An Inspired Update

Ya, O, er it's just been one of those weeks. But the last 24 hours have been interesting! Finally got my lame-o butt out on a group ride thanks to lovely Shannon here in Portland. Good times, especially the hills (finally some hills!) and the end part where the A Group and the B Group (that was us) converged, and the speed and danger level increased dramatically. It reminded me of the Chicago experience and when I remembered that I just sucked it up, smiled and went along for the ride. Craziness. Just pure pure craziness.

This morning I managed to get my butt on the bike once again for the Portland early morning coffee ride. And lucky I did too! I got to meet and ride with Mark the Shark McCormack. What a privilege and honor to ride with someone of his caliber!! I liked the way he waved and said good morning to all the other riders on the road. Riders on commuter bikes, on cruisers, on tandems. More on Mark in an upcoming post. I need to do investigation work. :)

But I should mention that of course I HAD TO ask Mark if he knew Chris Horner. I just couldn't help myself, being a huge Horner fan. The question was unstoppable. I could see it there on the tip of my tongue, wanting to leap off, waiting for its chance. I tried to grab it, pull it back, put it up on its' shelf, but NOOOO. And my tongue KNEW that Mark knew Chris, it was just being naughty. It just wanted to hear the words, and so ya, like in slow-mo, like Dory from Finding Nemo speaking whale Mark said the magic words: yyyeeessss kkkkeeeelllyyyy iiii knnnnooowwww cchhhrrriiiisss hhhooorrrnnneeerr. And then my little brain went O that's so cool.

Anyway, waking up to Levi on Twitter with news of a broken wrist was sad sad stuff. I know all of us Canadians are cheering for Garmin Slipstream because Ryder is the man, but fourth is a hard spot to take when it's handed to you like that. So while I cheer and hope all the live-long day that Garmin stays strong and Wiggins moves up in the overall standings, it was with a heavy heart that I said goodbye to Levi along with the rest of you this morning.

And I've got to say it was pure pleasure watching Haussler cross the line. What a heart-felt stage victory for the German. Txurruka will get his day, as will Feillu. Feillu will get more than his day to hear Phil and Paul talk. Let's hope they are right. It would be nice for a Frenchman to win the tour again someday! Just not right now! :)

This post was for you Michael!!! Hope you enjoyed it!!! And good luck on your two back-to-back long rides this weekend!!!! You da bomb buddy!!!! No mere pedestrian at all. What the hell was I thinking?