of what this race is about, and what kind of riders do well here. To me, this race seems harder than Flanders, because the cobbles seem more frequent, get worse, and stay worse.

Paris-Roubaix is a race built for only the toughest of the tough. Having ridden these roads, I at least know what they feel like rolling and smashing under my own wheels. This is riding in the birthplace of our sport, and something you should all do – trust me – it will be well worth the pain.

http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=4837

Technorati tags: Paris-Roubaix, Cycling, Spring Classics, Racing, Bikenaked.net

Firefox 2.0.0.2 Released!

cheeseflavor — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 19:06:00 GMT

Friday, Mozilla officially released an update for Firefox 2.0 bringing it up to version 2.0.0.2. There are a number of fixes in this release, including a fix for a recently reported bug talked about extensively here on NIST.org's site.

The latest release also includes enhancements to make it more compatible with Windows Vista, and also now supports Afrikaans, Belarusian, Georgian and Kurdish languages. From the Mozilla Firefox 2.0.0.2 Release Notes, you can read about over a 120 fixes and enhancements to the browser.

I've been aware of Firefox since its inception, and would every once in a while download and install the latest version to play with. I'd always uninstall it after a few days, and go back to my favorite (at the time) IE based browser, Netcaptor. Netcaptor was one of the first IE based browsers to make use of tabs, which of course, is standard fare for a browser nowadays. I really liked Netcaptor and used for years.

Then, development stopped on it, and I moved to Maxthon. Now here was a powerful browser. Tabs, loaded with security features and really efficient. It's still the most efficient, in terms of resources used, of all the browsers I've used. It's also very actively supported and has a strong following along with a number of plugins available to enhance it.

Then, when Microsoft released IE7, I tried to start using it. I tried to like it. Heck, I used to be an big IE fan. Well, I have to admit - IE7 is the version that lost me as a fan and there began the search for a browser that could provide (or have a good equivalent of) all of the features of Maxthon.

First up in the search was K-Meleon. K-Meleon is an extremely fast, customizable, lightweight web browser for the win32 (Windows) platform based on the Gecko layout engine. I liked K-Meleon, and I still do as a matter of fact. Wasn't very polished, but it flat out loaded pages more quickly than any another browser I tested. The feature list was a bit on the short side unless you wanted to customize it by manually editing configuration files - not for the technically challenged- but it was so fast, it was actually funny. The kind of fast that almost made it seem like it loaded pages before you clicked on a link :)

Then came Opera. This is a good, solid browser - based on the Presto rendering engine - fast and feature rich, but I just never felt comfortable with it. I really don't have any complaints about it - it was a actually a very nice browser - it just didn't feel right. Opera also has a good community behind it, and as a result has a number of very useful (and some not so useful) plugins and enhancements (called widgets) available on Opera's Widgets site.

I also tried Seamonkey. Another development branch of Mozilla and based on Gecko, Seamonkey is billed as the "all in one Internet application". It was ok, a good browser to be sure, but was a bit bloated to my liking. I've never been a follower of the "one application for everything" school as in my experience, many of these application suites never seem to perform any one function as well as a program that is designed to to only that single task.

I also tried a few others that didn't last long on my PC - Netscape, Flock, Avant, Slimbrowser - to name a few, but none of them seemed to fit the bill.

Firefox has been one of the applications I would always keep installed on my PCs at home and at work. I need it to support various activities, so I keep it around. For the last couple of months, I've been using 2.0 as my default browser and configuring it my liking, and while I liked it, I always felt it was one of the least efficient (in terms of CPU and memory usage) and wasn't one of the faster browsers of the ones mentioned earlier. But, I started to use it more and more exclusively as my default browser.

All of this leads to where this article started - with Firefox 2.0, and specifically, the latest release, v2.0.0.2 released on Friday. After downloading and dutifully backing up my profile (thanks to the great little utility MozBackup), I installed it and fired it up.

What a difference! This version is actually faster than previous versions. I mean noticeably faster. Maybe it's the optimizations added for running it on Vista, or some of the bugfixes and memory-leak issues that have plagued the browser (in my experience). Whatever they've done, it worked. And at least, for now, Firefox is a keeper.

Get it here:

Take care,

Steve (aka Cheeseflavor)

Technorati tags: bikenaked.net, cheeseflavor, tech news, Techcloset, Firefox

So Very SAD? Where is Spring? Cycling Season is Upon Us?

