The Vosges

As the riders run into Colmar today, they must pass through the mythical Vosges Mountains. We cut through the center of the valley last night, and it was interesting, that while the Vosges lack the steepness and immenseness of the Alps, they hold their own when it comes to an overpowering sense of trepidation. There are no easy avenues UP or DOWN.

The script wouldn't be complete without the weather playing a part. Rain is in the forecast, so look for the roads to become even trickier. Astana's luck certainly went south this morning- Stage "13" began with the news that Lance's trusted lieutenant, Levi Leipheimer, is OUT with a broken wrist. The storm is brewing not only in the skies, but in their team bus as well.

Interesting note, France's famous heroine, Joan of Arc, was from the Vosges area.

A couple more tidbits:

The peloton makes its way through the Alsace region today. Besides its WINE and CHEESE, one of the things Alsace is famous for is its STORKS. In the 1970's, the population had dwindled to only 9 mating pairs, but in 1984 the town of Munster (yes, that Munster, cheese fans!) took the lead in helping to protect the species. Their nests can weigh over 1,000 pounds, and the young storks fly after 60 days, reaching maturity between three and four years of age. From birth to the age of one year, they have black beaks, which is how the young and old can be told apart.

Finally, the town in which we finish today, Colmar, was the birthplace of Auguste Bartholdi. Ring a bell? He created a little something called the "Statue of Liberty" (among others).

The Last Word- Stage 12

The sprinters loosened their stranglehold on the standings today, but the peloton seemed reluctant at the beginning to let anyone get away. It took close to 40 miles before the acceptable group of seven were allowed to distance themselves.

AG2R-La Mondial did most of the tempo work, keeping the gap around a manageable four minutes, but finally, two amazing accelerations from Saxo Bank's Nikki Sorensen left him alone at the front, and gave him ample time to celebrate his 1st ever stage win at the Tour. His elation will undoubtedly elevate the moral of the team, after losing workhorse, and road captain, Kurt Asle Arvesen to a broken collarbone two days ago.

Lance Armstrong's drama was limited to a flat tire with 30 miles to go, but his teammate Levi Leipheimer seemed to get caught up in a crash near the finish. Thankfully he would not lose any time since the fall occurred within the "3K'" safety net.

Once again, Astana kept their "A-Game" on ice- perhaps tomorrow is the day they will finally unleash.

Agua por Favor

Today's stage finishes in Vittel. Anyone who's ever stepped into a Whole Foods, or other 'high end' grocery store has seen France's most famous water sitting on the shelves. It's actually owned by Nestle, which interestingly enough, also owns Powerbar (for all you athletes out there).

The surrounding area was also made famous by Charles de Gaulle, president of the Republic from 1958-1969. The great military leader and French statesman resided at 'La Boisserie', and it is said he would stay in his old village before EVERY major trip, press conference, or difficult/dramatic moment.

The symbol of his movement was the "Lorraine Cross". Free France adopted it as its emblem in 1940 as a way to combat the 'Swastika'.

The Last Word- Stage 11

Necessity is the mother of invention, and at this year's Tour de France, desperation is beginning to set in for all the other sprinter's teams. American Tyler Farrar came closer than anyone has so far- he was within a bike length at the line- but the victory salute was still delivered by Columbia's Mark Cavendish, his 4th win at this year's Tour. An added bonus- the Manx Missile is now the Man in Green.

Another quiet 200 kilometers for the yellow jersey of Rinaldo Nocentini, as well as the yellow and blue of Lance Armstrong's Astana crew. They check another one off the list...11 stages down, and one day closer to the deciding days of the Alps and Mont Ventoux.

Comedy or Tragedy?

Or should i say, "Dumb and Dumber"...Bastille Day is a day the French hold above all else. It's also a day where the country completely shuts down. So, imagine our surprise, with a double-dose of dismay, when we realized that we were going to run out of gas, well before our rendezvous point at the hotel. Hmmm...what to do.

A quick thinking colleague advised us to hover near a petrol pump in the hopes of 'paying off' one of the locals- giving them cash in return for using their credit card to access the pumps. Because guess why? The 24-hour pumps here only use the European style credit cards, which have a special chip in them, which leaves us out in the cold. Or in this case, out in the cold by the side of the road!

So, our Angel of the Evening finally showed up, and we thought, "BAM! We are on our way".

The Gods, as well as being 'Crazy', can also be fickle. Our enjoyment was short lived. Turns out my esteemed colleague, and car mate, unbeknownst to me, put the WRONG FUEL INTO THE TANK. So...5K down the road, our car was no longer capable of attacking the asphalt.

