Glorious!

The anointed one, Mark Cavendish (Team Columbia) makes it four in the 13th stage of Le Tour de France, flanked on his right by 2nd place Robbie McEwan (Silence Lotto) and on his left by 3rd place Romain Feillu (Agritubel).
The world is his oyster.
photo: Graham Watson for Velonews

4!


Eyes on the prizes
photo: AFP, Road Bike Action
video on Versus

Congrats Cavendish! (or, take that, ToC)

Yeah Sweetheart, you really did just win stage 5 of Le Tour de France!
photo: AFP

Mark Cavendish, the "Manx Express" has won stage five, the longest stage of Le Tour de France, 232km from Cholet to Chateauroux. Hopes were high after his brilliant performance winning two stages of the Giro d'Italia and now his place in history is assured. The new-to-the-Tour, Team Columbia has made their 'mark' on this tour indeed. I guess we'll have to stop calling them "team boring kit". Champagne all around!

After stage six of the ToC (and before the disqualification decree),
Mark is interviewed by Bob Roll. You can also see the fabled Graham Watson over Mark's shoulder.
photo: Kathleen King

I'll never forget the confusion after stage six of the Tour of California as throngs of press and officials milled around for twenty minutes waiting for the decision that Cavendish would be stripped of his breathtaking stage win on a technicality. Well, take that ToC, this kid's got wings on his feet. It's a great year to be Mark Cavendish. Go Baby Go!

...and we're Back!

C130

Note the homes at the bottom of the frame

note: My camera has a problem with the protective shutter getting stuck so some shots have black corners.

The hills are still burning in Goleta (north of Santa Barbara) and even more residents, thousands now, have been evacuated from their homes. Some of the residents were allowed back in to Old San Marcos road yesterday 'at our own risk'. I took the opportunity to station myself on the ridge above our neighborhood to witness the heroic firefight that kept the fire from our back door. I was by no means alone. many news vans were parked down the hill and I was passed by five engine companies. Soon after I got there, "Rocky" the chief of our San Marcos Volunteer Fire Department, pulled up in his rig to spot and relay information. Several of the firemen who are residents of the Trout Club had tales of many wildfires that had threatened and burned homes several times in years past. We all watched the flames rise and fall in a tense but stoic mood lightened by the driest of humor.

"Rocky"

Rocky's rig

I cannot begin to adequately describe the skill and bravery of the pilots who pummeled these hillsides dropping load after load of water and retardant. Between my proximity to the flames and all the military aircraft in the sky I felt like a war correspondent. I kept hearing The Ride of the Valkyries in my head. I could hear the flames roar and crackle like an angry beast from hell, feel the heat, smoke, and rumble of engines and propellers. And then the wind came up, in 40 mph gusts; that's strong enough to sting your face and make you lose your footing. From the very beginning of this event we have been at the mercy of these evening "sundowner" winds.

Aerial Acrobatics
The larger craft are led out by smaller spotter planes

The Beast

S20 (?)

Firefighters and news crews assembled at the gates of hell

On the drive to the hotel July 4th

July fourth fortunately ended with a respite and a different kind of red glow. Cathy Mehl of USCyclingReport.com, (also an evacuated hill dweller) invited me out to a party on her friend's boat in Santa Barbara Harbor for the fireworks show. Being new in town and having only got the last truckload of belongings moved in last week, packing up to evacuate just seemed a discouraging bridge too far. Plus it's exhausting to be on red alert in your mind and soul for 36 hours even when you don't move your body all that much. Good food, dark beer and cheering for the glittering sparkles overhead, surrounded by the cool ocean breezes were just what I needed.

Like another world
the fireworks over Santa Barbara Harbor

Unofficially out of immediate danger (and unofficially back in my crib) I can hear the men yelling on the lines, choruses of chainsaws and massive water tanker helicopters flying overhead as they turn around and head back to the latest drop zone a few miles to the west... My thoughts are with all the Goletans to the west and south because the fire is heading their way. At this writing the few puffs of smoke that I saw driving home on July 1st has now grown to more than 6,600 acres.

The hillside today - July 5th

CNN (getting live coverage of a charred hillside...)