Casper — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 22:43:57 GMT

I know I have been really bad about updating. I have not had much to say lately. Maybe I should say I don't know what to say lately. I seem to be in a SAD state these days. Maybe it really is SAD... Seasonal Affective Disorder. Maybe I am suffering some depression because of the rapid weight loss and issues with my new body image? Maybe I am missing my friend, food? Whatever it is it really has me down in the pits lately and I can't seem to kick it. I feel anxious, sad, bored, unfocused, and have a lack of interest in doing the things I normally really love to do. Sometimes I think it would be best to lay in bed all day and sleep, except I just can't sleep that much. The world just feels off center to me and I can't seem to put my finger on it.

One thing I know for sure is I sure do miss Summer. Where is Spring? I saw some Robins yesterday, which was a very promising sign that Spring is just around the corner, I hope. They are forecasting highs in the mid 30's for all next week. I really want to get out on my bike bike and put in some serious road miles, maybe this next week will offer that opportunity.

One sure sign of spring is the Tour of California. Oh Yeah! It starts today. We will be spending some time watching that. Maybe the tour will help snap me out of this funk that I am in.

On the weight loss front I am down to 137 lbs. I now wear a size two. Who would have ever thunk, me in a size two! Though, I seem to be having a bad case of "buyers Remorse" right now. All related back to this funk I am in I am sure. Sometimes I question my choice to have WLS and ask myself, was this all worth it? Sure I am in a size two, look pretty good, and all the health issue I had are gone, but did I trade in one bag of health issue for a bag of emotional issues? sigh....I really feel alone right now. Not that I am alone, but I feel like I have lost me and I am not sure where to find me. Who is this person looking back at me in the mirror? I don't know that I like what I see.

Well like I said, not much to say these days. I'm just feeling blah...

GPS To Be Used Extensively at Tour of California

cheeseflavor — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 06:33:36 GMT

When the Amgen Tour of California blasts through California towns at 30 mph next week, you should do what any respectable bike racing fan does -- stand on the side of the road and cheer until you're blue in the face. But if you aren't lucky enough to see the riders up close, just follow the race on Google Earth.

(image courtesy of CSC)

During this year's edition of the pro cycling race, the Computer Sciences Corporation, or CSC, will outfit seven contenders with specially designed tracking devices. Information about the riders' locations and relative positions in the race will be made available as a map mashup during each of the tour's eight daylong stages.

CSC -- which is a sponsor of the tour and the title sponsor of Team CSC, one of 20 teams in cycling's elite ProTour league -- is hoping that its new technology will give cycling's rabid fan base a more immersive view of the sport.

"This is more than just GPS," says CSC's Identity Labs chief technologist Dan Munyan. "This is object field tracking. We want to be able to focus on a field of objects in motion, looking not only at where they are on the route, but also where they are relative to each other.

Once collected, the geodata will be made available to web spectators in three ways:

CSC will provide a full-screen map of the riders' whereabouts through a web application it created using Google Maps. To appease the true geodata nuts, CSC will also publish a KML file (an XML-based mapping language) that fans can plug into Google Earth to generate their own custom maps of the race. The official Tour of California website will host a live race-tracking page using Yahoo Maps and Adobe Presentation software.

The race's web spectators will have access to almost-real-time location information for the riders as they cruise down the California coast -- a short delay will offset the feed by about 10 seconds.

Source: Wired News: Bike Racers Gear Up With Geodata

Cool! I know I'll be watching it all unfold on VS, with coverage of the next 8 days! Woohoo! Cycling coverage!

Take care,

Steve (aka Cheeseflavor)

Technorati tags: cycling, Tech Closet, bikenaked.net, cheeseflavor, Tour of California, tech news

It's ALIVE! New '07 Roubaix

cheeseflavor — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 07:22:21 GMT

I am very happy to report that I now have a road bike again. Yes, my new Roubaix is now home, and we had our first trainer ride together tonight. But before I start to blather about everything I like about the bike, I want to take a few lines and tell everyone know just how good the service at Erik's Bikeshop and Specialized is.

If you've read my last few posts here, you know the story about my cracked frame, and that the crack was at the front of the seat tube. Some manufacturers and bike shops might have claimed that this was caused by a user over-tightening the seat post clamp. I was indeed worried that this would be the case and I would end up shelling out big money for a replacement from Specialized. Specialized, as some of you may know, has a replacement program whereby they'll replace a frame no longer under warranty for 75% of retail. This would have meant I would have had to pay around $1200 (at least that's what the tech I spoke to at Specialized told me when I called) to get a Roubaix back on the road.

