Yeah, it's July 5th and I haven't been on a bike before today. Problem is, my bike died and I haven't replaced it yet. We got TBWITWW a new bike earlier this year, so I swiped it to go get cat food and stop at the library. Only about 4 miles total, but it was a good ride. It's kind of a cruiser, so I find it very hard to get up and stomp on the pedals when I want to go fast out of a light. Oh well, it's good to get the wheels back under me again. I've got to replace that bike soon.
In other cycling news, this was a sad day in the Tour de France. Despite Lance claiming the Yellow again, it was a major heartbreaker to watch Zabriskie go down so close to hanging on to the Yellow for another day. It's inspiring to see someone new have such success. Hopefully, the injuries were minor and he'll be back in the saddle with a vengance tomorrow and keep in the running for the rest of the tour. I'm almost more excited for next year than this one. Lance is great, and I hope he pulls off the seventh, but it will be nice to see another generation competing for the lead of the greatest sporting event in the world.

In just over a month, I've seen history made twice. First with SpaceShip One and now Lance Armstrong has won his 6th consecutive Tour de France. People have accused Armstrong of being egotistical, brash, and self-centered. All of these may be true, but like Muhammed Ali, it's okay to act like you're the greatest in the world when you are the greatest in the world. Like Ali, Armstrong has had a... colorful... personal life, but he sticks to what he believes in, and he loves what he does. He's never claimed to be a great family man. He's never claimed to be level-headed. The only thing he's claimed is that he is a cyclist. And he's proven that.
We must always remember that our heroes are human, and remember why they are our heroes. Armstrong is a cycling hero, who has used his heroics to do some great things outside the world of cycling. Ali was a boxing hero, who lived what he believed. They are not marriage heroes. They are not people I want to style my life after, but there are parts of my life that I hope to model off of theirs. In determination, focus, and perserverence I can dream of being like Armstrong or Ali. But at the same time, I will not become a boxer, nor will I ride a bike competatively just because they do. I am not Lance Armstrong... I am not Muhammad Ali... I am me, and they are heroes to me, not because I want to be like them, but because I hope to be the best that I can be at what I do. I want to be a husband and father with the kind of zeal that Armstrong rides a bike. I want to set my goals and do everything in my power to reach them. And if I fail, I want to make the best of my failure. I want to turn the bad into a source of strength for myself and others. In this, I want to be like Lance Armstrong... but I don't want to be Lance Armstrong.
It's like the analogies on the SAT:
Lance Armstrong is to Cycling as I am to My Life.
But the best part about heroes is there are many... you can substitute for Lance Armstrong other names from this Tour. Jan Ullrich, José Azevedo, Richard Virenque, Thomas Voeckler, Robbie McEwen, Thor Hushovd, and even Tyler Hamilton, as well as all of the 147 riders who finished this race and many of the ones who could not.
Live Strong.

Last night (or rather, this morning) was the LATE Ride. A 25 mile bike ride through Chicago. The ride starts at 1:30 am from Buckingham Fountain and ranges, in a big loop, up to Foster and back. It was a great time. Unliess you've done something like this, you'll never appreciate the sight of hundreds upon hundreds of little red lights blinking before you and a six lane street completely filled with bikes. It's good stuff.

It's much easier to get motivated to haul my fat ass seven miles to work on my bike after watching Lance, Tyler, Jan, Roberto, et. al haul their much less fat asses couple hundred kilometers across cobble stones and dirt roads (dirt roads? who the hell planned this route?)
Today, as I left work and saw the rain falling, I considered throwing the bike on the bus and taking the easy way out, but I didn't. And I'm glad. It rained for a bit, but not long and I enjoyed the ride. I think I might actully stick to my goal of riding at least 3 days a week... if my bike stays unbroken... Stupid out-of-true wheel. Yeesh.

So, being a lazy (and of late, fat) slacker... I haven't been on my bike in months... like 10 of them. Bad.
Today, I rode to work. Good.
So, I'm hot, sweaty, tired, a little sore... and I haven't felt this good in a long time. Since I think I need to lose 40-50 pounds anyway, my goal is to ride at least 3 days a week until September. More if I can. We'll see how I do.

Cycling great Pantani dead at 34
A sad day for cycling. I belive that greatness can blossom only when a person is tested. Lance Armstrong, while his own life has given him many tests, would not be as great as he is if he did not have great competitors. Pantani was one of these competetors, who was great in his own right.