Despite the stormy weather the “1500” was achieved before the thunderstorm arrived with all it’s rain. Today is 7/24 so plenty of days left to rack up some extra mileage before we get into my month of August.

Meanwhile in Japan the Olympics are in full swing and I’ve watched the men’s and women’s cycling road races and also some of the swimming events. I can remember when the Olympics were truly “Amateur” and no Professional Sports people were allowed in. Now it seems the most bizarre sports qualify for a Gold Medal!! Surprised we haven’t got Motorcycle Trials in yet as we have just about everything else!

Something I didn’t know, in the Olympics riders are not allowed radio communication and that was somewhat evident in the ladies race where one of the Dutch Superstars thought she had won! However the Gold medal went to an Austrian who had led the race from the breakaway shortly after the start!!!

I did better than expected yesterday with 34.45 miles in the book on what appeared to be a “no chance day” with all the storms. I guess I’ll be trying for something similar today. Just seen all the road working heavy equipment on their low loaders off to their next venue. Better have a ride through town and see how it is ?

Dodged all the nasty black clouds that are building up and did 24.11 before the first splatter hit me! Home and dry but would like a few more this afternoon if this big cloud would drift away. It seems my afternoon timing was perfect and finished the day with 35.35 and now its rumbling so I expect the downpour shortly.

Monday, and very wet! Seems the storm arrived around 12’ish and stayed until 0200. Forecast this week much of the same with afternoon showers and thunderstorms. First up need to get into Cortez and post a set of handlebars that sold over the weekend. USPS used to have a box that worked for bars or fork legs but it has since disappeared so I’ll be using UPS.

Bars gone, warming up nicely, better get out there before those clouds build up. Up to the lakes (recently restocked) for the opening 10 miles and back for my 2 mile loop before getting back in town. Morning total 27.38 so shouldn’t have a problem making the “30” unless the weather goes wormy. The afternoon run extended the total to 37.51 as I kept track of an ever darkening sky. Coming towards the end in the School parking lot, only a hundred yards from the house, there was an incredible crack as the first bolt shook the town! Time I was leaving as carbon bikes and lightning are not a good mix. Well 107 miles in 3 days despite the horrors of the weather.

Tuesday again, 7/27, showers and storms again around 1500 so better get going and then just maybe attack the grass which is now growing profusely with all this rain, but it does look good!

Grass gets cut and strimmed, mileage completed at 36.29 and through the next banner finishing at 1612.76 and day 4 at over 30 miles but the legs are feeling it! Even managed to get to the Brewpub for a well earnt beer.

In the morning Home Depot finally delivered the NEW washing machine and dryer but left them at different heights which is quite unacceptable ! More on this later.

TONY DOWN

Monsoons and daily afternoon and night time thunderstorms with heavy rain to please the reservoirs and water levels. Not forgetting my center bed of course!

With the forecast in mind, and 70-80% chance of afternoon rain I was out early but on my return coming onto my last 3 mile stretch there had been some rock slides, which are a daily thing, but there was an armchair size rock in my riding lane! Must have hit a small piece of the debris and an instantaneous concussion burst in the back tire!

Great, and today I’m on dog feeding as Brenda has gone shopping so I can’t ring for help so better start walking for the hour it will take. Fortunately for me a young couple of mountain bikers stopped and offered me a lift which I gladly accepted!!

New tire and tube on but now the first of the predicted storms has rolled in and its raining! The question is, “more miles and the Friday beer at the brewpub or forget about it?”

Seems far too dangerous to be out there riding with heavy rain from these thunderstorms and flash flood warnings coming in about every 10 minutes, so the Friday beer will have to wait and I’ll stay dry instead.

One of my worst cycling weeks with only 65 miles ridden due to rain and winds and one day gardening. We will see what tomorrow brings but I think it will be more of the same.

Saturday and although damp and wet from last night’s rain it is bright and sunny and no ominous clouds as yet. Better make the most of it with a 25.34 and then the first sprinkles from a cloud that had followed me down the mountain.