Boy, am I glad I purchased the bike from Erik's originally. After talking to Specialized, I packed the bike up and headed off to Erik's to plead my case.

Once there, Eric, the mechanic (not Erik the owner) takes a look at it and proclaims it not salvageable. After examining it and the seatpost, Eric called Specialized. They decide that it wasn't caused by over-tightening the seatpost (I've always been VERY careful) and say that they're going to replace it with a 2007 Roubaix frame.

Phew!

Erik's has been a great place to do business with. I cannot say enough about how good they have been to Linda and I. We've purchased a total of 8 bikes from them since we've started riding. They have been rock solid for us. Way beyond just selling us bikes and taking our money. The employees have been great to us. Sales people Bob, Matt, Dan. Charlie and mechanics Eric and Andy, Sales Manager Dave O., (forgive me if I left anybody out) - you guys have been great.

I'm convinced that our progress in this great activity would not have been as smooth, or as rapid, had we made our purchases from a store that was less helpful. Who you purchase a bike from really does make a difference, and I can whole-heartedly, and without reservation recommend these folks!

Ok, now for some pics :)

Here's a side shot of it. You can sort of see the new seatpost here. It's an S-Works carbon. The old one was the standard Specialized composite seatpost with zertz that came on the bike. It was comfortable, but heavier than this one, and also had the two-bolt adjustment that was always a pain for quick adjustments.

Here's a shot of the cockpit. FSA K-Wing handlebars and Ritchey WCS stem. No handlebar tape yet.

The stem cap is aimed at me and is a reminder every time I get on the bike. I don't like pain, but it seems I 'm always suffering.

Just snapping some pics. I like the new colors of the Roubaix and the new weave on the carbon.

Here's a shot of the one of the seatstays complete with zertz. I like the new weave on the '07 carbon. Also, the frame is a half pound lighter than the '05.

Anyway, that's the new one.

Later!

Steve (aka Cheeseflavor)

Technorati tags: cycling, bikenaked.net, cheeseflavor, 2007 Roubaix, Erik's Bikeshop, Specialized

Update on my dead Roubaix

cheeseflavor — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 21:45:00 GMT

Specialized has decided to warranty the damage on the frame, it's been ordered and should be in Erik's warehouse as of now. The replacement is an '07 Roubaix Comp (exact same frame) and should be ready to go by next week some time.

The color isn't what I would have hoped - Specialized replaced the black/carbon color (like mine) with more graphics, and the new one will be this one here:

Not bad, but I really liked the black carbon look. I think it was cleaner and faster looking.

Here's the old frame (sniff):

On the positive side, Erik's and Specialized are warranting the damage and I'm very happy about that. The new frame should still be sharp with the Zipps on it, and maybe with the different graphics, it will give me the opportunity to play around with different color saddles and bartape :)

One other thing, the Bianchi doesn't quite fit the trainer. So, unable to even ride that, I'm suffering cycling withdrawal bigtime.

Later!

Steve

Technorati tags: bikenaked.net, cheeseflavor, cycling, Rants and ramblings, Roubaix, Specialized

R.I.P. Roubaix

cheeseflavor — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 08:02:00 GMT

After 2 full seasons, a bunch of trainer miles and about 12,000 miles, I just found out today that my '05 Roubaix has breathed its last.

The day started off good enough. I had scheduled a vacation day today to perform a couple of upgrades and some maintenance to the bike. The plan was new shift and brake cables, a new seatpost, new handlebars and stem, and a cleaning down to the frame.

The first thing I did was remove the seatpost. Loosened the collar, and out it slid - just like a seatpost should. I removed the collar to clean out the grit that had likely accumulated over course of the 2 seasons I'd enjoyed the bike. Under the collar, something didn't look right. There was a bulge - sort of a ridge - underneath it. On closer inspection, it was a crack. The crack was about 3/4" long vertically, and made an abrupt 90 degree angle and continued for about another 3/4".

I just sort of stared at it in disbelief. What the heck was this? A crack in my carbon frame? How could this be? How long had it been like that? Now what??

The first thing I did was call Specialized tech support. Of course, they said "don't ride it". Bring it immediately to your local LBS for an inspection and determination of warranty coverage. So, I dial Erik's Bike Shop where we bought the bike. They said to bring it in and they'll have a look at it.

