26 DAYS UNTIL

I rode the Blue Ridge Parkway both Saturday and Sunday (70mi. + 50mi. = 10,000ft of climbing). The weather was really nice both days with Sunday getting hot when I stopped. Luckily, I started earlier than last week. The climbing on the BRP can be and usually is long but not always granny-gear steep. The Peaks of Otter (Thunder Ridge) is the steepest climbing I've done on the BRP but, they had a fire up there this weekend and it stopped traffic for a little while. Well, today is a rest day, and my legs feel like they need to do something different. The bikes always need my attention so, I'll probably work on cleaning bikes, going in and out of the shop with the VB_mtn_bike.

I did ride with a Canadian on the BRP, for a little while, who was touring with 50 lbs on his bike. He was a school teacher who travels to the BRP every summer to ride a section - good idea. It is fun meeting cyclist out there - the previous week I rode with a guy from Sweden with 75 lbs on the bike and his back - big guy.

Pray for out military in harms way, please - Ciao - Rasmussen lead the Tour de France and has shown the world who is the best climber. I guess we'll see what he has in the long TTs but, he should stay in yellow for a few days...