Wow, today has been flat out!  I awoke bright and early to the mid-day sun only to lay by the pool and catch some rays for a few hours.  At least this time, unlike the other day, the pool guy did not catch me sun bathing…always a bit awkward for some reason…and I was not even naked!

My outdoor excursion was followed by a little lunch and then a movie on the computer.  The movie however, was slightly interupted by the maids who came to clean my room…which got me to thinking…I need some maids at the house in Boulder.  It seems that every maid I have come across is very nice, some are cute, they keep me company when I am alone, and are the cleanest houseguests one could ask for!

Aside from that I am not sure what is on the agenda this evening…maybe another movie? Went and saw the show Juno last night…it was good!

Anywho here are some pictures of the TOC courtesy of Ann and Beth (cool Bissell PR lady)..

 My new leg vein which surfaced the morning of stage three of the tour…only to be rained on for 7.5 hours…so I think it got smaller as the day went on but still looked really cool!

 Ann and Helen were definitely stoked about my new vein!

 The circuits at the finish of stage 6….I think?

Speaking of racing it is already time to start thinking ahead to this weekends races in Merced…openers tomrrow already and then the racing starts on Saturday.

Okay, off to rest up some more…

later, g.

The dust has finally settled after the Tour of California finished on Sunday and I am now comfortably lying in bed at Ann’s house in Northern California where I will be stationed for the next few days….and by that I mean stationed in bed!

The final stage of the Tour was crazy hard…or at least it was for me!  Tommy Z had a great ride and got fifth on the stage while BJM was able to hang onto his 16th overall which is very impressive considering the quality of the field!

Following the post race festivities Ann and I made the long drive back to northern California from Pasedena where the tour finished!

Now I have nothing to do except for let P.T.D.S set in!  Yep, during a long tour we maybe get fifteen minutes of free time a day.  The normal schedule involves getting up, eating, pre race shower, racing, post race shower, massage, post massage shower, eating dinner, team meeting, repacking the laundry our soigneurs washed for us, greeting the hoards of fans who come to see me etc…

Now however, that has all been taken away thus leaving me to cook my own food, do my own laundry, all the while having no one around cheering my name! I do not know what to do with myself!  It is rough and for a few days until the body gets used to this new routine there is a bit of depression that sets in which is known Post Tour Depression Syndrome!

Anyway, I am off to be depressed

later, g.

…I am for it!  First off, I would like to give props to the Hadsten House in Solvang, CA for having free internet, an electric fire place, and plasma tv’s…but manly for the free interent!

Well we are fully into the Tour of California…actually, I am able to see the light at the end of the tunnel…only two more days left!

So far the tour has been hard…windy, rainy, mountainous, rainy, sinckness being passed around the peloton, cold, and did I mention windy and rainy!  Needless to say 7 out of the 8 of us Bissell Boy’s that started the tour are still in the race which is a lot more than a lot of the teams here can say.

On top of that Teddy was in the break all day the other day and Tommy Z, and BJM got 8th and 9th in the TT today…awesome job guys!

Two more days off good racing left so hopefully we can muster up another result!

later, g.

 For some reason I thought the team presentation was awesome!

Tomorrow we finally get to start this race…YAY!

later, g.

As of two days ago the Bissell Pro Cycling team along with pretty much every other cylcling team has moved into the TOC race hotel in Palo Alto, CA.

 The van drive down to Palo Alto from Santa Rosa.  It was a two hour drive and I only had to ask Benno to stop once so I could piss!

 Teddy was really excited to drive over the Golden Gate Bridge for the sevententh time in his life!

 Soo in for ‘08!

 This is the view from my hotel room bed…cannot think of anything better really!

Aside from that there is a charity ride this morning that Scotty, Burk, and I will be participating in. 

It was also rumored that Anti-Doping was suppose to come to our rooms this morning to collect a bit of urine and blood like they did to some teams yesterday.  However, I just pissed so if they come they will be waiting awhile.  However, I am brewing a do with the coffee I am drinking…so maybe I could substitute a number two for a number one?  

later, g.