Quiet Time

Alot of early morning bike rides since I have been here. Since the Sun comes up at like 4 and I don't 'have' to be to work till 9:30, I find that it works out good to squeeze in a ride if it looks like its going to be a long day.

Anyway, London is amazingly quiet early in the morning, especially on the weekends. I guess everyone is sleeping of their hangovers and such, there just isn't around. Not sure if its more quiet than Tulsa but the difference from busy to not busy is much more extreme. Its nice to be alone with my thoughts, and actually get a chance to look around and enjoy the sights of London rather than dodging traffic and pedestrians. The only drawback I have found is that I get some really weird songs in my head and just can seem to shake them out. Been stuck on Gaga's you and I for like a week.

This morning I went through Hyde Park past Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey Horseguards, Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace all in the span of 15 minutes or so. Would take hours in a car by midday.

Hyde Park literally just me and some birds,

and Buckingham Palace, just me and a random guy and some guards with sub machine guns.

Paris for Cyclists

Its been awhile since we got back from Paris, and I got to thinking that the best part for me (or at least the most intersting part) was seeing all the sights from the Tour up close and personal. So in honor of Sunday's upcoming spin around Paris, I thought everyone might enjoy some of the sights.

Its almost become commonplace for me to see things that I wouldn't have ever imagined 12 months ago, and this was no different. If you have any DVDs of the Tour go watch the circuits around Paris and then come back to look at the pics.

Our hotel was on the Rue de Rivoli, it is the stretch before the Plas de la Concorde leading to the Champs. I am hoping we will be back to sit in the lobby and watch the race pass by.

A couple of blocks to the left of our hotel was the Louvre, the tunnel the riders pass goes below the garden's of the Louvre.

Left turn onto the Rue de Rivoli, in front of the familiar statue.

Another left turn onto the Plas de la Concorde

Then a long way up the Champs. It is surprisingly uphill.

No wonder they are always trying to ride in the gutter. All the streets are paved in cobbles, and doesn't look like they have been trying to ensure the quality or smoothness of them.

Racing Update

To be honest not alot to report about what has been going on on the bicycle for me. No great highlights from racing, but some interesting things have happened since we last talked.

Tuesday nights now are crits at Crystal Palace. We race on part of the old motor racing circuit (Gran Prix and Formula 2) from all the way back to the '30s. They even had races there a couple of weeks back, and had put up Armco barriers all the way around, the course, which made it super scary if you ever got within two feet of the edge of the road. Anyway, here are some pics from my recent outings.

We don't start racing till 7:15, so you can see its getting dark by the time you finish the race.

On more positive news I beat my first member of the British Cycling National Team last week. I know pretty impressive, a former U23 National Time Trial Champion vs. Bob. Yeah not that impressive, it was a girl. Emma Trott raced with us last week, and pretty sure she was just on a easy training ride, while my eyes were about to pop out of my head. At one point I think I saw her doing Sudoku on her handlebars while we were racing.

Also in Richmond Park, where the deer and other creatures run wild, I saw one of the rarest of animals. I was out super early on Sunday trying to get home at a decent time when what did I see, standing on the side of the road? A wild BIG MAGGY!! I didn't want to stop and take a picture, a wild animal like that, you just never know how they are going to react.

Magnus Backstedt is commentating the Tour for the Eurosport, and is obviously in London for the duration. Maybe I will run into him again, and see if I can get a pic or something.

Delayed!!

I am writing this from the train, literally parked 500 yards outside of Paddington Station. Apparently, someone was hit by a train this afternoon and it has caused sever delays. So I say this not upset at the person who got hit, but more inquisitive about the chain of events that happened afterwards. Let me elaborate on my situation.

1. Stopped on the tracks 500 yards from my destination, for 45 minutes now
2. Within 2 miles of my flat, could have walked home by now
3. Getting passed left and right by tube trains and 'slow' trains

Very confused as to why we can't go on another track or divert somewhere else. Its pretty frustrating paying extra and waiting for the fast train, just to watch the train you avoided because it was slow, pass you by. Kinda the tortoise and the hare I guess.