Dry at the moment but the forecast says 80% chance of HEAVY rain. I need 5.50 miles to hit the 1500 which has been hard work this week but I think I’ll creep out again and see if I can get them. Creeping out again with one eye on the clouds I managed a good chunk at 9.11 which takes me to 1503.61 so mission accomplished !

TONY DOWN

The weekly forecast is 60% chance of showers and nasty thunderstorms every day this week! Today watched the restarted British F1 Grand Prix where Hamilton had collided with Max Verstappen on the opening lap. Despite being given a 10 second penalty Hamilton won the event.

Here, as I had nominated the day as a “rest day” due to the forecast inclement weather it was anything but! Gorgeous blue skies, no wind and pretty hot at 92F. But my plan is set and weeding begins around the Waterfall Bed and some extra Vincas are planted for a bit more color. The game moves on with yet more weeding of the top of the center bed and in go more of the Vincas and a few Impatiens to brighten things up.

The roadworks has restarted and still leaves a lot to be desired. They seemed to be going well having put in 3 of the 4 lanes through town. Then their blacktop plant broke down so we have now been a week and a half without any progress with one lane missing and another only half complete for an extra 1/2 mile on the way out of town.

It came onto rain and then horrendous winds from both directions with clouds of dust and leaves and then more rain but I got the majority of my plants in. A few more for tomorrow and then assess whether its cycling or not.

An early start to the day talking to a Cancer Counselor at 0745 on all matters, from religion to hospice, anger to relationships and what happens next if anything! I think perhaps it helps but of course there is no way of knowing as yet.

Tuesday then, the road works is happening, windy at the moment so I’ll carry on with my weeding and planting ritual and then see if I can squeeze a ride in? Must get into town for some of the Omega 3 supplements and give that a try.

More weeding than I thought and after 2 hours I’m still not finished! The dreaded arsebine creeper has said thank you for loosening the soil and doing all the watering and is taking off in all the beds I cleared only a week ago!!!!!

30 minutes more weeding and planting of the last 12 Vincas and 6 Impatiens.

Which just leaves 5 more plants, thinking I might need 3 more of these and maybe 3 more boxes of the Vincas.

The forecast rain and thunderstorms didn’t show up so I was forced to water all my plantings and then did a quick 11.37 to round off the day. New weather alert and a Flood warning! south of Cortez so it might rain yet!

Wednesday again, weather forecast the same, with showers and thunderstorms for the next week, as we pick up monsoon moisture.

Last of this round of weeding and the last plants go in! Well that was true until I shot off to 4 Seasons for a few more to fill a couple of vacant sectors in the lower section. Having planted them, in the VERY near future, as in today, I wonder if I will EVER plant anything else in this lifetime ? Well they look good so I hope they will flourish as a fitting memorial.

Road work continues all day, the delivery man with new washing machine and dryer arrives but is on his own?? Not sure how this will go but he breaks his super “do-it-all” trolley .so nothing is removed or delivered! Meanwhile Sasha and Brenda are in Durango where the broken leg is looked at by the vet and re-splinted.

TONY DOWN

3 more stages of the Tour, the British F1 Grand Prix and then the Olympics next week. Mark Cavendish managed to beat the cut again after some vicious mountain stages and now has 2 chances left to equal the all time stage winner’s record.

Today was disappointing from a viewer’s point of view as after the mid point sprint the peloton just let the break away group go and finished in a procession some 18 minutes behind.

Friday’s plan is get a few miles in the bank and then top off at lunchtime followed by the last few to get over the 30+ hump!

The plan got hopelessly screwed up and instead of the pre-lunch quickie of around 10 miles I kept going for 29.34 in near perfect conditions. Some weeding followed and then the run to the brew pub and arrived there with over 38 on the clock. Two beers later and time for dogs which finished the day passing the 40 marker and leaving me at 1377.08 which means I should crack the 1400 with a simple 23 for Saturday.

