Epic Ride Plan

The following table highlights each day's ride, the planned distance and the primary feature on the ride. The cycling fanatics will likely appreciate the names of the climbs planned for this trip. My goal is to blog about each day's event and capture video throughout the experience from a handlebar mounted camera. I hope you enjoy the material.

Day	Distance	Lodging Location	Today’s Feature
Friday, 11 July	40 km	Paris	Paris Countryside
Saturday, 12 July	No ride	Toulouse	Bus transfer to Pyrenees
Sunday, 13 July	70km	Lourdes	Col d’Aspin
Monday, 14 July	130km	Lourdes	Col du Tourmalet, Hautacam
Tuesday, 15 July	110km	Lourdes	Col d’Aubisque, Col du Soulor (the TdF has the day off, may as well get a look at some climbs in the area)
Wednesday, 16 July	50km	Carcassonne	In/around Lannemezan today’s race start location
Thursday, 17 July	100km	Carcassonne	Pic de Nore
Friday, 18 July	100km	L’Isle sur la Sourge	Vendargues several rollers to the TdF stage finish
Saturday, 19 July	70km	L’Isle sur la Sourge	In/around the towns of Roussillon and Gordes, watch the stage at feed zone
Sunday, 20 July	80km	L’Isle sur la Sourge	Mont Ventoux
Monday, 21 July	40km	Les Deux Alpes	Day off for the tour in Cuneo, IT. We’ll do a local loop around Fontaine de Vaucluse. Bus to the Alpes.
Tuesday, 22 July	140km	Les Deux Alpes	Galibier, Telegraphe, CroixDeFer, DeuxAlps (looks like a day for Metallica on the iPod)
Wednesday, 23 July	75km	Les Deux Alpes	Alpe d’Huez
Thursday, 24 July	120km	Clermont-Ferrand	Relatively flat day, rolling terrain around Bourg d’Oisans
Friday, 25 July	120km	Clermont-Ferrand	Relatively flat day, rolling terrain around Vichy
Saturday, 26 July	110km	Bourges	Boussac-Bourg, Briante, Pouligny and Culan to the finish of today’s Time Trial in Saint Amand Montrond
Sunday, 27 July	-0-	Paris	Watching the finish, 1355 km (850mi) is enough

Training

Leading up to the Epic Summer, I have been doing a ton of training and racing with a local team, Team Abundance. I train about 10-13 hours per week. I had been racing with the team until last week, 21 Jun 08.

The 21 Jun race was a criterium event at the Newmark Center near Dayton, Oh. It was a great, fast race until the last lap. About 1/2 way round on the bell lap, a few riders ahead of me got a little squirrely and touch wheels. Down they went. I had no place to go and ramped up the rear wheel of one of the downed riders going approx 24 mph. I went endo, landing on my head and left shoulder. About 6 other riders piled on; 10 or so in total went down. I think I got the best of it, some road rash and a broken left collar bone (2 small fractures and one clean break). I appreciated all the help I received from my team, Team Dayton and Dark Horse in getting back to the car and notes of encouragement this past week. You can view the cool x-ray from my Facebook page.

With 3 weeks to go before leaving for France, I was concerned this trip would not turn out as I planned. I stayed off the bike this week, tried to rest the shoulder and iced it down every day. Today, 29 Jun, I did a 90 min trainer rider, averaging 315 watts. I have decent range of motion and did a few standing intervals on the hoods. With 10 days to go, I think I'll be ready and look forward to sharing my ride through the blog. I want to thank my coaches, Jamie (Captain Insane-O) and Ryan (Stretch) for helping me elevate my fitness level; my team for all the awesome support and some truly inspirational racing this Spring and Dave and Bob at Wheelie Fun (best bike shop in the world) for helping me prepare my ride.