Strap yourselves in, lads and ladettes; the Tour starts tonight and goes through until the night of the 22nd.

Late nights, red wine and cheese are what we’re in for.

A three week bacchanalian, where Bubbles and I destroy our livers and cholesterol counts meet an almost infinite level.

It appears that Gabriel Gaté is back, as those lousy bastards at SBS won’t fork out the additional readies to broadcast the start of each stage, so we’‘l have to put up with his blathering. This is the time I decant the wine, warm up the blue and grana cheeses.

I’ve got the Tour tracker downloaded on my iPad. this allows me to plan the week ahead. Flat stages can mean an early nights sleep, priming and preparing myself for the mountains.

It’ll be hard, and I’m sure at the end of three weeks I’ll be a bloated, sleep deprived mess, but it will have been worth it.

It’ll be hard, and I’m sure at the end of three weeks I’ll be a bloated, sleep deprived mess,….

geez sibeen, you leave yourself open….

What’s on tonight?

Oooh, I forgot the goats cheese.

I’ve found a gorgeous goats cheese from Meridith Dairy. Soft textured cubes of goats cheese drenched in garlic infused extra virgin olive oil, spices and fresh herbs. My arteries are hardening just thinking about it

Three weeks… Merde.

Droppy, tonight’s the prologue. Basically a 6 km flat ride.

I’ve got a 50th to attend tonight so I’ll have to convince then to turn it on at some stage.

Attention please, I have a silly sports question or two.

Ahem.

Is Cadel riding in this Tour de Frog?
Is he also at the Olympics?
I’ve seen ads for both where he’s associated with both events but not saying if he’s competing at either, or both.

>Is Cadel riding in this Tour de Frog?

Yes, and is one of the favourites.

Is he also at the Olympics?

Yes, as long as he doesn’t crash or otherwise stuff himself up in the Tour.

sibeen said:

Oooh, I forgot the goats cheese.

Teev had a thing about a sheep’s cheese place out near Beaudesert somewhere. Some interesting looking soft and hard cheeses. Their blue looked brilliant.

http://www.towrisheepcheeses.com.au/Cheeses.html

This place

Gosh. Busy times ahead for him then. I’d thunk he’d be too knackered after TDF to do the ‘limpix.

Their blue looked brilliant.

probably got a gene from a squid spliced in then.

Divine Angel said:

Gosh. Busy times ahead for him then. I’d thunk he’d be too knackered after TDF to do the ‘limpix.

Olympics is only a one day event, most of the other competitors would be tour professionals too.

Thanks.

I now return you to your regular scheduled drinking.

sibeen said:

A three week bacchanalian, where Bubbles and I destroy our livers and cholesterol counts meet an almost infinite level.

Key features this year will be heavy reliance upon blood thinners, statins, amphetamines, caffeine and hydrating drinks.

The cyclists will be using drugs too.

:-)

i’m an iga guy. though vegies come from the greengrocer and meat from the butcher.

right then, switching over to the TDF now

I s’pose if I was any sort of scientist I would conducting research on all sorts of health indicators among the most enthusiastic watchers….

Rule 303 said:

I s’pose if I was any sort of scientist I would conducting research on all sorts of health indicators among the most enthusiastic watchers….

I’m undoing all my good eating habits by drinking too much beer.

If I was an alien…and I had just arrived here…reading this thread…I’d think the TDF is a food, drug and alcohol race around France on bicycles.

I enjoyed last night’s Prologue stage (having it on in the background until the last hour or so, when I parked in front of it) with a supper of olives, salami and swiss cheese, but there’ll be no wine until later this week, in order to notch up a full 10 days off the drink since my last over-indulgence.

Tonight: Stage 1 – Liège to Seraing (198 km flat stage).

>>in order to notch up a full 10 days off the drink since my last over-indulgence.

I think 10 days is a bit much, I’d cut that back to say fiv……………..four days and then you could nurse a nice libation of brandy in a proper brandy glass while supping on an assortment of olives, pickled onions, bacon Shapes and a platter of Collier’s Welsh Cheddar while watching the machinations of the Tour.

> brandy in a proper brandy glass

There’ll be brandy in proper brandy glasses and wine in proper wine glasses etc, but all in good time. There’s three weeks of racing so I need to sensibly pace myself :)

So it turns out that alcohol is very good at lifting the triglycerides through the roof.

And high blood sugar is good at holding cholesterol levels up.

Who would have guessed…?

:-)

Arrggghhh, Gabriel bloody Gate.

sibeen said:

Arrggghhh, Gabriel bloody Gate.

You weren’t ready for it?

Can you ever be ready?

sibeen said:

Can you ever be ready?

Pretty sure he was on every night of the TDF last year. You get desensitised.

When does Phil Liggett start commentating?

I need to know about the birds and castles/fortifications.

Remarkably good SBS reception on my nice big telly. It’s usually grainier than that. It’s on in the background while I catch up with emails & news etc. I don’t normally sit in front of it until Paul & Phil are commentating.

Bubble Car said:

Remarkably good SBS reception on my nice big telly.

Excellent. A friend of mine has a recording of Phil swearing like a trooper during an outage recently. Might have been the Giro d’Italia. Live to air, of course.

:-)

Phil is now on.

I was just about to shout it out

Phil!!

and Paul

frites / frieten!

neomyrtus_ said:

I need to know about the birds and castles/fortifications.

And French roads. Don’t forget French roads.

Belgium roads at the moment,

sibeen said:

Belgium roads at the moment,

Praise to be the Lord!

Witty Rejoinder said:

Praise to be the Lord!

Eeeeck… Praise be to the Lord.

sibeen said:

Belgium roads at the moment,

They rode up ‘Route du Circuit’, the road from Spa Francochamps to, and along the edge of, the F1 circuit. Cycling, F1, Red wine and chocolate in the same night… bliss.

It’s certainly a neat and tidy little country, Belgium. Perhaps a bit too neat and tidy.

Any country that makes beer as well as the Belgiums do can be as neat and tidy as they like.

Bubble Car said:

It’s certainly a neat and tidy little country, Belgium. Perhaps a bit too neat and tidy.

Like Germany.

I found it fascinating crossing from Germany into France. In Germany, all the woodpiles were very neat and had all the ends of the piecesi in the same plane.

The French could care less about that and just made any old stack.

Really should wear my glasses when I type.

morrie said:

The French could care less about that and just made any old stack.

Couldn’t care less?

Witty Rejoinder said:

morrie said:

The French could care less about that and just made any old stack.

Couldn’t care less?

Ah…see, I know that some Yanks use “could care less” and get quite upset if you say “couldn’t care less”.
Strange world.

kii said:

Ah…see, I know that some Yanks use “could care less” and get quite upset if you say “couldn’t care less”.
Strange world.

Yeah but these people are silly. You have my permission to give these people a sharp jab in the eye with a sharp instrument should they bring up the subject again.

Witty Rejoinder said:

kii said:

Ah…see, I know that some Yanks use “could care less” and get quite upset if you say “couldn’t care less”.
Strange world.

Yeah but these people are silly. You have my permission to give these people a sharp jab in the eye with a sharp instrument should they bring up the subject again.

Rightio, Captain Witty!

Two crashes in the peloton, including one caused by a photographer.

Good energetic finish to a pleasant stage.

To bed, perchance to sleep.

Bubble Car said:

It’s certainly a neat and tidy little country, Belgium. Perhaps a bit too neat and tidy.

they cleaned up a bit after the battle of the bulge..

