The Tour is on and it is almost surgery time...

The Tour de France has started after huge shake ups because of the big drug bust "Operation Puerto" in Spain. As a result of "OP" nine riders and one whole team could not start the TdF. This included favorites Basso, Ullrich, and Mancebo and Vinokourov from the Astana-Wurth team that did not have enough people to start the race. All-in-all the race should be pretty exciting Big George Hincape got Yellow finally and the sprints have been nothing but spectacular so far!!! You go god of Thunder, Thor Hushovd even after stitches in his right arm after getting cut in the sprint on Sunday he battled in the sprint, during which his foot unclipped from his pedal, today to take back yellow!!!

Photo courtesy of Cyclingnews.com

As the run up to surgery nears I have been taking full advantage of out awesome Seattle summer weather by going on long bicycle rides. Between Friday, Saturday and Sunday I have rode over 80 miles! I have been riding my old road bike, the 1989 Specialized Sirrus that I bought new off the floor when I was in high school, instead of my 2004 Kona Sutra.

The difference in weight is pretty dramatic almost 10lbs!! I recently scored a cult coveted classic road frame and fork, a 1990 Bridgestone RB-1!!!

It has a 56.5cm c-c top tube and a 56cm c-t seat tube almost the exact same measurements as the Sirrus. I will eventually retire my old Sirrus and swap all of my parts over to the RB-1! It will also give me an excuse to use the 1" Chris King Titanium threaded headset I found at the Bike swap and my old Salsa SUL quill stem!! I will work on that project after I recover from the up coming bone graft surgery!! I have also heard that my team Desalvo cyclocross singlespeed frame is nearing completion!! This is the frame I originally ordered last summer for the 2005 cyclocross season, but I received a team track bike instead. This new Desalvo can be run either singlespeed, fixed, or geared!! I have been slowly over the past year and a half gathering parts for this bike always wondering if and when it will be done!! I can't wait!! Next year I will rock the 2007 cyclocross season as well as the 2007 track season! I have an awesome physical therapist and a VERY experienced coach to help me rehab as I heal up!!!

This is me at the 2003 Dead Baby Bike race the same race I got hit doing in 2005