Le Tour de France: Contador got some legs, but hats off to Lance

What a sweet ride by Alberto Contador, If you are a cyclist or a cycling fan, its really hard not to love this guys riding style. He gets up in the saddle and ride mountain stages as if riding on a flat stage. Ever since Lance retired I have been supporting Contador, but this year I am behind both Lance and Contador and hope the best man out of two will hold on to “maillot jaune” (Yellow Jersey in French). I got so much respect and admiration for Lance Armstrong. I don’t think anyone can do what he is doing right now, to be out of the game for four years and then come back and ride the way he did tells us that he is a super human. At age 37 he did mountain finish at 9th position, and some of the younger rides couldn’t even finish it within qualification time to stay on the race.

Weekend with full of activities

It was a perfect weekend. Since weather was perfect so I had to kick off the weekend with a nice long ride. Completed 24 mile ride on Saturday, this time I rode on Luce trail came back and took the turn towards to the Medicine Lake and went around Medicine Lake. Did some laps in the pool for about hour. On Sunday, ran for 4 miles, did some upper body workout and did grilling out side my apartment with my good friend. Yummy, Chicken burgers

Yummy

Rider’s Log: Around Lake Medicine via Chippewa Trail

Started from out side of my apartment, and ride along the Luce Line Trail and went around Medicine Lake and got in to Chippewa Trail. Overall it was mostly hills so I was able to test my climbing ability. One thing I realize during flat areas, looks like I need take the bike (Trek 1000)

My Bike Colors are Orange and Yellow

for a tuneup because when I am on my higher gear its making a noice, I may be wrong my be great wheels need some adjustments.

View Ride around Lake Medicine, Chippewa Trail, Luce Trail in a larger map

Rider’s Log: Short Ride on Luce Line Trail

This is my first summer in Plymouth, MN Technically second summer but I moved to Plymouth last year End of August so in Minnesota we call it that is end of Summer. So, I recently explore some bike trails out around lake Medicine and it great. Today after hard day at work I got on my saddle and took a ride along the Luce Line Trail.

View Short Ride after Work in a larger map

I was riding with my friend and she doesn’t do well when it comes to climbing so had to cut the ride in half and return (hope she wont hit me with her bike).

Lance is Back: Almost got the Yellow

As I mentioned in my previous post Lance is back and his back in fashion. It was so great to see Team Time Trial Back in Tour De France. Every one know that on Paper Team Astana has the best team but they proved it today that they are not just good in paper but also on the road. Lance did lead the team during the most of the technical course of todays ride and it paid off. It was a fabulous ride to watch. I have been watching Tour De France from 2001 and have never seen someone missing a Yellow Jersey with such a small time gap.

new paddles and Shoes..

Few weeks ago I got new cycling shoes, which are Nike’s and they feel very comfortable also that new clipping paddles are great and very easy to take off too. I did some small adjustment to my rear break systems but other than that bike is riding in excellent condition. My only complain was too much rain in twin cities metro didn’t allow me get out as much as I wanted in last week. But I am planning to make it up for that in this weekend and next week.

Great Trail on Route 13

Last week I fallowed the bike trail which starts on 13 and went all the way to Minneapolis in fact very close to where the bridge collapse happened. The bike trial runs along the Mississippi River and its really exciting. I am trying to figure out the map of that trial so I cam mark on Google Maps and publish it on the net so many other cyclists can take advantage.

My new bike, Trek 1000

Yesterday, I put my new bike on a test. It was a mountain test. I first started with a good 15mile stretch and got some good acceleration and then climb a hill which had a 10% gradually increasing hight. I felt very good and bike was very supportive during the entire trip.

During the descent I experienced some noise from the rare wheel brake, but I don’t think its a major issue. Include that problem I have few adjustments that I want to do to the bike. I hope tomorrow I will get a chance to take the bike to the bike shop.

Trek 1000, is my new bike

Money Matters…! As I mentioned I had the oppertunity to test ride Trek 2100 (more than 10 times..), 1500 and Trek 1000 but I it was really hard for me to not to buy the Trek 2100. But I had no option so I settled down with Trek 1000 so thats my bike. It doesn’t have carbon as much as in the 2100 frame but its very light and good for my level of bike riding. I guess once I get better I will go for advance and more expensive bike. Only concern I have right now is with my bike rack, it was turf to add women’s bike into my rack. I might have to get extra bar which converts the womens bike to a mens bike just for the purpose of hooking it up to a rack… but lets see.. I am really happy I got this and planning on starting my training from tomorrow.

Trek 2100, could be my new Bike (Cont…)

Today is the day… The shop confirmed me that they have all three bikes (2007 Trek 2100, 1500, 1000) ready for me to take it for a test ride. I want the 2100 but I don’t think I can afford it at this time… I hope I will have the same feeling that I had while ridding 2100 when I test ride the 1500 and 1000 today…