Dropbear said:

Bubble Car said:

It’s certainly a neat and tidy little country, Belgium. Perhaps a bit too neat and tidy.

they cleaned up a bit after the battle of the bulge..

A car mag was talking about vending machines in Japan. They said no matter where they were, train stations or remote national parks, none were vandalised or broken into.

Tonight: Stage 2 – Visé to Tournai (207 km flat stage).

:Warms up the telly:

Visé -> Tournai

Who are we all backing this year?

I reckon you would be brave to tip against Evans, Wiggins or Cancellara.

Hesjedal with an outside chance….

Rule 303 said:

Who are we all backing this year?

I reckon you would be brave to tip against Evans, Wiggins or Cancellara.

Hesjedal with an outside chance….

I think if Evans can stay in touch through to the Pyrenees he’s gonna be hard to beat…

Frank Schelck may also be a dark horse.

National loyalty compels me to barrack for the permanent resident of Belgium who used to live in Australia.

sibeen said:

Frank Schelck may also be a dark horse.

I thought it was a bike race..

roughbarked said:

sibeen said:

Frank Schelck may also be a dark horse.

I thought it was a bike race..

Yeah, now I’m confused.

kii said:

roughbarked said:

sibeen said:

Frank Schelck may also be a dark horse.

I thought it was a bike race..

Yeah, now I’m confused.

Kingy said:

kii said:

roughbarked said:

I thought it was a bike race..

Yeah, now I’m confused.

Kingy! Stop pretending to be me!

Kingy said:

kii said:

roughbarked said:

I thought it was a bike race..

Yeah, now I’m confused.

It is a race between the drug takers, and the drug enforcers.

Kingy said:

Kingy said:

kii said:

Yeah, now I’m confused.

It is a race between the drug takers, and the drug enforcers.

I thought that was all pee on the wall.

Kingy said:

It is a race between the drug takers, and the drug enforcers.

He who has the best team pharmacist wins.

Right, as they are in Belgium I’ve decided to treat myself and open up a 750 mL bottle of Chimay Grand reserve.

kii said:

roughbarked said:

sibeen said:

Frank Schelck may also be a dark horse.

I thought it was a bike race..

Yeah, now I’m confused.

Metaphor: A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that describes a subject by asserting that it is, on some point of comparison, the same as another otherwise unrelated object.

party_pants said:

kii said:

roughbarked said:

I thought it was a bike race..

Yeah, now I’m confused.

Metaphor: A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that describes a subject by asserting that it is, on some point of comparison, the same as another otherwise unrelated object.

Yair. I suppose that’s fair.

They are really going for it now.

burp

burp

‘salright.

I should go to bed now, but I’m not feeling tired yet.

Apt.

http://theconversation.edu.au/suffer-score-how-demanding-is-le-tour-de-france-8040

FMD that is horrendous.

To a non-racing cyclist like myself, these Tour riders’ performance does seem science-fictional. Some of those hills they climb for hours at impressive speeds would see me giving up and wheeling the bike the rest of the way, after the first couple dozen pedals :)

no wonder cadel is always cryinfg

Where do they sleep?

Hotels.

Toileting would be a rather messy ordeal at 45 km/hr…

poikilotherm said:

Toileting would be a rather messy ordeal at 45 km/hr…

That’s why the front of thei riding lycra is yellow. You thought it was just the fabric colour…

There should be a similar article on the travails suffered for those viewing the race.

Sleep deprivation, excessive and sustained alcohol consumption, blue cheese overload, abuse from the spouse. It’s not easy being a hardcore spectator.

Dropbear said:

no wonder cadel is always crying

Being an elite athlete of almost any variety is mind-blowingly difficult, as much for the mental determination required as the physical performance.

Those who get the furthest are the ones who hurt themselves the most.

And have the best pharmacists, obviously.

In Cadel’s case, he’s just a bloody sook.

Crying is good for the soul, which is why women do it. Most men don’t have souls ;)

Divine Angel said:

Crying is good for the soul, which is why women do it. Most men don’t have souls ;)

Which just makes it even more surprising that Cadel is competitive in men’s events.

Cadel says a Tear is just pain leaving the body

Dropbear said:

Cadel says a Tear is just pain leaving the body

Excellent. He’ll be completely pain-free for the rest of his natural life.

Tonight: Stage 3 – Orchies to Boulogne-sur-Mer (197 km medium-mountain stage).

Another dry one for me tonight, but I’ve decided to get some wine in tomorrow (even though it’ll only be 9 days on the wagon, instead of the planned 10) since I have to do some food shopping anyway.

Oops. Bit of aspill.

time for Paul & Phil :)

just switched to live stream, SBS reception is carp tonight.

It is too far between castles for me.

roughbarked said:

It is too far between castles for me.

Who says there’s no benefit to living in the city?

BTW – how you going with those other programs I recorded for you? Any good?

party_pants said:

roughbarked said:

It is too far between castles for me.

Who says there’s no benefit to living in the city?

BTW – how you going with those other programs I recorded for you? Any good?

Yep pretty much all of it worked. I’ll send you back your USB stick. Thanks very much.

no worries, cool.

As for too far between castles, I meant that I have no desire to watch men in lycra pump their legs.

As far as watching sport goes, I may well watch cricket but usually only listen to it.

I’d rather play cricket than watch it. As far as cycling goes, I’d rather be watching my own legs pump.

Cavendish a tad peeved.

sibeen said:

Cavendish a tad peeved.

I’ve watched the replay a couple of times, but I keep focusing on the wrong guy in the middle of the pack.

Probably not a good idea to talk to a rival right near the end of a sprint – he could claim he was being unfairly distracted.

Cavendish was definitely checked.

those motorcycle riders are good.

ex-riders themselves.

Never mind cheeses, tonight I fancy a hot saveloy supper. But there’s no food in the house except leftover rice pudding.

I’ll have to get some butcher’s best savs tomorrow, as well as a fresh supply of cheeses, olives, deli meats etc.

Bubbles, you really need to track down some Meridith Daity goat cheese in virgin olive oil. It really is sublime.

Sounds good sibeen. There are several Tassie dairies doing fine marinated goat cheese and some are available in this village.

They’re riding into each other again.

Bubble Car said:

They’re riding into each other again.

I sometime wonder how they get through without more crashes. Especially with the brainless spectators.

party_pants said:

Bubble Car said:

They’re riding into each other again.

I sometime wonder how they get through without more crashes. Especially with the brainless spectators.

Yet another pile-up.

bastard, thw live stream has dropped out…

Hope you’ve got reception back party.

I’m giving my old Brazilian guitar a squirt of Marveer & a polish while watching this last 17km.

Bubble Car said:

Hope you’ve got reception back party.

No, but somehow the digital TV reception has recovered itself, which is even better,

This is a nice finish.

Another pile-up right near the end.

This Sagan lad is surprising them all.

Evans came in 6th, a good ride.

yeah – good finish.

Cadel in the top 10, not losing big chunks of time.

time to have a shit, and then off to bed. Goodnight.

BMC is protecting Cadel very well.

Tonight: Stage 4 – Abbeville to Rouen (214 km flat stage).

Bubble Car said:

Tonight: Stage 4 – Abbeville to Rouen (214 km flat stage).

The flat stages are dead boring (except for the last 20 secs).
I like the hill climb or better yet the 100 kph descent.
Besides – it’s the business end of Wimbledon.

>The flat stages are dead boring (except for the last 20 secs).

Last night all the carnage was on the flat sections.

