Paris-Nice, Stage 1

Here's the AutoGrill restaurant where we ate. Kind of like the Kearney Arch, eh?

This will be short (again) because it's now Tuesday morning and my plans to write an entry last night were foiled by a malfunctioning tether system.

Can you figure out what's going on here?

Basically, Monday's stage went fairly well for me. Brent Bookwalter did crash, which is never good, but I got comments from him, John Lelangue and Tejay van Garderen, as well as Philippe Gilbert in French. So that was good. I also had a conference call and a bunch of the usual stuff to do but the bonus was that I was staying at a different hotel than the team. Normally, this isn't the best situation. But I've learned that it can actually be a good one. The key is to get there soon enough to enjoy it. So as soon as we arrived at the team hotel, hospitality director Jacques Michaud and I took our own car and zoomed to a Kyriad Hotel. There, I enjoyed my own room (pictures below) and a nice dinner at a restaurant just 200 meters down the way at the same highway rest stop. Overall, it was a good night.

The dessert selection was pretty good tonight.

I saw this at the restaurant last night and immediately had to order it.

Check out the traffic in Paris.

There's my bio sheet in the corner. AG2R was the only other team to supply press information.

The press center was in a gymnasium.

Check out the construction just outside Paris.

The bathroom was not very scenic.

The area near the finish line featured this canal. Pretty scenic.

Jacques Michaud and I high-tailed it from the team hotel to our hotel.

Tons of little amenities, which is surprising for a three-star hotel.

This looked pretty stark and barren. But it worked fine.

My room at the Kyriad Hotel was a bit no frills, but well-lit and spacious.

Traveling with Jacques Michaud in France is great. Everyone knows him.

Jacques Michaud and I stayed at the Kyriad Hotel, about 45 km from the team hotel.

The view from the restaurant overlooks the highway. Reminds me of the Kearney Arch.

Not the healthiest, but well-deserved and probably not possible the rest of the race.

From where I stood, you couldn't even see the finish line for Stage 1.

Food ... And The Spice Girls

Since the only thing that seems to change day-to-day here in Spain is the food, here's a look at some of the stuff that's been for offer this week.

I've also been able to work outside now and then, which has helped keep my tan going. But the sun isn't nearly as intense as it was in Omaha in November. Of course, that's not the case there now and I'm not complaining a bit. Temperatures in the mid to upper 60s are nothing to scoff at in December.

Finally, check out the Spice Girls, who made front page news here.

This chocolate cake was fabulous.

The strawberry cake was awesome, too.

Lots of vegetables. on offer.

Did not eat. Hardly looked at it (except to take this photo).

I really wonder how old these women are. They look a lot older than they say they are.

Tonight's Dessert

Two chocolate brownies and a scoop of ice cream – in Spain, no less.

Arrival In Spain

It's hard to beat scenes like this in December, though it was only 65 degrees.

I left the cold, snow and wind of Belgium behind this morning by hopping a RyanAir flight from Charleroi to Alicante, Spain. Departure from the hotel was at 4:40 a.m., the flight at 6:30 and I was lying by the pool (since my room wasn't ready) by 10:15 a.m.

As for the rest of the day, I'll let the photos tell the story.

Boarding – from the front and back of the plane – in the dark.

Check out the advertising on the bulkhead storage containers.
The seats don't recline and there's no seatback pockets.
So those are safety instructions on the back of each seat.

Soigneur Anthony Pauwels picked Kate Ochowicz-Hogan and me up from the airport.

My room is well-lit (by the sun) and has a balcony view of the pool.

The sink area of the bathroom is also very well-lit.

This was lunch. Yum.

Arriving to the hotel after 10 a.m. meant I missed the mass in Jesus Pobré.
But the Catholic TV network has online mass available (28 minutes).
I also watched the Pope celebrate mass (live) in the street later on.

Dinner was fried rice, chicken and vegetables. Not bad.

Dessert was very good.

The hotel is sporting a pretty festive look. Last year, these lights caught fire.