Once at Erik's, one of the long-time mechanics, Erick (not Erik the owner) takes a look at it and proclaims it not salvageable. The hell you say, says I, I need that bike. It's what I train on in the winter as well. I can't train on a single-speed Bianchi on a trainer. Can't I just hang on to it until a determination is made whether it's under warranty or not? Nope, says Erick. He wouldn't like to see anyone on that frame again. It's just not safe.

So, we start the warranty paperwork.

At this point, I'm not sure what's going to happen. The LBS after inspecting it has determined that it wasn't abuse (it's never been crashed, it wasn't a result of anything I did), and they'll file it as a warranty claim. At this point, the only thing I know for sure is that my old frame will never see the road again for me or anyone else. Kind of sad really.

If Specialized accepts the claim, I'll get a free replacement, and a nice upgrade. The replacements, so I'm told, are all '07 Roubaix Pros. If they determine that it's not under warranty, Specialized has a "replacement" policy whereby they'll sell you the frame for 25% off, and it will cost me about $1200. Naturally, I'm hoping for the warranty.

In any event, the bike, or at least the frame, is history. I'll end up with amounts to a brand new bike (the components have about a season on them). And most importantly, I find it now rather than after a catastrophic failure on a ride.

More after I find out what's going to happen.

Steve (aka Cheeseflavor)

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Misplaced Priorities - Stupid Cycling Law

cheeseflavor — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 20:46:00 GMT

Crime, poverty, education. Should be a priority for most states, right? Well, apparently not in New Jersey. Seems that cyclists talking on cellphones is is enough to send at least one lawmaker scurrying to enact a new law banning said activity.

According to this article on WCBS's website, last Thursday, Jan. 19th, 2007, "A legislative committee has approved a bill that would make it illegal for people to use a hand-held telephone while riding a bicycle on a public road. Hands-free devices would be allowed and lawbreakers would face fines ranging from $100 to $250. Assemblyman Jon Bramnick, a bill sponsor, said the measure is meant to protect bicyclists and the people they may strike when riding and yakking at the same time".

He goes on to say "That is, in our judgment, a danger to pedestrians as well as to the bicyclists themselves, due to the fact that now they have one hand on the handlebars, they're talking to someone and they're on a public highway".

Furthermore, Bramnick admitted he has no data on injuries caused by distracted riders. He called the cell phone biking bill "a common sense proposal'' based on observations he and others have made ``in the more densely populated communities.''

This bill, one of almost 7,000 bills introduced by New Jersey lawmakers this year, was approved for consideration by the final Assembly for passing into law.

However, after news of the silly law started making the rounds (including mention on The Drudge Report), an embarrassed Jon Bramnick decided to pull the bill once the ridicule started to roll in. Seems even his wife thought it was a dumb idea. According the Bramnick, "When I called my wife the day I introduced the bill she said, "Are you kidding?".

So, I have to ask, how many of you have actually tried talking on a cellphone while hammering?

Take care,

Steve

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You might notice something different about Bikenaked.net

cheeseflavor — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 21:03:00 GMT

As you can probably tell, I've been a bit busy re-theming the site. It is a totally different look from the original. It's a hobby for me, and as I was getting a bit tired of the old look, I thought I'd go for something a bit more "dramatic" than the basic white and blue of the old site.

A few things still need to be cleaned up, and I'm addressing them as quickly as possible and as I notice them :)

I hope you like the new look, and if you see anything that doesn't work, or if you'd just like to comment (please do!), feel free!

Take care,

Steve (aka Cheeseflavor)

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A LITTLE and not so LITTLE

Casper — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 01:31:00 GMT

A *little* and not so *little*

I thought I should post a little (maybe not so little) update on my journey. It has been exactly six months today since my surgery. In fact, six months ago at this time Dr. Jones was hard at work using his skills to help me start my new life. I am so grateful for skilled surgeons like Dr. Jones.

June 30^th, 2006 I was 241.5 lbs and had many health issues. Diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, no energy, I was a wreck!

Reverse to two years prior. I weighed 261 lbs and was a very unhealthy Linda. I am not sure that 261 was my highest weight but it is the highest weight my Dr. had recorded for me in the last five years, so I will use the 261 as my highest weight. In 2004 I was 261 lbs, inactive, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetic. I wore a size 22/24 pants and a 2X top.