Wimbledon…WGAF.

sibeen said:

>The flat stages are dead boring (except for the last 20 secs).

Last night all the carnage was on the flat sections.

Oh, was there carnage?
When? I haven’t gone over the recording yet. :)

Piss off, Gabriel!

I like Gabriel.

I thought you were giving the Tour a rest?

I may have lied :)

Mmm, duck. I’ll have to cook some duck suppers at some stage of the Tour.

Jaysus, that duck dish looked crap.

Im getting sick of that gardening leads to bonking, after the Spanish fly ad..

Dropbear said:

Im getting sick of that gardening leads to bonking, after the Spanish fly ad..

Yeah. Who do they think watches the TDF?

Duck breasts I did last Tour, served with turnips & fennel etc. I think this was before they went in the pan :)

party_pants said:

Dropbear said:

Im getting sick of that gardening leads to bonking, after the Spanish fly ad..

Yeah. Who do they think watches the TDF?

Trying to do the freaking pruning and bumped her arm and now have to rush off and get laid.

Dropbear said:

Trying to do the freaking pruning and bumped her arm and now have to rush off and get laid.

Spontaneity is good, but pruning can only be done during daylight hours.

Impressive cliffs.

I can’t believe these blokes have to share a room at the end of each day.

I’d be telling the team management to get with the program.

sibeen said:

I can’t believe these blokes have to share a room at the end of each day.

I’d be telling the team management to get with the program.

The commentators were saying yesterday the riders take a Stilnox and are in bed asleep with an hour or so of the end of the race.

The Australian riders better be careful that the AOC doesn’t want to search their rooms.

There we go, Droppy, your favourite ad :)

sibeen said:

There we go, Droppy, your favourite ad :)

If I popped that pill every time that add came on….Lordy

Dropbear said:

sibeen said:

There we go, Droppy, your favourite ad :)

If I popped that pill every time that add came on….Lordy

Well, you wouldn’t be playing for Richmond.

Right, the Paul and Phil show begins.

nice turbine farm

I want one :)

FARK OFF

Dropbear said:

FARK OFF

I’m ready any time to do so.

:Points->:

:voice=Attenborough:Here we observe the Southern Dropbear, close to a loss of emotional control about impotence and spontaneous sex, lashes out at the group. :/voice:

Nice nuclear powerplant.

I want one.

jeebus – that helicopter is flying low with all those power cables around.

Rule 303 said:

:Points->:

:voice=Attenborough:Here we observe the Southern Dropbear, close to a loss of emotional control about impotence and spontaneous sex, lashes out at the group. :/voice:

Those wind turbines looked exactly like CGI of wind turbines.

Can’t wait for the next ad break. I’m ready any time to poke the old fella out and have a pee.

The chateaux do not have very impressive gardens. Most have verdant but dull lawns, a few have some obligatory topriaries, but none are so colourful and spectular that our Monty Don should wish to wander through them.

party_pants said:

Can’t wait for the next ad break. I’m ready any time to poke the old fella out and have a pee.

ready anytime

The French don’t do much in the way of English-style gardens. They grow a lot of flowers but they’re mostly in public squares or for sale in florists etc.

neomyrtus_ said:

The chateaux do not have very impressive gardens.

That’s because they’re too busy fermenting stinky cheeses and surrendering to occupying forces and making love with their faces.

Bubble Car said:

The French don’t do much in the way of English-style gardens. They grow a lot of flowers but they’re mostly in public squares or for sale in florists etc.

oh yes they do – there are some spectular gardens in France. Monty Don wote a book on them (before he did the Ialian gardens series/book).

dammit – after..not before

Yes but they’re not very common, as you yourself have observed.

>and making love with their faces.

Ah, yes, French kissing you’d be talking abot.

The paddock displays have been meh so far.

2.4 out of 5 amusingly crafted haybales.

\
And there were some strange sculptures of giant villagers yesterday – freakish things. Freakish and creepy.

Bubble Car said:

Yes but they’re not very common, as you yourself have observed.

that’s just piss-weak effort.

lift your game, France, or we’re sending Costa over

neomyrtus_ said:

Bubble Car said:

The French don’t do much in the way of English-style gardens. They grow a lot of flowers but they’re mostly in public squares or for sale in florists etc.

oh yes they do – there are some spectular gardens in France. Monty Don wote a book on them (before he did the Ialian gardens series/book).

I will provide youse all with a comprehensive assessment later this year :-)

http://assets.flavorwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/009_surreal_estates_gardens.jpeg

I could cycle around this for hours

Nice cliffs

These coastal views are pleasing.

That helicopter pilot is having fun

Nice cliffs

I think I want some.

neomyrtus_ said:

http://assets.flavorwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/009_surreal_estates_gardens.jpeg

I could cycle around this for hours

Good garden for playing hide-&-seek.

http://www.francetoday.com/articles/2011/04/02/normandy_s_white_cliffs.html

I’m glad he explained how those hollows were made in those cliff structures. I was a tad bemused as to ow they came about.

ad break at last

http://epod.usra.edu/blog/2008/11/chalk-cliffs-of-the-normandy-coast.html

The SANTOS tour down under has a few stages within 30 mins of where I live. Should go see it..

FARK OFF

Quick, Droppy, you need to talk to your Doctard.

http://www.french-gardens.com/

now – there’s places there where you may image that the bloke with the hedge trimmers would like to bump into the sheila with the rake

….. and rest.

Helicoptering like a boss..

Nice chateu

http://www.french-gardens.com/gardens/gardensnorthwest.php

they could easily pop past these gardens right now

Just poured my first glass of vino for the evening, a shiraz/Malbec blend.

A plate of danish salami, blue, goat and grana cheese and some lovely home made olives kindly provided by a mate of mine.

and this is my night off :)

Some of these village streets are terribly narrow not for bike racing but just for ordinary living.

Local Camembert, proper Danish blue & proper Swiss on the board here, with some local marinated green olives. Washed down with a McLaren Vale shiraz. I’ll be getting a selection of Tassie & Kiwi wines tomorrow.

I’ve got some Carlton Mids, and a bag of mixed lollies from IGA.

party_pants said:

I’ve got some Carlton Mids, and a bag of mixed lollies from IGA.

Adds mixed lollies to tomorrow’s shopping list

Bubble Car said:

party_pants said:

I’ve got some Carlton Mids, and a bag of mixed lollies from IGA.

Adds mixed lollies to tomorrow’s shopping list

loolies and beer.. hmm.

For gawds sake, Buubles, think of your cholesterol!

:)

sibeen said:

For gawds sake, Buubles, think of your cholesterol!

:)

Barry Humphries was on showing me 8 kilos of cheeses.. which he has lost in a short time with Jenny Craig.

roughbarked said:

loolies and beer.. hmm.

I’m eating them at the rate of 2 or 3 every ad break.

This slipstreaming makes more sense if you’re a rider yourself. You notice the air resistance even when cycling on seemingly perfectly still days. After a few pedals it’s suddenly windy :)

Bubble Car said:

This slipstreaming makes more sense if you’re a rider yourself. You notice the air resistance even when cycling on seemingly perfectly still days. After a few pedals it’s suddenly windy :)

Oh yeah, I discovered what a difference it makes on a school trip to Rottnest Island. Only bicycles are allowed on the island, and it usually get buffeted by a strong sea breeze every afternoon. Riding as a group with the leader peeling off every so makes a difference.

party_pants said:

Bubble Car said:

This slipstreaming makes more sense if you’re a rider yourself. You notice the air resistance even when cycling on seemingly perfectly still days. After a few pedals it’s suddenly windy :)

Oh yeah, I discovered what a difference it makes on a school trip to Rottnest Island. Only bicycles are allowed on the island, and it usually get buffeted by a strong sea breeze every afternoon. Riding as a group with the leader peeling off every so makes a difference.

