Stage 20 20090725

I wanted to ride a short ride up the route to get a better biew of the race, but by the time we got to the vineyard (where we were eating and watching the race) the race directors had called our director to let us know the road to Mt. Ventoux was closed 100 km winds at the top, they weren’t allowing anyone thru, not even just 10 km, so I hung around in the little village near the TerraVentoux vineyards w/ Paula, Tim, Maura & Patrick. This also meant that the riders who signed up for D-day (doing the stage like the pros on the same day complete w/ full support, radios, etc could not do the climb up Ventoux.. bummer for them) Then back to the vineyard to eat our light lunch, drink wine and wait for the stage

Pics are here,
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=83955&id=1038297795&l=49969704b9

Long ride back to the hotel in Nimes. Once there, quick shower then to dinner. At the end of dinner they gave out awards, yellow jersey went to Spencer…pretty hard core rider. Spencer had to give a speech and he was saying how his wife and best friend put this trip together for his 50th and how at one point since they were talking so much he thought they were having an affair. Courtney won the most km award cuz she was always ready to get out there and ride ride ride everyday, then they announced the award for the most determined rider and they gave it to me for my efforts up Cole de Romme. On the way up Romme, I ran into the former pro cyclist, Nick Gates. He wanted to take my back pack for me (it had the camera, etc, cuz I was going to hang out near the top to get pics) I told him that I brought it I will carry it, then I asked him to take my pic of me suffering. Then when I made it back to the bus, he thought to himself, "I'll be damn, she made it to the top! Good for her!" Then I had to give a speech. I was starting to tear up on the way up there, already. I accepted the bottle of wine & yellow TDF shirt w/ “Kim a Unsung Hero, Bikestyles Staff 2009” written on it, then they made me give a speech. So I start w/ “Some of you already know this, but most of you don’t, 20 months ago, I had a stroke and was paralyzed on the left side. I had to relearn to walk, etc.” I look at Dawn (fellow Texan and she’s crying..great). I pause to compose myself and Michelle or Courtney says, “it’s ok, go on” so I tell a little bit more, then about how I was determined to get to the top of Romme. So I end it with and this vacation is my celebration tour. As I walk back to my seat everyone stands up and applauds.

2 days later I still tear up when I think about Romme. As much as I feel that I have accepted the stroke, I don’t think I will ever completely get over it, I mean I can deal w/ the day to day issues (struggling to put my hair in a pony tail, having to constantly backspace when typing, really force myself to smile in pics so my left side isn’t drooping) but, it could be so much worse, so I can’t complain, esp when within the past month, 2 friends of friends have had strokes at very young ages 27 & 34, and I was very lucky. I can have my moments of emotions, just wish they would leave so I can figure out how to get to the Louvre! 30 more mins and I’ll figure it out.

Will update about the white hats and the final stage tomorrow!