My wife has just returned from rural coastal Mexico. She went for a quasi high school reunion-birthday celebration-Mexican domino tournament-girls gone wild (and spouses too)-vacation sort of thing. I did not go. Not wanting to sacrifice my coveted GC spot in the Ohio Valley Spring Race Series but more than that, I could not see sitting on a beach with no access to a bike or paved roads for a week. Sorry honey. Also, we are saving for our trip to France this summer. More on that later. My wife returned from her trip oblivious to the world wide swine flu panic. Apparently the Bureau of Mexican Tourism does not want to unduly alarm their peso spending visitors. Anyway, she has yet to exhibit any symptoms but I am not taking any chances. I make her sleep in the basement with the door to the upstairs locked. In the morning I slide a thermometer under the door and have her take her temperature then return it to me for verification. Further, I have grown a Don Johnson-like half beard to trap any infectious particles before they can enter my mouth and nose. I took my hypochondria a step further at this past weekend’s version on the aforementioned coveted Ohio Valley Spring Series in Spring Valley. I did not see a spring, but there were a few valleys. I decided, that since there was finally a course with a hill and that I may be infected with the dreaded swine flu and did not want to expose my fellow racers, that I would go it alone for a while. I spent the good part of an hour by myself at anywhere from 1 to 2 minutes up the road. With about 20k to go my teammate, the other-other John, dutifully bridged up just after Texas Roadhouser Kirk Albers did the same and that was all she wrote. Alas, the beard did not help me win the race. Albers took the laurels followed by the O-O J then me for 3rd. Back in the field Pete handily took the field sprint for 4th. Here he is with scoop fully open crossing the line.

Ahh, the South of France in the summertime. Reason #3 why I did not want to go to Mexico. As you know I work for VéloSport Vacations as a cycling guide for a month or so during the summer. This year the perfect storm of our Provençal headquarters in Malaucéne at the base of Mont Ventoux and the Tour’s penultimate stage finish there gives me the opportunity to try something I have wanted to do for a while. There is a local cycling club called Club des Cinglés du Mont Ventoux, which translated means something like the nuts of Ventoux, who issue certificates to anyone who can climb all three ascents in a single day. They give you a passbook that you have stamped at the bakery in Malaucéne then at the gift shop at the summit, then at the bar in Bedoin and so on. I will make my attempt sometime during the week of July 12 depending on weather and client arrival preparations. I have done all three sides separately. Via Malaucéne is the hardest, Sault is the easiest but longest. I am looking forward to the beer and pizza I will demolish that evening. In preparation I have been watching this Monty Python clip.

Lastly, it is Mothers Day this Sunday. I know you want to go race the Joe Martin Stage race in Arkansas but is that really the wisest choice? Why not take your mother, or your wife if she is a mother, on a nice tandem ride? Hey, maybe this would make a nice t-shirt logo for the 2 Johns…