Since I mostly ride alone.. I do that with trucks.

roughbarked said:

party_pants said:

Bubble Car said:

This slipstreaming makes more sense if you’re a rider yourself. You notice the air resistance even when cycling on seemingly perfectly still days. After a few pedals it’s suddenly windy :)

Oh yeah, I discovered what a difference it makes on a school trip to Rottnest Island. Only bicycles are allowed on the island, and it usually get buffeted by a strong sea breeze every afternoon. Riding as a group with the leader peeling off every so makes a difference.

Since I mostly ride alone.. I do that with trucks.

Not the safest of moves, though – esp. if the bugger begins to slow down rapidly for whatever reason.

AussieDJ said:

roughbarked said:

party_pants said:

Oh yeah, I discovered what a difference it makes on a school trip to Rottnest Island. Only bicycles are allowed on the island, and it usually get buffeted by a strong sea breeze every afternoon. Riding as a group with the leader peeling off every so makes a difference.

Since I mostly ride alone.. I do that with trucks.

Not the safest of moves, though – esp. if the bugger begins to slow down rapidly for whatever reason.

I suppose that I was always gifted with the ability to catch the timing.. which is why I’m still alive. I’ve actually jumped off my bike and dragged it out of the way of some drivers, while it was in motion.

That’s a big one.

Another high-speed pile-up :/

big stack…

where’s Cadel?

Cadel just in and safe.

And that’s it for me.

Thank god I had an early night :)

Cadel now 10 seconds behind Bradley Wiggins in overall standing. Nothing to worry about at this stage.

Yes, Cadel still in a good spot.

I should drift off to bed too, but I’m not feeling that tired as yet.

sibeen said:

For gawds sake, Bubbles, think of your cholesterol!

Do not make me come over there and talk nutrition at you…

;-)

Got some very pretty colour there, Roughy. What do you do, sell them through eBay or something?

Rule 303 said:

Got some very pretty colour there, Roughy. What do you do, sell them through eBay or something?

I’ll have to put my head in that direction I think. Yeah. I mean.. I can easily sell the very cream of it to a commercial opal cutter well known to me. He just hasn’t been back to see me because I didn’t take his offer the last time he looked at what I had at the time. He’ll take the best stuff I’ve graded in the rough for wholesale trade price. Though it irks me to do that without attempting the value adding.
Can also sell cut stones to my old boss and part time partner in that I use his dugout to stay in.. However he is very critical of stones, their quality and cut.. Which means there is a pile of stones not good enough or interesting enough to wrap 18ct gold around.

In silver under the hands of an artisan, they may well sell well in the caravan park at White Cliffs or at Byron Bay sunday markets?

On ebay, who knows.. As I’ve said, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

I’ve got one stone here that as I was cutting it I realised that it had the initials TC in LCD digital markings.. in the bright red orange, blue green against black.

I thought; wonder what Tom Cruise would pay?

Anyway, I’ve got to be up before dawn and it will be -2ºC, to try and make blinkers and stop lights work on the trailer.

dunno what I’m sitting here for..

oh, that’s right.. drinking fest..

Stage 5 – Rouen to Saint-Quentin (197 km flat stage).

I must admit I’ve already sampled the smoked mackerel supper and it’s seriously delicious.

Tasmanian smoked mackerel was one of Dad’s favourite foods and in fact was what he requested for his last supper. But we didn’t have any, and by the time we managed to find some he was no longer with us.

What year of Daimler morrie?

That was for Chat.

Bubble Car said:

What year of Daimler morrie?

Not sure Bubblecar, but later than that. Wooden dash and leather seats and all that stuff though.

when’s time for Paul & Phil?

party_pants said:

when’s time for Paul & Phil?

Now

Beaut. SBS is not playing tonight but I’ve got the live stream going from their webiste.

that ad would be better with a bear dropping out of the tree and shagging the girl…

You may notice that, in some of the splendid arboreta on the estates of the chateaux, some trees stand out among the usual crowd of vividly green trees because they are a striking purple or black in colour.

These are purple beeches (Fagus sylvatica c.v. ‘Atropurpurea’), with dark, velvety coloured foliage.

I wish Droppy would take the hint and just buy some. Anything so we don’t have to put up with it again.

neomyrtus_ said:

You may notice that, in some of the splendid arboreta on the estates of the chateaux, some trees stand out among the usual crowd of vividly green trees because they are a striking purple or black in colour.

These are purple beeches (Fagus sylvatica c.v. ‘Atropurpurea’), with dark, velvety coloured foliage.

There’s one – near that chateaux.

I don’t get it – who the hell has a collapsible garden shed with a tent inside it?

I love the way that BMC are protecting Cadel.

They have to I reckon. If they don’t a few seconds here and there each day will add up to a gap he might not be able to close. I don’t think he is the strongest rider out there this year.

weird, all these displays of tractors and dancers and what-not for the helicopters – but they are missing out on seeing the race go by.

Go Lad!

I’d love to see Goss pinch one sooner or later.

Breakaway riders nearly made it, but Greipel took over. Rather frustrating finish.

>I don’t think he is the strongest rider out there this year.

He wasn’t the strongest rider last year either :)

>He wasn’t the strongest rider last year either :)

Hmm, his team last year wasn’t that great. He was strong enough :)

Yes, that’s the point I was making. He actually looks more convincing this year, but he’ll have to come up with a few especially good performances as the tour unfolds.

As you said though ‘been, great stuff from Cadel’s team to just sit at the front and shepherd him over the line. That crash happened quite far up the peleton.

It’s not just a matter of avoiding crashes, it’s also important to keep the time gaps as manageable as possible.

Tonight: Stage 6 – Épernay to Metz (210 km flat stage).

i normally find the tour de france very relaxing to watch

That’s heartening to hear, wookie :)

Men’s semi-finals night.

No high-fat lactose comestibles, no ethanol or other depressants and definitely no slip-streaming thigh greasing pussies allowed.

All stimulants allowed.

the thing going for the tdf is the scenery

you can get them riding through a storm then out the other side

whenever i watch it i feel taking a cycle trip in france

wookiemeister said:

the thing going for the tdf is the scenery

you can get them riding through a storm then out the other side

whenever i watch it i feel taking a cycle trip in france

Yep. It’s the scenery which keeps it interesting. Has been beautiful

Phil & Paul with us now.

Refills everyone’s glasses

Bubble Car said:

Phil & Paul with us now.

Refills everyone’s glasses

wanders back in fom loading the washing machine

Oh! – Cheers

party_pants said:

Bubble Car said:

Phil & Paul with us now.

Refills everyone’s glasses

wanders back in fom loading the washing machine

Oh! – Cheers

washing i…i… in the middle of FNDC!

I’ve got a wedge of particularly whiffy Danish blue reaching room temperature in the kitchen. Can almost smell it from here :)

roughbarked said:

party_pants said:

Bubble Car said:

Phil & Paul with us now.

Refills everyone’s glasses

wanders back in fom loading the washing machine

Oh! – Cheers

washing i…i… in the middle of FNDC!

rainy weekend forecast here. No electric dryer so it’s indoor clothes rack for drying. Get them out on a friday night.