Trout Club Cheek

a couch, I'm guessing positioned by Jan and Rocky for comfortable conflagration viewing during the night shift watch

correction: it has since been discovered that Jan and Bob were responsible for the couch and are up there again this evening... fire has now consumed over 9,000 acres...

I can't wait for that first blessed bike ride (tomorrow?!) I did get to see the first stage of the 'Tour DAY Frantz' at the hotel - yes, even with all this my concern over tv access for today never left my mind. Cathy was equally concerned. She wanted to be able to catch it live at 5:30 a.m. We bike nerds are all completely mental I tell you. Certifiable!

and all is well

evening addition: To the tall, handsome men of engine co. #5 from San Gabriel who are keeping watch over our canyon tonight - thanks boys. Your broad smiles and shoulders reassure me we're in good hands. Ahhh firemen, as always they do the human race proud!

THE NEW HOTNESS

View from the deck to the west

View to the south

NBC national news trucks are stationed 1/8th mile down the slope from my house... Our area is under evacuation warning. They say the "Gap Fire" has #1 priority in the state because of its proximity to homes. It has been suggested that the fact that Arnold Schwarzenegger has a house near here doesn't hurt... Well, my bike is in the truck... Eli and his "Cat Cab" are where I can see them.

For a more comprehensive account of the situation please see fellow Santa Barbaran Marco Fanelli's blog. It's packed with photos and facts. S'mores anyone?

SOLSTICE

If you're going to do the recumbent thing I say go with the pinwheels, the rainbow whirly-gigs, dress in an Elmo suit and for chrissakes put some gold fluffy stuff in your wheels!

At the beginning of June everyone I met in Santa Barbara started talking about "Solstice". "You're going to Solstice aren't you? Everyone goes to Solstice - It's THE thing!" Well I couldn't believe that any one event/parade could be such a big deal but they were right. Solstice is a tremendous deal in Santa Barbara. I'm sure people are already planning their floats and costumes for next year.

It draws nearly the ENTIRE town - over 100,000 attend every year. The route travels for about a mile up the main drag, State Street, a gentle incline the whole way. One of the rules for this parade is every entry must be human powered only - no motors. The unspoken rule is: half naked is better! A woman in the crowd told me that in the early days there was a lot more nudity but they've toned it down recently.

The whole parade makes a turn at the mile mark that lands the whole glittery, undulating celebration by flooding into Alameda Park. There awaits a tie-dyed, new age, beaded, braided, fringed, face-painted, dread-locked, didgeridoo playing, peace nicked, tree hugging, hippie love fest extravaganza that would make Jerry Garcia shed a tear of joy. And they sell imported beer! It was so, like, conscious and metaphysical and creative and free. If you didn't know you were in California you sure as align-my-chakras know it now!

It really struck me how the whole city came out for this from every walk. I even saw elderly couples in druid-style forest spirit masks, men and women with flowers in their hair. It was beautiful, every bit of it. Like Jimi said: "I'm gonna wave my freak flag high." And Santa Barbara will welcome you if you do.

I focused on anything bicycle in keeping with our theme here. The theme of the parade, however was: "Solar Flair". Go put on some tie dye, assume your favorite yoga position and enjoy.

This stilt walker...I'll call him Father Rainbow Flowers, was going along blessing the crowd.

This is a guy named Bryan and his killer red Monster Cruiser, or was it Mega Cruiser?
The heat has made me forgetful.

This thing, whatever it is, was just so pretty.

Obviously all the triangles were painted by children.

Solstice Trike - Yeeeeaahh Dude!

Lots and lots of twirling people. Lots.

And hula hooping and drumming.

Terrific, wonderful, irresistible drumming throughout.

This is actually a homeless man who had decorated his bike for the occasion.
I found that very touching.

And speaking of incredibly cute kids.

My favorite by far. Is this not an awesome dragon?

And remember: human powered - check out the guy pushing it all the way UP State Street. Temps were in the 90s today.

This was hilarious. It's a shark ("landshark"). It belongs to a float with mermaids and a fishing boat. The shark chases the mermaids and spectators around only he did it like a bull fighter. He would chase then back off, pretend he wasn't interested and then lunge at you.

