From: Richard B. 

On Mon, 24 Jul 2006 11:17:42 -0400, "John Beamish"
 wrote:

>I missed the first week (and half of the cycling drama) but followed it
>afterwards -- especially the last week.
>

I missed a couple of days, we were in Hannibal Mo for our yearly trek to
the MIL and they don't watch a lot of cycling there. 

>We got to see twice each day:  in the morning ("live") with
Phil Leggett
>and Paul Sherwin providing excellent commentary and in the evening with
>the same video feed but much of Phil and Paul edited out and two other
>guys (whose commentary was so "homer" that it was annoying -- and, I'm
>sure to many Americans it was cringe-inducing -- that V and I often turned
>the sound off).

I think OLN had it on it least 3 times, generally I watched it at night or
noon if I could.  I use to think Bob Roll was an idiot but he's funny,
almost unbelievable he did the tour.  I watched one evening when they
forgot to edit out the open mike...a guy goes over the guardrail and  Roll
goes something like "GODDAMN that must have hurt!"

>As for the drugs, chemical/biological enhancement these days is so far
>ahead of the chem/bio detection that you have to be really dumb to get
>caught.

Looks like they are having more luck catching it at the source and not
afterward, as they did at the tour.  The real crime is the glory and honors
they steal from the ones who are clean.  Some things simply can't be made
right again.

>Which brings up the obvious question:  if he does return and is
>successful, is an artificial hip a legal advantage?

I think it will be, it's not like it is adding to performance, at most it
gives a slight advantage that it won't be prone to a 'normal' injury but it
will be offset by the body's integration of it.

>Finally, I thought my brother summed it up well:  he said athletes at that
>level in that sport are simply beasts and he doesn't know how they do it.

Most are gifted in the genes.  If you are given an high VO2 max your
jogging would be faster than my sprinting.   It's those who have
been given the bodies AND who will do the tough training that will get to
the very pinnacle of their chosen sport baring major injury.  Some have so
much talent and just don't have the will to do the work, some have less
talent but will bust a gut getting better.  Best of both worlds and you
have a Lance Armstrong or Haile Gebrselassie.

>btw -- if you want to buy a Parlee bike you might be interested in knowing
>that their composite is Airbus composite:  when Airbus orders some, the
>manufacturer sells "off cuts" to Parlee.

Maybe AirBus should consider going into bikes full time, given their financial woes.

I have a nearly 30 y.o. steel rustbucket and given my Scottish nature I
can't quite see buying anything else.   My wife has a Cervelo, which
I did test ride when she bought it.  Dang that puppy fast!

If I ever buy a new bike I it would be something befitting my skill, so I
guess I'd have to buy my current bike from me.

- Richard

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