Tour de France wraps up the places with the Time Trial with no changes in the top standings although Wout van Aert won it to show what a fantastic all rounder he is!

First ride of the day nets 27.84 and takes me over 1400 and also another 200 week despite getting soaked on the rainy day when only 5.30 was ridden. Now its thunderstorm time, raining, and temps shot down 20 degrees …. no more riding but I did get some weeding done and 5 more plants are in the ground but will need more water before nightfall. Done!

Sunday morning, cooler and a late start with the British F1 GP about to start then flash over to France for the Tour then back here for lawn mowing.

F1 and Verstappen out on the opening lap after a skirmish with Hamilton so race red flagged and I’m off to Paris where Cavendish beats out his nearest challengers on the mid-point sprint. The laps around Paris appear somewhat disjointed to me as Cavendish seems a long way away from his lead out chain and never gets the launch he needed. Wout van Aert wins again, what a talent!

Never mind if you a get a contract, as I’m sure you will there is always next year. The lawn gets moved and a mid range ride takes me to 1421 miles and then time to get some more Vincas.

TONY DOWN

Well if anything I’m feeling stronger with more energy as I move into week 3 of my 26 according to the Oncologist! One can easily dispute “The quality of life” when the rainbow you once had stops in mid curve! When life seemingly had no ending and what you enjoyed was fun and time consuming, but had goals and pleasure, and is now plunged into despair and a loveless void it is very difficult to find enjoyment and see any future, so perhaps death will be a welcome release from this torment.

Finally I have the center bed wet enough that my poor plants are not wilting non stop so water, as ever, does the trick and they are responding well. 205.12 was the 6 day total of the last week with the previous Sunday a gardening/rest day. Looks like there will be “some” riding today and maybe get the last of the plants (about 12 ) into their final homes for 2021.

Then time for another Jag wipe over as the oddball nightly rain showers do nothing for appearance as the clouds are full of AZ dust which is now all over the car.

Morning (rest day) maintenance ride (spinning) goes well for 19.29 and might get a few more later if the body is willing. Yet more arse bine has emerged after yesterday’s watering but at least the soil is moist. An afternoon of yet more weeding and finally nine more plants go in leaving four dianthus for tomorrow if my Pre 65 Scottish shoulder injury will let me dig the holes.

Tuesday, a little cooler, but prospects of thunderstorms later in the day which might save me from watering. Riding might be a bit tricky with the showers but we will see. Morning ride goes better than planned with 24.16 in the log. Nearest storm, the weather alerts tell me is 50 miles away! Day finished on 32.46 with a total of 1295.32 and a beer at the brewpub. No sooner home and dogs fed and walked and it comes on to rain which then changes to a mega downpour with thunder and lightning and I can see the ground can’t take it all. More rain overnight and cool and muggy this morning with threats of more of the same. I had an awful night’s sleep which in no way could be called restful, too hot, too cold! kept waking up ….. awful!

Wednesday morning, damp and wet, with more to come, as I said, and temps down to low 70’s from the 90+ we have been having. The roads dried up and I ventured out with the plan of staying fairly close to home. Not quite close enough as after 2.5 miles it was time to turn round only to meet a big black cloud of pouring rain! Well I guess that completes my Tour de France experience as I crept back in soaked from the downpour but I DID crack the 1300 banner so I achieved something.

It carried on raining most of the day!

Thursday and the last Mountain Stage for this year’s tour which I found very exciting, and once again last year’s winner proved he is not a one horse race and surged to the front, again, for another superb win to equal his performance from yesterday taking the “Polka Dot, King of the Mountains jersey” just as he did last year. We still have the individual Time Trial, which is where he won everything last year, and looking at his form I see another Stage Win coming!!

Change of game plan for me with a “quickie” 10.54 before feeding and walking dogs and then out for a longer effort of 25.66 to wrap up the day in the thirty+ and up the total to an impressive 1336.82 in the quest to crack 1400 by Saturday.