>I’ve got a wedge of particularly whiffy Danish blue reaching room temperature in the kitchen

I’d best cut a slice from my wedge and place it on the bench.

SWMBO looks like she’ll be in for the night as well. Luckily for me she doesn’t like blue cheese.

ROFL @ Cows With Guns montage!

party_pants said:

ROFL @ Cows With Guns montage!

Pretty cool wasn’t it

Tose clouds look like things could be fun shortly.

sibeen said:

Tose clouds look like things could be fun shortly.

Can’t think of anytime that clouds like that and being on a bike was fun…

Ha, Goss beats Cavendish.

Far out. Tyler Farrar will not contest todays sprint finish after losing confidence from yesterdays crash. He split his helmet in two (though of course several posters here would happily argue that he would not have broken his helmet is he wasn’t wearing one, and probably that the crash was caused by the helmet…) and his dad is a paraplegic from a bike accident riding to work :(

I always wear a helmet. Except when I’m not riding a bike.

Major holdup in the peloton due to an apparent crash.

breakaway might be caught early tonight – could be a chance of a second breakaway just before the finish….

Be interesting to ride one of these high-tech racing bikes, afere the last 10 months or so on my traditional Dutch ordinary transport bike.

afere = after

I suspect my bike would be much more comfortable (and able to carry much more shopping).

Apparently the crashes have ensured that neither Farrar nor Greiper will be trying to win this one.

That’s a biggun.

It’s getting a bit ridiculous.

Schelck is gone.

damn – what a time to pop out to the loo

sibeen said:

Schelck is gone.

Gone gone?

Damn Mrs is watching something else.

20-30 riders crashing all at the same time sounds like carelessness.

>Gone gone?

No, but he’s lost about 4 minutes due to be involved in a crash

Cadel or Wiggins now.

Frank Schleck was never really a contender.

Rule 303 said:

sibeen said:

Schelck is gone.

Gone gone?

Crashed and hanging off the medical car, while the front end of the peleton are just about to close on the breakaway.

Bubble Car said:

20-30 riders crashing all at the same time sounds like carelessness.

I read an article today that attempted to offer that as proof there’s no drug cheats in the Tour. They figured the crashes indicated that the riders were exhausted, so how could they be cheating?

Hmmmm…

Cavendish has been delayed, also Petacchi.

It’ll be Goss or Sagan. Probably ;)

Grivko & Schleck doing their best to catch up.

Could well be an Australian win for this stage.

Petacchi is back, and even Greipel, hehe :)

Cadel is in second position, just from riding sensibly :)

Greipel’s at the front again, despite all these adventures.

Sagan beats Matty Goss.

Hopefully Sagan will drift well into the background next week.

Sagan is good. Goss just doesn’t have that explosive pace.

Nevermind – Cadel is well placed.

>Hopefully Sagan will drift well into the background next week.

We won’t hear his name for the next week or so.

Three Aussies in the top 10 today.

Bubble Car said:

Be interesting to ride one of these high-tech racing bikes, afere the last 10 months or so on my traditional Dutch ordinary transport bike.

I’ve got a pretty good road bike. It’s nothing special these days but it was the hottest thing on the road about 5 years ago.

The 3 things you would notice are:

1. Frame stiffness. There’s a bit more vibration from the road and the frame squirms around a lot less as you pedal.
2. Acceleration. The weight difference makes it a hell of a lot easier to accelerate.
3. The cleat/shoe pedals. Feels like you’re pedalling with your whole foot. Much more comfortable and makes it a lot easier to get the power from the legs into the cranks.

There’s other differences, but they’re the things you would notice immediately.

Not trying to belittle Sagan, I just don’t warm to him :)

But yes, he’s presumably not going to be quite so cocky in the mountains.

Anyway, that was another interesting stage. Really hoping that Goss could have won a stage, but no to be.

time to drift off to some music and more beer.

Rule 303 said:

1. Frame stiffness. There’s a bit more vibration from the road and the frame squirms around a lot less as you pedal.
2. Acceleration. The weight difference makes it a hell of a lot easier to accelerate.
3. The cleat/shoe pedals. Feels like you’re pedalling with your whole foot. Much more comfortable and makes it a lot easier to get the power from the legs into the cranks.

There’s other differences, but they’re the things you would notice immediately.

How much does it weigh?

party_pants said:

Anyway, that was another interesting stage. Really hoping that Goss could have won a stage, but no to be.

time to drift off to some music and more beer.

Good idea, but more wine instead of beer.

Lots more wine and lots more music, let’s go!

party_pants said:

How much does it weigh?

Mine? Gimme a minute.

The really light (but still road) bikes are about 5.5kg.

>Feels like you’re pedalling with your whole foot

That’s an interesting point, because I’ve been experimenting with different foot positions on my pedals, and found that it doesn’t make any more than aesthetic difference. Pedalling with the toes feels the most aristocratic :)

Bubble Car said:

Good idea, but more wine instead of beer.

Lots more wine and lots more music, let’s go!

You have the advantage over me. I need to get a haircut tomorrow, the weekend family reunion activities will include posing for photos. I must look my least worst for the occasion.

party_pants said:

You have the advantage over me. I need to get a haircut tomorrow, the weekend family reunion activities will include posing for photos. I must look my least worst for the occasion.

Fair enough. But post one of the photos here, I dare you ;)

Bubble Car said:

Fair enough. But post one of the photos here, I dare you ;)

You sure? I’m less photogenic than Boris :)

P_P: 8.6kg

Rule 303 said:

P_P: 8.6kg

Ok.
Sorry if made made you get the scales out at this time of night, I thought you might know of the top of your head.

Seems fairly light.

Bubble Car said:

That’s an interesting point, because I’ve been experimenting with different foot positions on my pedals, and found that it doesn’t make any more than aesthetic difference. Pedalling with the toes feels the most aristocratic :)

Yeah, Hmmm… Your feet have to be really strong before you could say they’re not a limiting influence. Ie, normal feet are not very good at transmitting the power from the legs into the pedals.

There’s other factors – Stiffness of the shoe, foot position, whether you use a toe cage, how tight the strap is etc etc… and that’s just the foot.

This is another difference you will notice in road racing bikes – They’re set up for your size, shape, relative proportions, weight, type of use, likely duration and intensity of riding… Comparing one to your comfort cruiser is a bit like comparing a good sportscar to a lounge chair on casters.

party_pants said:

Sorry if made made you get the scales out at this time of night, I thought you might know of the top of your head.

Nah, I don’t bother with that stuff. It’s set up for distance so carries a few extra bits that you would not on a dedicated speed machine.

>Comparing one to your comfort cruiser is a bit like comparing a good sportscar to a lounge chair on casters.

The difference being that mine is a very practical and useful bike, whereas the expensive racers are labelled: “Entertainment Value Only”

My practical and useful bike (for the sake of getting a bicycle pitcher in the Tour thread :))

Bubble Car said:

The difference being that mine is a very practical and useful bike, whereas the expensive racers are labelled: “Entertainment Value Only”

They’re both extremely practical and useful (is it possible for a thing to be one without being the other?) but one is a hell of a lot more efficient.

;-)

The racing bikes are no good for shopping.

And they’re ludicrously overpriced.

I caught a bit of this on the news, the peleton of drug cheats crashed again.

Stage 7 – Tomblaine to La Planche des Belles Filles (199 km medium-mountain stage).

Right, home just in time.

Duck, quince & camembert sausages for supper tonight.

Rain has halted proceedings over at the Formula 1 qualifying session, switching over to Le Tour.