Well, the COMEDY of ERRORS was well underway by this point. We called more troops into the mix- thankfully a bevy of co-workers arrived to aid us- and after switching bags into a few other cars, we realized there was no place to put our bikes. No problem! (we thought)...we were 'only' 62 Kilometers from our hotel, we'd just ride in.

And so began the Quest for the Pillow (as in, i was already really tired). Did i mention, the sun set approximately 25 minutes after we started our ride?? And did i mention my riding partner thought it was OK to leave me behind as he motor-paced off of a car, but i did not get in the draft?

Well, this story could go on forever, so i'll end by saying, I got to see fireworks exploding off to my left as i hammered into town, I got to the hotel after being escorted by a car full of my TV teammates, and i got to appreciate that no journey ever goes the way you plan. So, you'd better enjoy the 'ride'.

The Last Word- Stage 10

It's becoming an almost foregone conclusion, but it is still an incredible sight to behold. Columbia-HTC delivered Mark Cavendish to the final few hundred meters, and he delivered his team its 3rd win at this year's Tour. The Manx Missile is now only one win away from tying the British record in only his 2nd 'Grand Boucle'.

It was a pedestrian day for the peloton. The pace didn't quicken until the final 12 miles, so Lance Armstrong and Co. got a 'virtual' day off. This was always going to be a day that suited the sprinters, so Lance, Levi, and most of the others were literally along for the ride.

In fact, Lance called it one of the most relaxed days he's ever spent at the Tour. That will change soon enough.

Mecca for Fashionistas

During the Tour de France, you'll see and hear the initials "L.A." throughout TV, print, and radio reports. Of course, they are referring to Lance Armstrong.

This morning, on our drive into Issoudun, we went by a certain factory that anyone in the fashion world would recognize by the initials "L.V." That's right, the one and only Louis Vuitton- purveyor of handbags, luggage, and luxury items extraordinaire. Here's a little history:

In the mid 19th century, Louis Vuitton was a renowned trunks and luggage retailer. Entering into the 20th century, the company expanded in terms of locations and financial success. Beginning in the middle of the century, it entered the fashion world, integrating its signature Monogram Canvas into purses and bags. Since the 19th century, manufacture of Louis Vuitton goods have not changed: Luggage is still made by hand. "the craftsmen line up the leather and canvas, tapping in the tiny nails one by one and securing the five-letter solid pick-proof brass locks with an individual handmade key, designed to allow the traveler to have only one key for all of his or her luggage. The woven frames of each trunk are made of 30-year-old poplar that has been allowed to dry for at least four years. Each trunk has a serial number and can take up to 60 hours to make, and a suitcase as many as 15 hours."

The brand is highly counterfeited, and just over 1% of the items bearing the trademark monogram are authentic.

Last Minute Preparations-Rest Day Thoughts

3 hours on the bike this AM, on tomorrow's course, was a rejuvenating, and eye-opening experience.

Cows, horses, hedgehogs...farmers, feed troughs, hay bails...weed-whacking, painting, balloon-hanging...it all went by in a blur as i tried to emulate (ha!) the men i describe on a daily basis.

One of the reasons the Tour de France is so special is it involves so much of the country. And i don't mean the landscape. The PEOPLE of France want the world to see the shining colors of each town, just as much as the suffering of the riders on the bike. They take PRIDE in the race route, and the brief moment of notoriety the passing peloton brings.

Each town spends countless hours, and countless dollars, putting their 'best face forward'. Those of us who follow the Tour, whether it be here AT the race, or at home on television, could learn a thing or two from their commitment.

While we are all individuals, sometimes it's OK to support the 'collective'- if the larger goal benefits the largest amount of people. The Tour gets it, and so does every municipality along the way. I want to be here because i love what the Tour stands for, from a sporting standpoint, but also for what it represents to it's country. Pride, tempered with appreciation, abounds on these roads. You can't help but feel it's presence.

Everywhere i rode today, people shouted "Allez" ('go'), made fun of the fact that the race was actually TOMORROW (so why was i riding TODAY?), and found my little part in the proceedings entertaining. I even had a tractor operator race me up a hill- he waved, gave me the thumbs-up, and laughed hysterically as he drove past me on an incline.

You can say a lot about the French, but one thing they can never be accused of is taking this race for granted. It's perhaps the grandest global stage they now have. And every citizen i've seen, gives it the respect it deserves.