epic tour of california

The Amgen Tour of California (TOC) began here in San Diego exactly two weeks after a water heater busted open in our duplex, flooding two floors and driving me (and a not-so-calm tenant) to our wits' end during the flood remediation and mold-testing processes. What better reason to get out and ride? When tensions rise, our mileage on the bike must, too. It's the only way I can get a half-decent sleep when I'm worried about losing my shirt in a retirement gig that I thought would pay for groceries and more. It wasn't until 3 weeks after the flood (and an "all-clear" mold test result) that I got more than 5 hours of sleep all month. 

We're off to the races... The TOC was better than ever. ASO—the organization that puts on the Tour de France—is now involved in the production of the TOC with AEG, another powerful sports promotion company that has carried the TOC for years. This arrangement is very promising for the future of this race. I'm sure ASO is ecstatic that a Frenchman won the race for the first time, too. I hope the race organizers liked how San Diego (a city with a mayor and a chief of police who are both avid cyclists!) handled the challenge of being the start and finish city for the first stage of the race in one big day.

The King Tut of San Diego cycling, Ralph Elliott, found in the VIP tent.

Thanks to family and friends from San Diego & Colorado for taking the edge off of a stressful month. What a great reprieve. Time to get out and get some regular "training" in again. Training for what? Sanity. What else. 

Enjoying swag from friends & guests Larry "Flahute" Kaufman & his bride Hilda.