My loving husband and I decided to try cycling and discovered that we loved it. Soon cycling became our passion and changed our lives. We both lost a lot of weight. We were feeling pretty darn good but my diabetes and other health issues were still there. Over the course of the next two years, I started to gain most of the weight I had lost back. I had gone from 261 to 202 back up to 241.5. We were still riding bike and lifting weights. I was slowly slipping back into old eating habits and gaining all the weight back, despite our high level of physical activity.

Fast forward to June 30^th, 2006, surgery day and the start of a completely new life. All went well with surgery and I was back on my bike three days after surgery. It was no time at all, I was riding just like before surgery, even better, and the pounds were coming off. I had zero complications and felt great!

Reality sets in… many WLS patients end up going through some level of depression and many head games with food and themselves after surgery. I thought I had escaped all this; things were going so smoothly for me. Then it happened. The issues started with an ulcer, though looking back there were issues that were overshadowed by all the success of losing weight I just never saw them, I was too caught up in all the weight loss.

We are our own worst enemies! Yes, I ended up getting an ulcer that landed me in the hospital. I also ended up spending WAY too much money on clothes and more important than anything I ended up ignoring what was most important; how all this was affecting my loving and wonderful husband.

Being that he is a wonderful and loving husband, he has been patient and understanding beyond words. My focus is now back where it belongs and that is on *us*, not just me. I am so lucky to have such a wonderful husband.

Here are the stats

Starting weight – 261

Pre-op weight – 241.5

Current Weight – 143

Lost since surgery – 98.5

Total lost – 118

Starting Size – 22/24

Pre-op size – 18/20

Current size – 2

Most important stats?

I survived this surgery.

I no longer have diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol.

I have a wonderful husband that loves me.

I have pulled my head out of my bottom-end and have refocused on the important things – husband, family and happiness.

Do not let the little things in life get in the way of the things that really matter. Stay focused, happy and enjoy life!

Here is the latest picture update of the progress.

Building the Stable - Bianchi San Jose Singlespeed

cheeseflavor — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 15:17:00 GMT

After a lot of thinking about it and talking about it for the last few months, Linda and I finally decided to purchase a pair of second bikes. The purpose wasn't to replace our Specializeds, but supplement them with something that was low maintenance. A bike that we wouldn't feel bad getting dirty, wet and sloppy. A bike that didn't cost an arm and a leg, and above all, something we could have some fun with while maintaining some level of fitness.

We looked at entry level road bikes and even thought about tri-cross bikes. The problem is that to get anything with even a decent drive train, we were looking at at least a grand apiece.We also wanted the ability to take the occasional crushed gravel or dirt/grass trail, so that pretty much ruled out pure road bikes.

Then, while reading this month's Cycling Magazine, I see mention of the single speed Bianchi San Jose. I also start reading as much as I can about it here and elsewhere on the web, and really saw pretty much good reviews. Everyone said it was a good, low maintenance, fun bike.

So, we start calling around to find one, and nobody in town has them. The first place we went to, didn't have them at all, and after Linda and I start calling around, we find out they're being sold as fast as they're coming in, and that it would be weeks before they would get the next shipment from Bianchi.

Then Linda hit on a couple in the size we wanted, and in the color we wanted. So, we took the afternoon and headed off to the store! After taking them out for a test spin, we bought them on the spot along with a couple sets of new pedals, packed them into car, and headed for home.

We got home early enough to have enough light for a 45 minute ride down a local crushed gravel trail. What a load of fun! We didn't have our cyclometers installed yet, so I have no idea what speeds we were hitting, but I'm guessing 17-18mph will be a breeze on these bikes with the single speed. The ride is excellent. Smooth, and not the least bit harsh even on the crushed gravel. What is really noticeable is how quiet they are without the derailleurs and pulleys making noise. They are really quiet.

The bike is a relatively lightweight steel frame, single speed, 42/17 gearing with a freewheel, cross bike. Some of the components are:

700x32mm (semi-knobby) tires
Cane Creek brakes
Sugino crankset
Shimano freewheel
KMC chain
Alex wheelset and
Aheadset headset
The price? An amazing (I think anyway) $503 each!

Here's a few shots of mine:

Here's Linda's:

Take care,

Steve

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Silly Cycling Tech

cheeseflavor — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 22:46:00 GMT

Are you ready for this? You say you want some funk in your trunk? Pearl Izumi is coming out with cycling bibs complete with a built in MP3 player, thigh-mounted control strip, and 512mb storage for your MP3s. For those of you that can't live without such things and for a mere $500, you can get yourself a pair of Pearl Izumi Vertex MP3 bibs.