…and the last of the wine (Kiwi sauv blanc) until late next week.

…Paul & Phil arrive as we climb into the mountains.

party_pants said:

Rain has halted proceedings over at the Formula 1 qualifying session, switching over to Le Tour.

There are few things more terrifying than being told to drive much much faster than you know is safe while in a vehicle that is stupidly overpowered and visibility is near zero.

Shit happens really faster than you can deal with it.

Kingy said:

party_pants said:

Rain has halted proceedings over at the Formula 1 qualifying session, switching over to Le Tour.

There are few things more terrifying than being told to drive much much faster than you know is safe while in a vehicle that is stupidly overpowered and visibility is near zero.

Shit happens really faster than you can deal with it.

For instance:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=HDQatnFUA3E

Seems nice and pleasant and sunny in France.

This Vosges region might actually be more interesting in winter than summer.

I think I’ll melt the last of the Danish blue over the duck sausages as they bake.

F1 still red flagged….

F1 is much more interesting in the rain.

That is, when they are actually racing in it.

If my memory serves me adequately, Chavanel performed a superbly satisfying breakaway last year. In the lead for an entire stage, which he actually then won, despite the efforts of the peloton sprinters.

cars just emerging again in the FI qualifying session.

I’m watching le tour de Townsville.

Cadel pulls a second or two off his gap with Wiggins. But he has a lot of work to do in the Tour ahead.

>Cadel pulls a second or two

Ooh probably not that much :)

Still 10 seconds.

I think Cadel would be well pleased to be second overall with a gap of only 10 seconds.

He won’t be panicking at all, but there’s a lot of work to do.

party_pants said:

Rule 303 said:

P_P: 8.6kg

Ok.
Sorry if made made you get the scales out at this time of night, I thought you might know of the top of your head.

Seems fairly light.

The minimum weight is 6.8kg (15lbs) without removables for UCI races like Le Tour. Most bikes are about that or a bit more, but some time trial bikes are underweight and need ballast. I can;t see why a bike would be built under weight and then add ballast. They do it in F1 as well but I can see good reason for that.

A booze-free stage for me tonight: Stage 8 – Belfort to Porrentruy (154 km medium-mountain stage).

that climb at the end last night was a ball tearer.

Apparently it was hard enough to walk up, let alone ride really fast.

Bubble Car said:

Apparently it was hard enough to walk up, let alone ride really fast.

yeh 20% is a hell of a hill…

The stage winner, wow.. i don’t know where he got the energy for that surge from.

Whisper to me Pasha Bike Riders, why is it a handicap for Cadel to be trundling along with Wiggins and Team Sky, he doesn’t even have to take his turn at the front, he just tags along for the ride, I fail to see any drawbacks whatsoever.
I’ll accept an explaination if it is well thought out and not just a pretend handwaving explaination and you have done your homework and not commited finger to keyboard in a kneejerk reaction.

Peak Warming Man said:

Whisper to me Pasha Bike Riders, why is it a handicap for Cadel to be trundling along with Wiggins and Team Sky, he doesn’t even have to take his turn at the front, he just tags along for the ride, I fail to see any drawbacks whatsoever.
I’ll accept an explaination if it is well thought out and not just a pretend handwaving explaination and you have done your homework and not commited finger to keyboard in a kneejerk reaction.

basically he has to play their game .. .. after all, he DID go with Team Sky and only came second to one of them… but he had no support from his own team, and no one to slip stream him should he have wanted to do different tactics – ie go harder earlier..

there’s also the psychological aspect of riding with four other guys constantly telling him to dry his eyes.. ;)

Peak Warming Man said:

Whisper to me Pasha Bike Riders, why is it a handicap for Cadel to be trundling along with Wiggins and Team Sky, he doesn’t even have to take his turn at the front, he just tags along for the ride, I fail to see any drawbacks whatsoever.

This might go some way to answering the questions:

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/tour-de-france/cadel-evans-new-attitude-delivered-tour-de-france-triumph/story-fn8s9i81-1226101267931

Settles into comfy chair.

I’m off to the kitchen to put together a smoked pork casserole (mostly for tomorrow, but I’ll have a tiny taste of it for late supper) and will be back by the time Phil & Paul are on.

sibeen said:

Settles into comfy chair.

It should be a rest day, or a least a late start crit or something, as the Grand Prix is on…

Blooming heck, just flicked across to watch 2.5 minutes of Le Tour, and there are adverts on this channel too… :(

It’s the Paul and Phil show.

The F1, WGAF :)

Im ready any time.

Wonder what caused that?

Speed, gravity, and someone making a mistake.

not Sammy Sanchez :(

front wheel clips rear wheel of rider in front and it’s an amazing thing…

Someone else having a sook.

Sammy Sanchez out of it, by the look.

Dropbear said:

Wonder what caused that?

Exceeding the max CoF.

neomyrtus_ said:

front wheel clips rear wheel of rider in front and it’s an amazing thing…

Wonder if they hit someone in the crowd.

Mr Neo suspects object on road..

old bloke copped a cyclist in his lap.

I know why he has erection problems. Every damn ad she wants a root.

readyanytime ad in 3.. 2.. 1..

and go.. all systems are go..

chick bumps into geezer, house folds into lame-arse scout tent, fence turns into rolling hillsides..

Those horses were making me dizzy.

well now that the F1 has finished (with the second best result) I can settle down into Le Tour uninterupted.

Stealth said:

well now that the F1 has finished (with the second best result) I can settle down into Le Tour uninterupted.

Fine by me.

those poor cows getting harassed by the helicopters.

First set to Murray 6-4

Go Pinot!

Go you good thing.

Nice ride from the young Frenchman. Cadel is second.

Best public performance by a coach since Laurie Lawrence at Seoul 1988.

Pinot poured on the power just to get away from the terrifying chappy.

TT tomorrow night, followed by a rest day, thank gawd, the liver may need a rest :)

party_pants said:

Best public performance by a coach since Laurie Lawrence at Seoul 1988.

Now we just need a sound-bite of a pissed François Hollande saying “Any boss who sacks a worker for not turning up today is a derrière “

Stealth said:

Now we just need a sound-bite of a pissed François Hollande saying “Any boss who sacks a worker for not turning up today is a derrière “

Haha – love it :)

Cadel Evans and Wrigley Baggins will be the last two riders in tonight’s time trials, at gone midnight.

nice bicycle wheels sculpture thingies…

although a tad reminiscent of those medieval torture thingies..

speaking of bonfires

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/wa/14164658/flood-of-tears-after-school-fire/

was a very old and well loved school. A series of schools were set up 110 – 100 years ago around Perth, all with a similar architecture. I went to one similar to Maylands.

my eyes!

My Eyes!

Gratuitous bulky chamois baggage shot! Does he have a cricket box shoved in there?

neomyrtus_ said:

my eyes!

My Eyes!

Gratuitous bulky chamois baggage shot! Does he have a cricket box shoved in there?

Look at it the other way – would you like no padding so the lycra conforms to the body shape like Matt Shirvington?

Hooley dooley – what a crop circle!

Wow – that field clock was awesome

Bloody aliens.

Not a bad ride by Cancellara.

Here we Goooooooo!

sibeen said:

Here we Goooooooo!

Interesting to see Wiggins using elliptical front chain rings. They first appeared about 20 years ago but I haven’t sen them for a long time.

I guess they give him more confidence in his ability to perform any time.

:-)

Christus, the poms will be going apeshit if they end up first and second in the GC at the end of this stage.

