July = TDF

My favorite time of year is here! Some people love summer for BBQs, camping, and family vacations. Me? I spend a great amount of time in front of the TV - watching Live telecast in the mornings and then I watch the extended coverage in the evenings. Needless to say, I don't get much sleep. But for the excitement, the beautiful scenery, and the greatest sporting event of all time, it's well worth it. Wow - average of 7% gradient on the climb in today's stage with some portions up to 15%. Yikes.

I have been looking forward to this for weeks. Reading the predictions, the endless analysis, the drama and speculation over who will lead Team Astana, poring over start lists to form my Tour fantasy team. Studying the stage routes. Following all the news. And last Saturday, which I decided to call the Tour-th of July, it finally arrived. A beautiful time trial in the principality of Monaco, then 3 days later an amazing team time trial after some flat stages brilliantly won by the unbeatable, unstoppable sprinter Mark Cavendish.

Today, they are in the Pyrenees for the first mountain stage, the longest of the Tour. It will supposedly establish who will lead Astana and be the true test of Lance's fitness after his years of absence from the Tour. I'm ready.

I'd continue, but there is only about 10k left in the stage so I must glue my eyes to the TV.