Sunshine and Light

So last year Chris and I were at Paris-Roubaix. We caught the end of Sector 18, then sprinted about a mile which got us to the start of Sector 16 in time to see the peloton come through. At the same time we were doing that, some other members of our party had pulled the van we came in up the cobbles until it was a few hundred feet from the start of Sector 16. Chris got to the start of 16 a few minutes before I did, and made his way further down the cobbles by the time the riders came in. So after I watched a bunch of riders come through, I walked down the cobbles until I saw the van, at which point the guys were frantically digging through my backpack. "Where's the toilet paper?! Where's the toilet paper?!"

er..ok... I gave them the roll and they disappeared around a little hillock.

So it turns out that a Canadian rider in Paris-Roubaix was...er...having a little intestinal problem. Of the messy stinky variety that you would hate to have in the middle of a 6 hour race. So he had pulled over, and first tried to use his arm warmers to clean up when he was done. Then the toilet paper, before he got back on the bike for another 3 hours on the road (poor guy!!!).

But things are looking up, Ryder Hesjedal is now sitting in 10th in the Tour of California.

Oh and Chris thought about liberating those arm warmers he left behind until he got a good luck at them. And considering we were in the car for about 6 more hours, I'm sure the smell would have been overwhelming, I'm glad he didn't go for those.