Oh, they also have Bluetooth capability for those of you that cannot risk missing that ever-important call when on the bike. The speaker and mic is located in a shoulder strap.

Here you go:

You think mothers in minivans yakking on cellphones with little Jimmy screaming from the backseat are a threat to your health? Can you just imagine yourself hammering along the flats at 23+ mph in tight formation with a group of friends, and one of them starts fumbling around with his thigh? How about climbing up your favorite hill and your significant other calls and your shoulder rings? "Yes dear", "I'll be right home, dear".

Talk about distractions. I think I'll just take in the sights and sounds that are all around me.

Steve

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Get a free copy of Windows Vista and Office 2007!

cheeseflavor — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 15:52:00 GMT

Would you like to get a free copy of Windows Vista and Office 2007? Of course you would!

Microsoft is now offering you a chance to get a copy of Windows Vista Business Edition and 2007 Office Professional.

But there's a small catch. You need to take in some free training (hey, knowledge is power!) in order to get your fully licensed copy sent to you.

Here's what you need to do:

Visit the Power of Together website
Sign up (US residents only)
Watch three webcasts/Labs each for Windows Vista and Office 2007 within 30 days of registering
Wait 6 - 8 weeks
Your software will be delivered to you free of charge!

Take care,

Steve

Technorati Tags: bikenaked.net - Vista - Office 2007 - Cheeseflavor

Happy Thanksgiving!

cheeseflavor — Fri, 24 Nov 2006 03:41:00 GMT

Just wanted to wish all of our friends a Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you all had as good a day as Linda and I did.

May you all have many things to be happy for now and in the future.

Take care,

Steve & Linda

Bump In The Road or An Extended Weekend?

Casper — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 02:29:00 GMT

It's been a bit since I have updated. We have been crazy busy and it seems time is just flying by. Heck, less than six weeks until Christmas and Thanksgiving has passed AAAAAHHHHHHHH

Things really have been very smooth for me, that is up unitl two weeks ago Thursday night. So here is my *bump in the road* It two weeks ago Thursday, during the day, I just couldn't eat much (not that I can anyway - duh!) but what I could eat was way less than what I can normally eat. I even made mention of this to a couple people at work. When we got home from work on Thursday I started to get a cramping feeling in the upper abdomen. The pain grew throughout the night and I spent most of the night up, tossing and turning in pain. Friday I stayed home from work, which I rarely call in sick but things were fairly painful. I thought about going to the ER but decided to take a nap and see if I cold sleep it off. Woke up a little after noon and the pain was even worse. Now I am thinking I have some food stuck in my pouch and try the warm tea treatment. Nope, didn't work. Things are getting really painful now! Time to go to the ER.

We arrive at the ER and it is a 3 hour wait. Go figure, full moon and the ER is full! Sigh, we wait, and wait, and wait, and......Finally they call us, nope, not to see the doctor, but to get xrays and then back to waiting...sigh. I think it was another hour before they called us to go back to a room. That was one long, painful wait! Almost 4 hours of waiting, but there is more waiting, it is another hour before we see a Doctor.

Finally a doctor! He tells us the xrays look good and he wants to do a contrast CT scan. Fine, they want me to drink this contrast, they start an IV and give me some pain meds - by this time I am in severe pain. 4 dalodid (sp?) shots later and another stronger pain med shot and the pain finally calms down some. I really was in a lot of pain :( Back to the contrast, they bring me two large 24 oz cups of OJ with contrast mixed in. Ummmmm, I can't drink that I have a 4 oz tummy now. HELLO people, what where they thinking. I drink what I can and I get sick from all the sugar in the juice, nausea, sweats, shaking...sigh. They take me off for the CT scan and then back to the ER room. They tell me the CT scan looks good give me a RX for pain killers and send me on my way. 9 hours later and I am still in pain and have no answers.

On to Saturday - Saturday is this big fancy event at a big fancy hotel. I have been looking forward to this for some time now. It is a formal for all us WLS patients. A chance for us to put on our best and be the princess/prince for the night. I am STILL in pain but have been popping the pain killers all day and wanted badly to go to this. So Steve and I get all dressed up and go. I think we looked pretty sharp!

So we made it about an hour after this picture was taken and back off to the ER we went. I couldn't take the pain anymore. We got right in this time and they gave me some pain meds. I am not even going to commenton what rude remarks the first Dr. said to me! Let's just say that I didn't see that Dr. anymore! Some Dr.'s really do not get WLS patients.