Because of the delay the people working the snack bar had to get off early and head back the other direction. I am so hungry I am about to start chewing on my shoe. Ahhhh, public transit, gotta love it.

British Open #2

Nicole and Jeremy are in town on their way to Warsaw, and we were taking the once in a lifetime opportunity to go to the British Open. Well, let me start by saying that our day did not go as planned. Not sure that if given the chance I would do it again, at least not with yesterday's conditions. Friday was 75 and sunny so we were hopeful of a glorious day of golf on Saturday, but were hugely disappointed.

Our day started by hearing raindrops on the roof of the conservatory, and a frantic dash to make our train to Sandwich. Disaster #1 averted, we made the train, only to find that it was standing room only. No problem though, we were still filled with excitement for the day to come. We arrived in Sandwich at 10 AM, right on time, and just as we got off of the train walked past what seemed to be a normal house with a normal car backing out of the driveway, only to find out that it had something very special inside. Apparently Rickie Fowler was staying in host housing right next to the course, and he was on his way to warm up as we passed by. Window down, his hair as large and in charge as ever, I gave him a go pokes and we showed him our guns, he flashed em' back, and was off down the road. I can only imagine that the positive vibes from Oklahoma put his mind at ease, and was the key to his fantastic round later in the day. This was the one and just about only highlight in our day, and it had just begun. We turned around after watching Rickie's car drive down the road, to see a huge back-up of people, thus beginning our comedy of errors.

Straight away it became very clear that the infrastructure of Sandwich was not going to be able to accommodate the influx of people which the British Open was bringing to the city, or as I think may be more appropriately termed a town, hamlet or village. What had been described as a '15 minute' walk from the station to the course, was clearly going to take much longer than that.

The first traffic jam, which I just mentioned was due to the fact that we were required to all funnel from a closed street full from curb to curb, into a single file walkway between two hedges. Didn't seem the best route, but who was I to say...laughed it off, and moved on, excited to see Cowboys tee off at 10:30.

Shortly there after it started to mist on us, no problem, put on the rain coat, and continued on down the road. Stop and go walking now, and can't seem to understand why. Turns out we were taking turns with cars to cross the road. Gave up on the 10:30 tee times at this point, but soldiered on, a bit upset now.

By now we had been walking and stopping for a good 30 min, and were in the middle of a wheat field with no indication of anything which looked like a golf course in sight. Finally at about 10:45, we reached a opening and could see the entrance to the course and tournament. Unfortunately, we were at the back of a line which went all the way round this field, and were stopped dead in our tracks. Now I was in full on road rage mode, cussing anything and everything that was keeping us from getting in. Turned out that the biggest slow down was the result of a set of zig zagged barriers which they had so graciously placed right in front of the entrance.

They must have hired Stephen Hawking or some other genius to help at this point, because they realized there was no purpose for everyone to have to walk through the barriers, and we finally got moving. Smooth sailing straight through 'security', which if you could see me I am writing with finger quotes, because they didn't instill much confidence. 1. The cell phones which the security guard had spent the previous 30 minutes saying he would find and confiscate, went undetected, and 2. My lunch which was wrapped in aluminum foil didn't raise any suspicion. Didn't feel any more secure, but was now inside the tournament, so I couldn't care less. Well our 15 minute walk ended up taking nearly 2 hours, all the people we were looking to see tee off were already gone, and did I mention it was raining?

It rained/misted/drizzled on and off (more on than off) for the next 7 hours, and we gradually descended into hypothermia. Jeremy could see his breath, and prayed for the 107 degrees in Tulsa. Funny what a little perspective can do. I was so cold that I was willing to try anything to warm up, including putting every piece of clothes that we brought, even Nicole's extra jacket. Next I tried to eat every piece of food we brought, sorry Jeremy the cookies were good, but just ended up cold and a bit sick.

