Achievement Unlocked - 100 Posts

Who would have thought that 100 posts later I'd still be doing this. Kind of hard to believe that this blog has turned out as well (in my opinion... it's possible I've got low expectations though...) as it has. I can only hope that if you've read through a good portion of the posts that you've found something useful, insightful or at the very least humorous out of my ongoing saga. This blog has certainly helped me, if only to give me an outlet for reviewing my own accomplishments (however meager) and failures. (however astounding) It's also given me a chance to do something I enjoy, which is write, despite the fact that my High School English teacher would say I'm fairly lousy at it. (Too many parenthesis and Ellipsis...)

The most exciting time of the year in sports is also upon us. It's the one month out of twelve that I get to reverse the roles most of my friends enjoy and spout off stats and wins that nobody else has any clue about. That's right... tour time.

The most important questions must still be answered... like "What Stem is that?"

I'm excited about this year's tour... I think there is at least a small chance that we have an interesting race for yellow. I could be totally off of course and Sky could continue it's overwhelming dominance, but I suspect that at least Saxo will try to make things interesting. And of course there is my secret guilty pleasure of rooting for Cavendish to rack up stage wins.

I also have some small hope that every other word won't  be about doping this year. Unfortunately after Froome's TUE and Kreuziger's current woes that seems like a pretty vain hope. I want to believe we've turned a corner in cycling... but I'm afraid I just don't. But of course this blog doesn't want to get that serious, so let's just pretend that all is right.

Rainbows and Unicorns farting Sunshine!! All is happy in the world!

As for life in the realm of mortals (that is...me) this Saturday is the Tour de Rocky Top 100 miler, again featuring the miserable challenging Cat2 climb up Butterfly Gap. While I'm an ok climber, I certainly wouldn't say I enjoy it... but nonetheless I'll be making my way to the top once more this year, hopefully without adding on a couple of miles. (we got lost last year and ended up with around 110 miles.) If I were in a little bit better shape I'd consider racing to the top for the climber's jersey, but I will have to be satisfied with just making it up to the top. :)

Last year it took about 6:45 to be done (of course there was some wandering and slow riding, and the extra miles) and I'd like to be done in under 6 at the absolute max.

Last year's route... a little different, but all the important parts are still there :)

So, happy 4th of July to everyone. Have fun, blow stuff up, eat and most importantly be safe! Enjoy the start of the Tour on Saturday and give me a thought and little mental push to get me to the top!

Thanks so much for being a part of all 100 posts! Here's hoping to hundreds more :) Without seeing the views this blog gets there's no way I would have stuck with it... so thanks to you all even if you're just a silent face behind a keyboard!

- Christopher Morelock