New York August 6th 2007

Weekend report:

Well, there was no cycling this weekend but lots of visits to bike shops and diners -but more about that later.

I checked my weight this morning - total gain now 4.5 lbs in one week but at least the rate of climb seems to be slowing. Only 5 more days to go.

Went to the gym Friday night and did 30 minutes running and weights. Went again Saturday morning and did an hour on the bike cadence 90average heart rate 148. I nearly had a seizure!!! My fitness has gonedown severely since the Etap. I suffered badly.

I made up for the exercise by walking the 40 blocks to the bike shop stopping on the way to refuel on steak and eggs, toast and coffee. A good traditional American breakfast.

The bike shop was fantastic (Bicycle Renaisance 81st and Columbus). They run their own team using Pinarello frames and just started stocking Look frames in the last couple of months. They had the Look 595 frame in bothblack and white (loads of other Look frames as well). The 595 is very impressive. The seatpost is part of the frame. They also had the Pinnarello Paris Carbon (used by one of the teams in the Tour) and theOrbea used by Euskatel (?). They knew what they were talking about and I went round the back to the very impressive workshops where they werebuilding one of the Look 595s into a bike for delivery to a customer.

Went to a couple of other bike shops including a Bianchi dealer, but they were not as impressive in their presentation. More regular bikeshops rather than the professional shop I first went to.

Then went to the Apple shop and bought a selection of IPods (a shuffle,a nano and an 30 gb video model) and the Harley Davidson shop for some souvenir T shirts for my son and nephew (they like to havethe same shirts).

On Saturday night myself and a colleague went to the new Transformers movie. I had very low expectations but it was really good. I think it is aimed at teenagers (like myself) and was certainly not for kids as it had adult humour and content. Worth going to see if you are at a loose end.

Sunday got up late, decided not to do the NY Half marathon. Didn't wantto show up the Etheopian fella Haille Gabrisomething who won in 59minutes or the other 10,000 runners. Besides, my knee is sore after running Friday night. Went to an American diner for pancakes, eggs and bacon, then Macy's for the wife's cosmetics. Wandered down to Union Square (20th Street) then back to the hotel. Day gone.

The Americans have not heard of F1 so I did not get the result until this morning at work (no coverage in the papers either.

So no frame purchase, but the Look was a bargain, Pinarello was lovely and I wouldn't have minded the Orbea.