Anyhow, they admitted me to the hosipital. I stayed until Monday and was hooked up to an IV and had lots of pain drugs. Well, turns out I have an ulcer. Man, do they hurt. I am glad it was nothing more serious. So I am on the mend now and things are much better.

I now weigh 152 and have a normal BMI for the first time in over 25 years. WOOOOOOHOOOOO. Oh, and I can wear a size 4 Levi's and they are not even the stretchy jeans :)

Hugs!

Linda

It's Official - Windows Vista and Office 2007 Launch Nov. 30th!

cheeseflavor — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 19:47:09 GMT

A Microsoft spokesperson has confirmed that the planned release dates for Vista and Office are indeed November 30 after all, fulfilling Microsoft’s promise of delivering Vista in 2006.

However, general consumer versions of Vista are still planned for a January 2007 release, with the rumored date of January 30 said to be on the verge of confirmation over the next few days.

The November 30 date will be a worldwide release, meaning Australians, New Zealanders and other countries in the same time zone will be able to get access to the software several hours before our North American brethren.

Exchange Server 2007 is also scheduled to be released on the same day, giving businesses access to Microsoft’s latest email server and email client (Outlook 2007). The US press invitation made special note of the fact that it will be the first time in 10 years that new versions of Vista, Exchange and Office will be launched together.

Corporate customers wanting access to the software will be able to get it on November 30, as will system builders, technology journalists and other selected parties, although some technology journalists may get access to the ‘Gold RTM code’ slightly sooner for review purposes. If we are able to access it any earlier we’ll be bringing you a review as soon as we possibly can.

4 MONTHS AND RIDING WEATHER OR WHETHER

Casper — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 00:54:00 GMT

4 MONTHS

Well, I have been very bad about updating my blog. There have been so many things keeping me busy lately. I wish I had about 4 more hours in each day. Maybe I should write Congress about adding more time to each day :)

Okay, back to the topic, "4 MONTHS" It has been 4 months since I had my RNY gastric bypass surgery. About 95% of this surgery has been VERY positive. I have lost 83.5 lbs. I have gone from 241.5 lbs to 158 lbs. I have gone from a size 18/20 in pants to a size 6. My pants size is smaller than my shoe size! WOW!!! I have gone form a 1x or XXL shirt to a small or medium petite shirt. I no longer have diabetes. My cholesterol level is now normal (130) my blood pressure is fantastic 114/68 and my sitting pulse rate is 50. My Dr. says I am disgustingly healthy. You won't hear any complaints from me there! I'll take it.

Wow, has life changed. I have to say that things have been good for me. I have had no real complications and the weight is just falling off. There have been mild bumps in the road. Little pouch pains here and there and some stupid food choices on my part, but the tool is doing it's job and lets me know when I made a bad choice.

For the most part I do not dump. I can eat small amounts of sugar and I am just fine. I am glad for this, as I never wanted to deprive myself of treats, rather I needed something to keep me in check, and the pouch does that. Although, I had a grilled chicken sandwich from burger king and it made me feel yucky. I tossed the buns and only ate the chicken, but it had sauce on it and I think the sauce made me feel icky. Tool at work!

I have reached and passed my surgeon’s goal weight and feel really good about that. I am still riding my bike, exercising and enjoying this new, healthy life style.

I have to say the hardest part of this has been the changes this surgery has brought about in my marriage. DH and I are doing really good, and I am very grateful for a husband, who is open, and can talk to me and tell me how he feels. It is not every couple who can communicate so openly. I truly have my soul mate and I consider myself very lucky to have found that special person to spend my life with.

Would I do this again? Hell yes! Daily if that is what it took to feel this good and have my life back.

Here I am this morning.

Here is a picture story of my progress. Thank you to my DH for putting this together for me. I am stupid in photo editing and have no clue how to do something like this But here I am starting with pre-op and my most recent taken this morning.

WEATHER OR WHETHER

On to cycling. Yes! One of my favorite subjects. We have been out riding despite the WEATHER and plan on riding WHETHER the WEATHER cooperates or not! Well as long as it is above 32 degrees and there is no snow or ice on the road :)

I heard someone say today that this has been the coldest October on record since 1915. I can believe that. It has not been a very nice October in Minnesota for the WEATHER.

