Tour de France bound!!!!!

I am officially headed to France next year!  I have booked this trip.  I had to scale back the size of the trip due to financial reasons.  A week of following the Tour de France is going to be amazing.  I will get to see three stages in the final week (and maybe the finish in Paris).  The stage finish in Grand Bornand, the TT in Annecy, and the most decisive stage of all - the climb up Mount Ventoux.  I will actually be on Ventoux for the stage.  I hear it is one giant party!  For a cycling fan the TdF is the Super Bowl, World Series, and Soccer World Cup rolled into one.  The best part is you can literally run right next to the riders as they ascend the mountains.

I also will be climbing several of the famous mountains of the tour while there as well.  They include the Alpe d'Huez, Galiber, Telegraph, Les Duex Alpe, Croix de Fer, Glandon, Mount Ventoux (the day before the real racers climb it) and several other "smaller" climbs.  It is going to be a truly epic week.

At this point I am not sure if I am going to Paris for the finish or not.  The stage on Mount Ventoux is the day before so I will be very close to Paris.  The company I'm travelling with is putting together a Paris package for those that are interested in staying a few extra days.  I would love to go to the finish on Sunday, and then Monday go to the Louvre and see some of the other famous sites of Paris.

Now the countdown begins... only 8 months left!

Captain Crunch

2009 Schedule posted

The beginning of the 2009 schedule are now up - look to the right of the screen. It's short right now as I only have confirmed those two dates, but as I get more I will post them. Also, I will leave the results from 2008 up until Jan. 1st.

Thanks for reading!
Captain Crunch

End of Season thoughts

Wow, it's the end of season already.  What a year it was.  I made some of the biggest improvements ever over the course of the season.  The time trials helped me to make the biggest gains.  I completed my first double century, rode through Manhattan traffic free, conquered 15,000 feet of climbing in one day, and turned my fastest century time ever.  However, the year was not without disappointment.  I didn't break an hour in the time trial discipline and a mechanical failure forced an early exit from the Nightmare.

Next year has some great events already lined up.  I will once again be riding the Dreamride, the Nightmare, and BikeMS NYC Traffic Free.  I will also be doing the time trials next year as well.  I will be trying my hand at road racing next year, running a few races.  Also on the schedule (possibly) is the Harpoon Brewery to Brewery ride.  This rides starts in Boston, MA goes through NH, and ends in Windsor VT 140 miles and 8,000 feet of climbing later.  It should be a great ride.

The biggest goal for next season without a doubt is France.  Currently I am planning on 9 days in the Alps, Pyrenees, and Mount Ventoux.  Hopefully I will be going late August early September when the crowds are not as big.  This trip will go over Alpe De Huez, Galiber, Tourmalet, Ventoux, and Hautacom to name a few.  It is on these mountains that the greatest champions of the Tour De France have been forged.  

Thanks for reading all season and stay tuned for more great updates!

Captain Crunch