life @ 13

pictures are updated, and i fixed the album to display everyting in the order it was uploaded. 

so the last couple days were pretty flat, only a couple 150m climbs on the last day of riding. nice cloud cover so it wasn't too hot, which can be a problem because we're at a fairly low altitude. started using the ipod to pass the somwhat boring stretches down the autopista -- this time my brain was warmed by the waves of woodpecker. Fabian (the big german, Jan Ullrich), riding a $30 used shitty bike kept up really well and only complained a little. Julian (Richard Virenque -- dancing on the pedals) had been catapulting himself and 100 lbs of bike and gear up the mountains and was happy spend some time riding in the gearwise-lean-and-mean american's wake on the flats.

we're all eating constantly...after a couple days on the road the general rule is to eat 4 big meals, 2-3 big snacks, and cookies, fruit and bread throughout the day. some days i'm sure the caloric intake tops 7000. personally, i love feeling like a black hole for chicken, rice and potatoes.

i'm still trying to learn how to distinguish between the gunshots, fireworks, and backfiring cars on the street. i'm pretty sure what i heard at 6am in buga (the last town before cali) was the first of the three. around here in the cities, though, it's not really a big deal.