March 21, 2005
Jersey and shorts!
Market, disco, fashion showTan Line Update
Last week was beautiful and warm. I finally dared to ride around with just a jersey and shorts and it was fabulous. Tan lines are cropping up everywhere among the staff and there have been several red faces. I'm keeping my tan lines under control with sunscreen. Today, however, it's cloudy and grey, and the forecast looks wet for the entire week. Click here for a tan line update from Martina.I had a big training week -- almost 22 hours. This week I'm tapering to prepare for the VOLCAT, a 3-day MTB stage race on March 25, 26, 27. I'm really looking forward to it.
Thursday I skipped out on guiding and went to check out the weekly market in Tossa.
MTB Action
Friday I got to go for a fun mtb ride with Simon and his group of guests. Simon had really bad luck all week. He broke a frame, a spoke, his rear derailleur hanger... there may have been more, but I can't remember. By Friday, his bike was out of comission and he had also wrecked Jogi's, so he was riding a rental hardtail. When I watched his riding style, I realized why he broke so much stuff. He just pointed downhill and hit anything in his path. Typical guy style!The ride was great. Simon didn't break anything that day (I must be the lucky charm) and he took us down this great singletrack called Geisbock. It was so loose and dry, and there was such a deep rut, you just had to get your tires in the groove, put your stomach on the seat and hold on. I think I impressed the guys we were riding with. When I first got there, they sprinted ahead and led on the downhills, but when it got tricky and they saw me riding everything, I got some respect and they let me take the lead.
Disco
Friday night I let loose in the disco. There weren't very many people and the music was pretty lame, but Martina, Andri and I lit up the dance floor anyway. It was pretty great. P.S. Lisa, they played "Pump it Up." I was so excited!Favourites
Words: elefanteuse (German for 'elephantine') -- One of our favourite guests, a cute old man with glasses and a mop haircut, used this word regarding his shoe size; Regenwurm (German for 'earthworm') -- When Martina was talking about her boyfriend, Neill (see boy of the week #1), she said: "Who's Neill? An earthworm?" Random.Snack: Mikado
Possible Lance sighting
I may or may not have seen Lance during my ride yesterday. Near Girona, this tall skinny cyclist came from the other direction pulling a trail-a-bike with a young boy in the back. They were both wearing matching blue jerseys and both weren't wearing helmets.... Would Lance let his kid ride sans helmet??Stike a pose
Last night we had the weekly fashion show. This time I got Nicholas to take some photos for me. Thanks!Tour de Catalunya
The first stage of the Tour de Catalunya came right past the resort today. I was guiding a group, but I managed to talk the guests into riding part way up the San Grau climb. It was foggy, cold and windy (yeah, that's right, the weather has turned again), but it was worth it. For several minutes before the first rider came through, about 40 motorcycles and 20 cars drove by. Then the leader hammered by, all dressed in red. He was several minutes ahead of the peleton, but I have a feeling the group worked hard afterwards to pull him back. I'll check the results later. Behind the peleton came the line of shiny team cars with shiny team bikes on the roof. It was all so swanky and pro looking! And behind the team cars came the poor guys who had been dropped. And behind them, came about 10 more police motorcycles.Girl of the Week (Just for you, Colin!!)