Because everyone needs a gold pyramid on casters, to, ya know, channel energy
or be a beacon for aliens, or...?

Many colorful hats

Of course Pharaoh has something to do with solstice!
Ancient Egyptians worshiped the sun god Ra - and he road a bike too!

Me.

I brought my own seating arrangements as you can see.

The finale

(I had to move out of the sun as my shoulders were frying like a potato chip).

It's a big inflated sun and if you look closely there is a girl in the middle dancing on a pole... yeah you read right.

There was also a very beautiful, Polynesian-looking young woman wearing nothing but a tiny silver g-string and a pair of tiny white floral pasties blowing on a conch shell and jumping up and down, but I decided to spare you men the trauma of such an image.

editor's note: to those of you who flocked to this blog in search of pictures of the nearly naked girl in pasties...PSYCH!

...and all the village danced, drank mead and enjoyed life on into the night until the sun rose up again.

Say Something!

Eli on the slab

Ok. Something. Please forgive the long absence. I still have nothing exciting or particularly clever to write but, death before blog idleness. My new environment is proving to be capricious indeed. Three weeks ago I was lighting fires in the potbellied stove morning and evening and now it's 95 at midday. At this writing, 8:30-ish it's still 85. But it's a dry heat! Typing at the keyboard inspires sweat. Mostly one just lies still, or runs down to the coast where it's still hot but pleasant. I've been getting in some great rides up the big hill and along the foothill routes. But not these past two days. Don't want to cook my brain. Much of this wooded enclave is still a little 19th century and setting up reliable internet connections is a royal pain in the butt. I'm currently "poaching" a signal to blog while I wait for newly ordered gizmos to arrive.

Speaking of butts and bicycles, my greatest compliment this month came from my new massage therapist (Saint) Jacob who informed me that it wasn't the painting position that had tweaked my lumbars but the fact that muscles in my butt were growing so fast from the sprinting I've been doing that my lower back couldn't balance them and gave up. HA! My back is tweaked from my massive, hard-training cycling muscles! Badge of courage. I know K2 will have something Pilates-wise to say about this...

My one pro cycling comment: Amgen in bed with ASO - Hmmm....

Kudos go out to Liz for moving her blog to Missing Saddle. And Tim for his sweet gig on Velonews' At the Back page, and Len because his writing is just consistently so damn good!

I just brought my cat up from cool, coastal Del Mar to his new home in the sweltering hills. Poor thing must think he's being tortured and that I don't like him. And now for your moment of Zen:

Eli on the rock - so glad I don't have fur

I promise something more interesting, clever and/or deep and bike related when I can get my computer down off the stack of pillows by the window and onto my desk where I can THINK!

To all my dear friends who are gleefully getting marriage licenses this week and making hasty plans to tie the knot before friends and family, a tearful and exulted CONGRATULATIONS! It's been a long road.

Yay Doug and Perry!

Peace and Love, Y'all.

Mothers Daze

I have two moms. Extraordinarily they are both named 'Katherine', only one actually spelled it "Kathryn". My adopting mother, Katherine, passed on some years ago to the great Department of Pre-Columbian Studies in the sky. I'm certain she's savoring spicy hot cacao with real Aztecs, Mayans, Olmecs and Toltecs. They're discussing how the Nazca Lines were made in languages that haven't been heard in thousands of years. Heck she's probably talking to the very people who made the Nazca lines! Anthropologist's Heaven. This would please her very much.

We always used to say that Mom had been a Mayan or some such in a past life. She used to have dreams of being chased barefoot into the jungle by Europeans. She was the first person to explain to me what the Colonialists really did to the indigenous peoples they "discovered".

I can picture her now wearing a cape of brightly colored feathers from birds long since extinct, twirling her skirts, dancing barefoot to flute music and having A BALL!

My biological mother Kathryn Garfinkel should be about 63 now. I wish I knew as much about her as the other Katherine, but alas we parted when I was brand new. Wherever she is she should know that her red-headed baby girl is doing just fine... and misses her... and hopes she has found a good life... Especailly on Mother's Day.