Is now a good time to mention that Wiggins’ father is Australian?

:-)

Come on Cadel. A Briton has never won the Tour and it’s up to you to keep it that way.

>Is now a good time to mention that Wiggins’ father is Australian?

And he was born in Belgium.

British, my arse :)

sibeen said:

Christus, the poms will be going apeshit if they end up first and second in the GC at the end of this stage.

The poms went apeshit over the possibilty of coming first in the tennis, but had to settle for ‘First Losers’ again. :)

sibeen said:

>Is now a good time to mention that Wiggins’ father is Australian?

And he was born in Belgium.

British, my arse :)

And riding a chinese bike.

If Wriggly pulls too far ahead, the rest of the Tour is going to be a bit drab.

>The poms went apeshit over the possibilty of coming first in the tennis, but had to settle for ‘First Losers’ again. :)

Not actually true.

They were hoping that a Brit could get up and win at Wombleton, but they realised that a scottish bastard lost :)

Good ride by Wiggins – nearly 2 minutes ahead now.

But, 2 weeks of mountains ahead.

Tonight my vote goes to the girls standing beside the king of the mountain winner,

>>If Wriggly pulls too far ahead, the rest of the Tour is going to be a bit drab.

The scenery is what a lot of people watch it for, it’s a lot prettier now with the wind farms everywhere, wind farms are a lot more pleasing to the eye because they have graceful lines and are symetrical while the trees they have replaced grew every which way with some even falling down, wind farms are best viewd on TV because you can’t smell the stench of dead birds at their base.

Has the incidence of rider depression increased since the introduction of wind farms?

>>Has the incidence of rider depression increased since the introduction of wind farms?

Yes, Cadel cries more now.

he should be crying after last night.

So all team Sky need to do is surround Cadel and make sure he doesnt get too far ahead of the Yellow Wiggins.

No racing tonight but there is this:

10:00Tour De France 2012 Review

Review: Prologue to Stage 9 highlights. Hosted by Michael Tomalaris along with SBS cycling analyst David McKenzie and former world champion cyclist Kate Bates. Commentary from Phil Liggett, Paul Sherwen and Matthew Keenan. (Sport)

….and I fancy a drink, so I’m just about to set off for an adventure by cycling to the bottle shop in the dark (but with my lamps on of course).

>>….and I fancy a drink, so I’m just about to set off for an adventure by cycling to the bottle shop in the dark (but with my lamps on of course).

paces up and down

Back, and it was quite an exciting spin.

Bugger off, Gabriel.

They are about to hit the slopes of a Cat 2.

sibeen said:

Bugger off, Gabriel.

They are about to hit the slopes of a Cat 2.

Meow meow

They tried to make me go to rehab

Fairly gruelling ride, this one.

Yes. I’m getting sore legs just watching it.

Tomorrow night is worse. 2 x HC and 1 × 1 category climbs.

These descents always look like great fun.

Bubble Car said:

These descents always look like great fun.

Yes but not for the faint hearted.

Bubble Car said:

These descents always look like great fun.

Yes.

As teenagers we used to ride/walk our bikes up a steep hill just to have the pleasure of riding back down.

party_pants said:

Bubble Car said:

These descents always look like great fun.

Yes.

As teenagers we used to ride/walk our bikes up a steep hill just to have the pleasure of riding back down.

Often on fixed wheel bikes with only a foot on the front wheel as a brake.

much harder than it looks :)

Nice win for little Tommy Voeckler after his very wobbly Tour start.

He gets the Polka dot jersey as well.

Cadel gains no advantage.

The polka dot girls win again.

sibeen said:

The polka dot girls win again.

Already switch over to something else. Damn.

party_pants said:

sibeen said:

The polka dot girls win again.

Already switch over to something else. Damn.

Always miss the best parts that way.

I don’t know if Cadel can do it this year although I was listening to the Government ABC Pravda sanctioned Sports release and one of the comrades said that The Yellow Wiggins was due to have a bad day in the mountains.

I am going to call it and say this won’t be Cadel’s year..

Dropbear said:

I am going to call it and say this won’t be Cadel’s year..

Who?

kii said:

Dropbear said:

I am going to call it and say this won’t be Cadel’s year..

Who?

short bloke, big eye brows, cries a lot … rides a treddley

Dropbear said:

kii said:

Dropbear said:

I am going to call it and say this won’t be Cadel’s year..

Who?

short bloke, big eye brows, cries a lot … rides a treddley

I know a lot of guys who fit that description.

kii said:

Dropbear said:

kii said:

Who?

short bloke, big eye brows, cries a lot … rides a treddley

I know a lot of guys who fit that description.

yep, me for one.

Cadel needs a plan. It’s not enough to just get on a bicycle and ride it really fast, because all the others are doing that too. He needs a cunning plan.

he needs someone to throw a stick into the spokes of Wiggins ;)

Dropbear said:

he needs someone to throw a stick into the spokes of Wiggins ;)

Just bribe a drunken specator to knock him over, nobody will ever know it was deliberately planned.

He needs his team to wrap a yellow wiggins round and old oak tree.

Peak Warming Man said:

He needs his team to wrap a yellow wiggins round and old oak tree.

Quote of the Year nominee

that edit function – a good idea, huh?

>Quote of the Year nominee

If only he’d used an ‘an’ instead of an ‘and’.

I’ll let it slip – my brane read it right as it was meant to be and only Divinity can be perfect and so thus it enters the hallowed echoing halls of infamy.

You’re far more forgiving than I am.

:)

Wonder if Cadel’s got a plan yet.

I reckon he will let the tires down on the yellow wiggles bike.

I had to google as to what this sign meant

http://auto-clever.de/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Zeichen-301-Vorfahrt.png

neomyrtus_ said:

I had to google as to what this sign meant

http://auto-clever.de/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Zeichen-301-Vorfahrt.png

No Android phones?

Neo, we used to have that sign here, at least in Victoria. Got rid of it because no one could really understand it.

Victoria is a planet revolving around unto and into itself..

tis a sign not seen in other Oz states nor NZ…

Kingy said:

No Android phones?

draw two eyes on it and it’s no androids…

I mean – where those signs were – welll what minor roads would be intersecting the main road the tour is cycling just now anyhoo – ? One roadside bank goes up, the other side back goes doooownnn.

The cunning plan starts.

sibeen said:

The cunning plan starts.

Are you a member of a punning clan?

Bubble Car said:

Wonder if Cadel’s got a plan yet.

yeap.

It’s Cunning Plan # 1.

maybe not?

I didn’t know Baldrick was riding..

Now awaiting Cunning Plan # 2.

Just want to punch some of these “fans” than run alongside the racers.

+1, Admiral.

Very bad planning to go to an ad break during the descent :/

party_pants said:

Just want to punch some of these “fans” than run alongside the racers.

Alberto Cheatodor did last year. Damn lucky he didn’t get his scrawny arse dragged off the bike and punched senseless, IMO.

Rule 303 said:

party_pants said:

Just want to punch some of these “fans” than run alongside the racers.

Alberto Cheatodor did last year. Damn lucky he didn’t get his scrawny arse dragged off the bike and punched senseless, IMO.

Clenbuterol makes you feel invincible…

Rule 303 said:

Alberto Cheatodor did last year. Damn lucky he didn’t get his scrawny arse dragged off the bike and punched senseless, IMO.

True, but it’s ruining my enjoyment as a TV spectator.

Stealth said:

Clenbuterol makes you feel invincible…

With good reason.

