Vive Le Tour!

In a few short (long) hours I'm off to Le Tour. My bags are packed, I have my stage maps, a cheat sheet to say "I don't speak French", and the folder is ready to ride. I should be able to catch stages 11, 12, and 13. And then hopefully 14 and 15. I have learned that the town I'm getting of the Train at is the largest nudist center in Europe, so that'll be interesting, and the town I'm staying in is the home of Noilly Pratt vermouth, so cheers with the Martinis!

Here's how the folder shaped up with the modifications:


The mag wheels are supposedly "indestructible" (within reason obviously) it helps that they are cheap too! The cork grips are beaucoup comfy, I changed out the brake levers and added a rear bmx brake. Gone are the rack and fenders, I swapped the saddle to a TT saddle and the rear wheel has a freewheel rather than a coaster brake. I also swapped out the chain to a SRAM PC-1, 1/8" chain to go with the 1/8" freewheel on the rear. I swapped the folding plastic pedals first for spds, but then back out to some big ol' platform pedals to support normal shoes and reduce the number of footwear I have to take. It rides ok, it certainly isn't my road bike,
but it ships for free and will give me some good stories I'm sure. I took the water bottle cage back off the handlebars for packing reasons and I'm going to leave it off. I bought a daypack that I will likely ride with that has a pocket for a bottle.

In other top news, my bikes will have a place of their own to live again when I get back, I'm moving in to a room in a house owned by a musician in town here. It's pretty sweet digs and I'm very psyched about it. Walking or riding distance to damn near everything I need.