Le Tour in London

The Tour de France Prologue and Grand Depart came to London this weekend along with all the fanfare that goes with it. Despite the event being in a major credibility slum, there was still a massive turn-out in town for the Prologue Time Trial which ran 8kms around the Westminster & the Royal Parks. We took a prime position along the Serpentine in Hyde Park and cheered on Aussies McEwen (on the left), Rogers, Evans and O'Grady (who took a turn too wide and axed himself) and also our favourite Kazakhi pixie Vinokourov (on the right). Cancellara (up top) was the only rider to break the 9 minute mark whilst Kloden (below) took second and came pretty close. The local-Brit Wiggins got the biggest cheer of the day but only managed 4th.

The Grand Depart left town this morning on the way to Canterbury and then onto France for the rest of the 3000km or so. Go Team.

Wimbledon

The rain didn't let us down too badly. Saw Venus smash through, Nadal psyche up to come back from two down to get over Youzhny and Naidisova give up 2 match points to let Ivanovic through.

Federer and Ferrero had just gotten started but the weather moved in before they could finish the first set. Bummer. Still, we got a taste of Federer's power and accuracy (like every ball within 2 foot of the baseline) and Ferrero was also playing above himself, nailing the two best winners of the set with backhand punishers.

Patrick Watson

"Celebrate your dreams while you are awake". Charmer.



Check him out. pure voice. nice guy.

Glastonbury

was good.
Mud was shit.
And everywhere.
But it's Glastonbury.
And it went like this.

Greenfields wander.
Darning and didge lessons.
Pear cider by the litre.
Random conversation.
3-string trance boogie Dog House. Awesome.
Weed brownie offers.
I drank whisky. She Drinks Whisky.
Wellies table dancing.
Song 2 Silent Disco Jump Around. Kwality
Saami Yoik morning.
Mud getting us down. Johnny Marr Floats On.
To what Must be the Moon. Mint.

Felt like the first day of the rest of my life,
until skanky Amy. Just go.
A rare piece of sunshine Magic,
took us to singing spanish techno.

Sister Bloody Muther Fucking Asshole Wainwright.
Brother Rufus Get Happy. Highlight.
Wake Up. Spine tingling yell along.
Venus. Somehow pulled off a pearler.
Brakes' all night disco party breakfast spliff.
Chai Meander.
Support the Sydneysider.
Lily rocked out with the Specials and left us all with a smile.
Jo got hasty with Paolo.
Ask the DJ. We did as the sun went down.
Bibb just held attention. Decent enough.
Fogerty's Woodstock connection.
The Killers suck. Pardon? We bore this as long as we could. Whatever.
Iggy - loose and scary. Crap song - great happenings.
OneTaste for a stellar late night classic dance party kicked off by Scroobius and his Letter from God. Sound.

Happy Birthday Jo! Hope you enjoyed last night's wedges and today's wig dress-ups.
A tired weed-haze Marley morning Exodus singalong.
Cold War Blues.
Kate Couldn't Stand Pete. Boogied though.
Ange fell in the mud after Scott Matthews.Haha!
Beirut were all horned up.
Amp and Corinne worked it like this for us.
We dropped with Fat Freddy after his Maida Vale session.
And skiffled with their generation.
Beth controlled us through another highlight. Really good.
Another onetaste and that's a wrap.
Muddy, tired, blistered, altered, happy. Not as momentous as our 2005 initiation but still rock solid. Bring on next year and may the sun be shining for once!

Pas-de-Calais

Thought I’d make a guest appearance for this weekend’s trip given it was for my birthday and it was quiet an unconventional trip for us. My initial thoughts, including up until we boarded the ferry, were a little reserved.

Basically we took bikes down to Dover on the train, went over to Calais on the ferry and cycled around France for two days. Now it’s the kind of trip that sounds great as an idea but in practise is a lot of effort and hard work. My general thoughts were why do I let my husband talk me into these things…why, why, why!? And for those that don’t know Ash enthusiastically rides around London day in day out loving every minute of it whereas I on the other hand like riding but the traffic and hussle and bussle puts me off.

Anyway, I got through picking up my bike on the Friday night because Ash meet me and escorted me home via a gig in Camden. Lucky we had chained my bike seat properly to my bike as someone tried to steal it in broad daylight!

So at a bright and early 5.15am we ride down to Charing Cross and board a train for Dover. The weather forecast was thundery showers with a lightning bolt icon so we were a bit worried but we had no rain at all in France. It was windy which is not great on a bike but hot also and we picked our route wisely to avoid heading directly into the wind.

We stayed in a lovely B & B that was an old water mill and it had a wonderful restaurant and great local wine so we happily spent the night there. Rode via the coast on the way home and Ash managed a dip in the sea. I had three hills I couldn’t manage but Ash powered through, pretending to be a cheer squad to help me along and yelling out things like ‘think your on a step machine’ in an attempt to motivate me?!

It was a very enjoyable weekend and one we would do over again in a flash.