;-)

thing that gets me is how close some of these houses are built to the road. If that were my bedroom wall I crap my daks every time a car went down the road thinking they were about to crash into my house.

party_pants said:

thing that gets me is how close some of these houses are built to the road. If that were my bedroom wall I crap my daks every time a car went down the road thinking they were about to crash into my house.

Yeah, I remember driving through quaint French villages that have a single lane main road, that is JUST wide enough for one car, and house walls and doors on each side. No path, no porch,just door then road. Lucky the doors open inwards.

party_pants said:

thing that gets me is how close some of these houses are built to the road. If that were my bedroom wall I crap my daks every time a car went down the road thinking they were about to crash into my house.

Many of the houses would predate motor traffic.

party_pants said:

thing that gets me is how close some of these houses are built to the road. If that were my bedroom wall I crap my daks every time a car went down the road thinking they were about to crash into my house.

Much of my life has been spent living on roads that have less than three houses down them.
Meaning that almost all the cars that passed the first house were coming to mine because nobody much ever visited the third house.

…those concrete walls on thgis descent don’t look very friendly

party_pants said:

…those concrete walls on thgis descent don’t look very friendly

No, they are too low, rather than hit them at a friendly 70km/h you go over them and fall a rather unfriendly 1000’…

Well this is it. If Evans doesn’t make a move on this final climb, and take time back,on Wiggans, he is gone.

Cadel & Wiggins seem very evenly matched apart from Bradley’s advantage in the time trials, which may well prove conclusive.

wow – beautiful shot of the valley from the chopper

party_pants said:

wow – beautiful shot of the valley from the chopper

Yeah. Tomorrow they will be riding through the area I intend to be in in six months time.

Stealth said:

party_pants said:

wow – beautiful shot of the valley from the chopper

Yeah. Tomorrow they will be riding through the area I intend to be in in six months time.

Daughter has paraglided over much of this country.

This may be cunning plan#3…let someone else do it.

I think the best rider (if treated as a lead rider) for this years tour is Froome. He can’t quite TT as well as Wiggans, but he looks much stronger on the lumpy bits.

Stealth has just put the moz on Froome :)

sibeen said:

Stealth has just put the moz on Froome :)

He was bluffing. He is back on the front again.

That may be it.

Cadel falling behind.

He may now be paying the price for Cunning Plan # 1.

Froome is the man.

Froome, Froome, Froome…

Cadel’s out of it.

Stealth said:

Froome, Froome, Froome…

ledaC ledaC ledaC

Froome would be finished by now if he wasn’t sent back to drag along Wiggans.

Pierre Rolland certainly recovered quickly from that nasty fall, but he may not get the Stage.

He’s going to win another stage for France.

Pierre Rolland, I“m fairly sure he will.

Pinot beats Froome :)

Bubble Car said:

Pinot beats Froome :)

Only ‘cause Froome was tied to Wiggans.

Ah well, now that Cadel’s out of the running, for the rest of the tour we can concentrate on the scenery :)

>Only ‘cause Froome was tied to Wiggans.

Wiggins, it’s Wiggins.

Bubble Car said:

Cadel’s out of it.

There’s still plenty of steep slopes that team Sky can fall over as a group.

Bubble Car said:

Ah well, now that Cadel’s out of the running, for the rest of the tour we can concentrate on the scenery :)

The best scenery is on either side of the winner presentations each day…

I think the gap’s just too big now, party. Cadel would need some freakish circumstances to still have a chance to win the Tour.

Bubble Car said:

I think the gap’s just too big now, party. Cadel would need some freakish circumstances to still have a chance to win the Tour.

Well Wiggins stage 7, 2011 would be freakish enough to help Evans, but that would only unleash Froome.

Bubble Car said:

I think the gap’s just too big now, party. Cadel would need some freakish circumstances to still have a chance to win the Tour.

True…

This old world, well, don’t it make you wanna scream: “damn!”

there once was this fellow named Bradbury that raced for Australia in the Winter Olympics…..

the polka dotted scenery is quite.. er appealing

Tonight’s 3 votes go to the girls from the most aggressive rider.

Polka dot girls are still well in front.

…cancellara has cancelled

I hear tears …. tears

Anyway, thought I’d stay up and watch for a change…

Beaux monts…

Should have gone to bed.

>American Tejay van Garderen is backing Cadel Evans to make a Lazarus-like recovery and successfully defend the Tour de France title. The BMC talent said Evans struggled throughout a torturous Stage 11 in the French Alps, but is confident the Australian can rebound.<

Hmm, he’ll need a damn good plan. I don’t think even Plan 9 from Outer Space can save him now.

Bubble Car said:

Hmm, he’ll need a damn good plan. I don’t think even Plan 9 from Outer Space can save him now.

A week is a long time in the Alps.

;-)

Bloody sbs. The stage is going to be half, or even more, over, by the time they decide to show anything.

sibeen said:

Bloody sbs. The stage is going to be half, or even more, over, by the time they decide to show anything.

it might be streamed on the net somewhere

This is fucked, they’ve done the climbs and the stupid French dickhead gate is still talking.

Where is the telecast?

>This is fucked

+ eleventybazzillion

Dropbear said:

This is fucked, they’ve done the climbs and the stupid French dickhead gate is still talking.

Where is the telecast?

Welcome to my world, I have to wait till 8.30pm local time (10.30 eastern) before we join the coverage.

Shithouse isn’t it.. I Just found I can stream on the iPad which is nice..

Only 7 minutes to go.

I’m watching a delayed telecast of the WWE between Carlton and North Melbourne in the meantime.

Th break is now 10 mins but they’re going down hill and the peloton is still climbing.

at last ….

bugger me

A Frenchman actually invented hydrogen.

Let us just call him gawd then,

sibeen said:

bugger me

unlikely

If I am to be ever buggered, doubtful, I don’t think you’d make the top million, kingy :)

roughbarked said:

sibeen said:

bugger me

unlikely

… gently, with a cake fork.

party_pants said:

roughbarked said:

sibeen said:

bugger me

unlikely

… gently, with a cake fork.

remind me to rethink inviting you to afternoon teas in the garden… ;)

sibeen said:

If I am to be ever buggered, doubtful, I don’t think you’d make the top million, kingy :)

I get here late and this is the first post I click on. wtf?

Kingy said:

sibeen said:

If I am to be ever buggered, doubtful, I don’t think you’d make the top million, kingy :)

I get here late and this is the first post I click on. wtf?

You should have taken a lotto ticket.

Goss relegated.

He did cut across and block the guy behind him. He wasn’t cleanly in front of the other rider, still half a wheel overlapping I think, if the other guy hadn’t taken evasive action they would have crashed.

Must admit I fell asleep fairly early in this Stage and didn’t bother watching most of it.

News reports are saying Wiggins was hit by a flare from a group of protesters, but no mention of what they were protesting about. Anyone here know?

>> Anyone here know?

Can’t help you there Bubbles although flares are making a come back.

Maybe they were protesting about the pants by ironically sending up a flare.

The Guardian is just calling them spectators, not protesters:

Wiggins hit by flare

Not sure what that was all about with the flares. SBS website are reporting that a good number of riders behind threw their water bottles at the group who let off the flare.

party_pants said:

Not sure what that was all about with the flares. SBS website are reporting that a good number of riders behind threw their water bottles at the group who let off the flare.

Foolish and dangerous. A spectator getting seriously hurt by a deliberately thrown water bottle would mean all those riders probably being disqualified, as well as being a very bad look for the Tour.