Since the weather has cooled down we have only been able to get about 100 miles in per week. We were doing 150-200 miles per week in the warmer summer months. Oh well, part of the price we pay for living in such a beautiful state. Though San Diego is looking better and better :)

Yesterday ride was great! WE did out Lake Minnetonka route and we put in a pretty good pace for speed. I think we averaged 19.2 mph over 33 miles. That’s pretty good when you consider the wind was gusting to over 20 mph at times, with a good steady 15 mph wind. That wind can really war on you especially after about 15 miles of head wind. Good thing half of the ride was with a tail wind. I’m sure that helped keep the average speed up.

The seasons are changing and we will continue to ride WHETHER the WEATHER cooperates or not. We still have our trainers and hours of Coach Troy on his DVD series of spinnervals. We just picked up Coach Troy's most recent Spinnerval release. It is a virtual ride with Coach Troy in the fall colors of MD. I'm a little anxious to give it a try but still not looking forward to saying good-bye to the roads for the season.

I really miss the club rides too. This next year Steve and I are going to be ride leaders for our bike club www.biketcbc.org. That should be lots of fun and will give us something to focus our training on over the winter months. I would like to be able to come out of the winter months at the speed I am at now with the ability to climb hills better. If I accomplish my speed and climbing goals in my training then I will only get better on the hills and faster on my average speeds.

Well, stay healthy and happy!

Hugs to all!~

Linda

2007 Tour de France Route Unveiled!

cheeseflavor — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 19:04:10 GMT

Tour de France organisers hope they have a thriller on their hands after unveiling the route map for next year's cycling showpiece event on Thursday. This year's Tour will have six mountain stages - up from the five of last year's tour.

Taking over from long-time Tour director Jean-Marie Leblanc, Christian Prudhomme, who earlier this year had made the silly suggestion that one way to help prevent doping was to shorten the tour, has designed his first Tour de France route, the only legacy from Leblanc being the departure from London on July 7 at the start of a 3,500-km race.

"For the first time in 20 years, the last mountain stage will finish at the summit," he told reporters.
"And the stage comes after a rest day, when riders never know how they will feel. The yellow jersey holder better not be in a bad day at that point of the race.
"After the Alps, nothing will be done. We will have the answer later as the difficulties will crescendo in the Pyrenees with the summit finish at the Col de l'Aubisque," said Prudhomme.
"It is going to be the toughest stage of the Tour."

2007 TOUR AT A GLANCE

Starts London 7 July, finishes Paris 28 July
Six mountain stages, 11 flat stages
Three summit finishes
21 passes
Two individual time trials
No team trials
Two rest days

Full stage-by-stage run-down:

Saturday 7 July: prologue in London (8km)
Sunday 8 July: Stage 1 - London to Canterbury (203 km)
Monday 9 July: Stage 2 - Dunkirk to Ghent (167 km)
Tuesday 10 July: Stage 3 - Waregem to Compiegne (236 km)
Wednesday 11 July: Stage 4 - Villers-Cotterets to Joigny (190 km)
Thursday 12 July: Stage 5 - Chablis to Autun (184 km)
Friday 13 July: Stage 6 - Semur-en-Auxerrois to Bourg-en-Bresse (200 km)
Saturday 14 July: Stage 7- Bourg-en-Bresse to Le Grand Bornand (197 km)
Sunday 15 July: Stage 8 - Le Grand Bornand to Tignes (165 km)
Monday 16 July: rest day in Tignes
Tuesday 17 July: Stage 9 - Val d'Isere to Briancon (161 km)
Wednesday 18 July: Stage 10 - Tallard to Marseille (229 km)
Thursday 19 July: Stage 11 - Marseille to Montpellier (180 km)
Friday 20 July: Stage 12 - Montpellier to Castres (179 km)
Saturday 21 July: Stage 13 - individual time trial Albi (54 km)
Sunday 22 July: Stage 14 - Mazamet to Plateau de Beille (197 km)
Monday 23 July: Stage 15 - Foix to Loudenvielle-Le Louron (196 km)
Tuesday, July 24: Rest day
Wednesday, July 25: Stage 16 - Gourette to Col d'Aubisque (218km)
Thursday, July 26: Stage 17 - Pau to Castelsarrasin (188km)
Friday, July 27: Stage 18 - Cahors to Angouleme (210km)
Saturday, July 28: Stage 19 - Cognac to Angouleme (55km time-trial)
Sunday, July 29: Stage 20 - Marcoussis to Paris, Champs Elysees (130km)

Total distance 3547km (2205 miles)

Here'a the map:

Looks to be an exciting tour!

Take care,

Steve

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