We eventually ended up sitting at the 9th green to watch all the leaders pass through, and then called it a day. Got to see Hansen hole out for eagle, but other than that there wasn't much to see. It was clear to see that the weather had sapped the energy out of anything and everything.

Couple of covert pics from the camera phone, not the best, but since both phones and cameras were not allowed, they aren't too bad.

First green from the first fairway9th Green

We should have known seeing this early in the day that we were going to be in for a long one.

Random Thoughts

So as I was coming home from work I thought to myself that it is really strange how some things which had been so frowned upon are just accepted now. And I am talking about butt cracks. Saw three butt cracks today and nobody not even the crackee really seemed to care. What ever happened to the ridicule that went with plumbers crack? Believe me nobody needs to see that on anyone. So join me in pointing and laughing next time you see a crack, and maybe we can change the world.

British Open

If anyone is watching the Open tomorrow (Saturday) keep your eyes open for me. I am wearing ORANGE in support of the whole bunch of Cowboys that are going to make the cut. Orange shirt black pants and hat, and a huge smile on my face. Go pokes!!!

Wood and Silverware

Wood and silverware are the traditional and modern 5th wedding anniversary gifts. Since I am pretty sure Bob doesn't want that for his gift I decided to make a little photo timeline to celebrate.

April 1999 -  High School Seniors



Spring 2000 -  College Freshmen

OKC Summer 2004

Las Vegas Thanksgiving 2005

Engagement Pictures Spring 2006

Our Wedding July 2006

Happiest Day of my Life!

PWC Party Fall 2006

Christmas 2006 - Our first Christmas with our first puppy

New Year's Eve 2006 - We were (still are) obsessed
with our dog and took her everywhere.

Spring 2007

Our First Anniversary
Yes we had lived in that house a year and  still didn't have a kitchen table.
Don't worry we got one.  Eventually. 

Our 10 year High School Reunion - Fall 2009

August 2010 - Our first trip to London to find our flat.

Stonehenge - Bob's 30th Birthday - Dec 12 2010

Our first and only Christmas in London - Dec 2010

March 2011

Paris - Kristen's 30th Birthday

June 2011 - Trip back home to T-town

Happy Anniversary! Thanks for making all my dreams come true. I Love You!

Stomp

I guess I have been feeling a bit bored or at least lacking culture, because I asked Kristen to find us a show to go and see this weekend. I probably should have put a caveat in specifically regarding which show I wanted to see but everything worked out in the end.

Luckily when we went to the discount ticket booth, shows like Dirty Dancing and Ghost were not available. I think it was Kristen's present to me to give in and get the tickets to stomp instead.

Show was in the Ambassadors theatre which felt about a million years old. Probably not more than 500 seats there, but when its that small there is not a bad seat in the house. We got lucky and were in a row with extra leg room, which was a bonus for me, not sure Kristen really cared.

The show itself was great. Not sure what I was expecting but it definitely delivered. They 'played' just about anything you could think of, from inner tubes to Zippos, even the kitchen sink.

Here they are playing the sinks, sorry the pic is so bad, it was dark and I was taking covert pics trying not to get caught.

I highly recommend it if they end up in a town near you or if you end up in London.

Independence Day

So it was a little weird celebrating our freedom from Britain in Britain, but we still had a good day.  I was sad there weren't any fireworks, but I guess we got them in November for Guy Fawkes Day.

We celebrated a day in early at an American get together in Portman Square. There were lots of Americans, food and music.

We started off with some BBQ. Bob had ribs and I had a pulled pork sandwich. They were good, but still not as good as BBQ in America.

After his ribs, Bob needed a nap.

View while we were laying on our blanket, listening to music.

Portman Square

Dessert!

We got Fluffer Nutter and Cookies and Cream

Whoopie Pies might be a my new obsession. I ordered a book and pan so I can make my own. They are cross between a cookie and a cake.  They are better than a cupcake because the frosting is smushed between the two halves instead of just on the top. Bob likes them too. Come visit and I will make you some.

Then some popcorn to finish off the day.