Wow, how about the stock market this morning.  Makes you think it is all fake money and people are manipulating the average persons life’s saving for their own benefit.  I understand the importance of China to our economy, but question the extreme value fluctuations of US stocks in relation to worry about the future of perceived problems.

Then Nibali getting booted out of the Tour of Spain.  I officially don’t like that guy at all, not that I was any fan before.  He said, “What happened in the Vuelta happens in every race.”   No wonder he wins races.  Then he apologizes and says getting kicked out was too severe.   That guys has lost his mind.  In more than one way.  First, doesn’t he realize that he’s most likely being “filmed” at all times.  2nd, the dude is the current Italian National Champion, plus past Tour de France winner, and that guy doesn’t “get to” hold onto cars to get back up to the front.  Plus, the nerve of him, riding away from a huge group.  Notice how the group just sits up.  I would love to hear what was said when Nibali just disappeared up the road holding on car.  I bet most of them probably were thinking it was all hunky-dory and that the penalty was too severe.  Crazy. Watch the video below and make your own decision.

Yesterday was good.  We rode over to the start to see Trudi and just enjoy the whole race start.  We tried to ride up Lookout Mtn. to watch the field go by, but 30 minutes before the start the authorities were turning spectators back.  That seemed really way too early.  People were really bummed.  I didn’t really care, but races really need to be fan friendly or the fans will cease to come.  That isn’t good.

Then we rode down to Denver and caught the last lap of the circuit.  The finish was good.  We didn’t hang there because there was too much commotion and we wanted to ride.  I went by to visit Trudi at the BMC team dinner/celebration party, but didn’t hang because there were way too many people and, once again, too much commotion.

Trudi is working this morning and might not be done to later this afternoon.  I am going to drive back up to Steamboat Springs to visit the Eriksens for a day or two.  Vincent is driving to Salt Lake City to get a new car and trade in his old one, so it seemed like a good time.   Trudi usually sleeps the next two days anyways, so she might as well be doing that in a beautiful place up in the Aspen trees.

I might ride over to Boulder this morning to check it out.  I was planning on getting breakfast there, but Vincent made his egg special and I can’t turn that down.

Okay, it is a little less smokey here, but it is still visible.  It is very hard to believe all this smoke is from the West coast.  Must be a ton of fires going on.

Joseph was in the early break heading up Lookout. He is the last guy in line.

Trudi working yesterday morning.

Here is Huge Walton and Eric Heiden, old friends for a long time.

BMC guys before the race taking a photo.

It is funny, even when I’m not racing it feels funny when the race is over.  There is always so much stuff to do after a stage race that it just extends the race.  That was the case yesterday with Trudi.   She had to take some stuff over to Pearl Izumi and got stuck in traffic.  Then she had to wash all the dirty towels and the podium jerseys, which were soaked in Champagne and beer.  By the time she was done, it was late and we only made it up to Silverthorne, not to our destination, which is Steamboat Springs.

So, this morning, I washed all my dirty cycling clothing, filled the hummingbird feeders, and are ready to head over to Steamboat.  I know Kent and Katie are slammed with work, so it is nice that they are up for us coming over.  Trudi left the BMC car she is driving down in Arvada, so we consolidated.

Yesterday for me was simple.  I just got on my bike and rode.  Vincent hasn’t been feeling all that great riding, so he wanted to go challenge himself again and ride Lookout Mountain a couple times.  I wasn’t doing that, so Sue and I rode a scenic loop of the front range.  It was great, ended up at Red Rocks, where they were doing sound checks for an Incubus concert last night.  We ended up meeting Trudi in Golden for a late lunch, early dinner, then rode back to Vincent’s house.  Vincent had already packed up and left, driving to Salt Lake City to pick up a new Honda Pilot for his wife, Lisa.

Anyway, I’m going to be in Colorado a couple more days and then finally make it back to Kansas for a few days.  I’m planning on racing over Labor Day in St. Louis.  I haven’t really looked for a race this weekend.  I need more racing to get some high end form.  Right now I feel like I’m a diesel engine type guy.  That doesn’t thrill me much at all.

Okay, it is still smokey up here in the mountains.  I wonder when this is going to clear?  Seems like it needs a wind change or something to blow it out.  I haven’t really been feeling it too badly in my lungs, not like Kansas in the spring, but it doesn’t look very good.

I ran into an old friend, Daryl Price, in Golden yesterday. He moved to Evergreeen. It was nice catching up some.

Sue riding up to Red Rocks.

The Red Rocks amphitheater.

Lisa coming back from a walk with Jack, the puppy Nick, and Petra in the stroller.

This rabbit hangs out next to Vincent’s house. He is nearly tame, until Jack comes out, then he runs.