The Tour and a Sundry of other things Velo

Sunday morning came fast and riding at 6am was slightly unfeasible, but managed to drag my ass out of bed, put bike kit on and ride by 7am. Had an ambitious plan of taking the same route as last Sunday's, but figured I'd miss the closing of the Tour de France. So, I did the typical......Capital Crescent Trail - Rock Creek route - Downtown and back up Capitol Hill. Riding up was pretty fast......actually faster than usual all 7 miles of climbing up to Bethesda averaging 17mph. I discovered a technique, well.....more like just discovering it from watching Tour de France coverages......to physically taking deep breaths and slow exhales. Just like diving......apparently it distributes the oxygen better and relieves the burning sensations in my legs.
So the climb up to Bethesda was faster than usual arriving in Bethesda around 7:35-7:40 and blazing down towards Rock Creek and averaging 20mph. The 22 mile loop took me about 1hr....a personal record and cruised down towards downtown and eventually back up on the hill.
I should be taking pictures en route, but I'm not quite sure why I don't......I'm in the mindset that I'm in trining and could not be bothered by stopping and enjoy the scenery. The surroundings may look the same/similar, but there are always nuances and differences with differing weather. The angle of the sunlight, the humidity creating a different hue, etc.......especially in the fall.
Anyways, after the ride I caught the last stage of the Tour de France where Cavendish, again, made that incredible sprint.

Ok, here's my 2 cents on the Tour-
I love it, I love it, I love it........
There's not a single spectacle on earth that matches it......at least I think so.
20 days (plus 3 rest days) and over 3200km (2000 miles) travelled in approximately 89hrs.
The overall winner, does not necessarily have to win a stage.......absurd? Perhaps.....
Beyond categorization? Absolutely!
I'm not sure why only Tour de France gets the spotlight in cycling; there's also Giro D'Italia and Vuelta a Espana. They both have the same amount of stages and mountainous terrains. But, not as hard? Not sure.......
In any case, these types of sporting events defy the so-called human endurance, abilities and limits.

So, as I watched the peloton approach Paris during the last stage, which typically is a formality, everyone is riding together without any notion to race, until Paris and the finish line, of course......
But, as I watched the peloton approaching the outskirts of Paris, a tear swelled up in my eyes, similarly as I am writing now and recalling that moment.........perhaps because of the scenery, perhaps I want to be a part of that camaraderie of the peloton piled on with the need and the fact that I really want to go to Paris.
I've heard that being at one of the stages is religious experience, especially if you're a cycling enthusiast.

I also love the daily drama that is dished out within the Peloton, not because it's soap opera like, but the drama that is the human endurance experience, the strategy, the technique of climbing, the rhythmic side to side sway of the bicycle when its rider stands on the pedals, the constant repetitive revolution of the pedals.......all those elements of cycling.......it is hypnotizing!