In other news a slight uplift to the mental state with news of a new “Trojan Horse” which I will be looking into. When I was dealing with all this chemo they did “PET Scans” where they inject you with radio active glucose and they can see the hot spots of where the tumors are feeding. Very clever I thought! Well if they can do that why can’t they target those tumors with something they like but kills them as we do with other pests? It seems they like fish foods with Omega 3 which the tumors store from fish like Salmon, Tuna, Cod (all fish that I like) so if you take a supplement of this called DHA any overload will kill the tumor! HEY, at this stage I have to ask myself what harm can it do??? It worked for the GREEKS!

TONY DOWN

Yes, more miles in some faint hope that if I keep the body fit and strong maybe, just maybe, it will fight back against the cancer. A forlorn hope I know but in this desperate situation I’m open to any suggestions!

Another 37.23 for yesterday’s efforts and now closing in on the 1200 as we endure the heatwave, and of course yet another round of strong winds, and Red Flag Weather Alerts. Stopped at the Brewpub for a couple of very nice beers and a pleasant hour and a half consuming same. A good Friday!

Yet more rides in the 30’s and now I’ve knocked up 173.84 in the last 5 days!! with today’s 36.44 Perhaps I should try for 27 and then be able to say I did 200 in 6 days!

A fantastic day in France with our local boy from Durango, Sepp Cuss taking the stage win! Time for me to impress myself! How does 31.27 sound ? and a nice cold refreshing beer. More targets achieved and tomorrow is the Tour’s last rest day.

TONY DOWN

July 2nd, The Tour de France rumbles on, so does my life or what’s left of it. Riding to start then some more bed prep before getting those plants in. Ordered some “Moms” which are not my favorite plant but they can go in the center bed and continue to flourish long after my demise. The advantage of Perennials, is course they come back year after year, but in my case according to the Cancer experts I’m an annual and I won’t be coming back!

Just waiting for my phone to charge before setting off for another 20 with the hope of converting that into 30 by close of play.

26.70 for the morning run and after some excellent weeding and old plant removal another afternoon run takes me to 33.57 for the day. Tomorrow just might be a full gardening day but the weather will no doubt decide the course of events.

Saturday and as promised after an amazing Stage 8 of Le Tour time for some serious gardening which went very well and I finished the Pool Bed . Tomorrow another manic mountain stage with a summit finish, assuming any of them still have anything left in the legs! After that I shall be planting and weeding for all I’m worth and then as Monday is The Tour’s first rest day I’ll be cycling!

Day 2 in the Mountains for the Tour riders, and Day 2 for those involved in planting! Just about everything that I wanted to do gets done so I’m ready to get back on the bike and see what I have left. Still VERY bitter about the prognosis and ongoing care which seemed to be entirely lacking?? I’m really not surprised that Cancer is such a killer as this is all we have to combat it and then we just give up?? It’s fucking appalling ! Can’t help but wonder why we are not doing periodic scans to see how things are progressing, along with blood tests to check the tumor index and other markers. I’m afraid being told to go home and die doesn’t really crack it.

With planting nearly complete back to the miles and a third day of 30+ miles takes me through 1100. More planting to come when I’ve got this lot flourishing. The bed is just too dry and is sucking all the moisture out of my freshly planted flowers.

They say you can’t make a comeback? well Mark Cavendish would say otherwise as today he knocked up his third stage win of this years Tour!

The top side of my center bed is nearly finished but its hard work watering everything as the ground really needs such a lot of rain. Another 24 Vincas went in this afternoon and much watering followed. I hope they are all standing in the morning.

Bottom side of the bed weeded again and now water sprinkler on full flow to moisten up the ground as its sucking the life out of my new plants.

Meanwhile in France the Tour continues to amaze as the new riders seem to be good at everything! Today’s winner over a double climb of Mon Ventoux was yesterday’s runner up to Mark Cavendish in the sprint!!

Thursday and another flat stage with a sprint finish but a breakaway takes it with the peloton finishing over 14 minutes behind! Yesterday must have been tougher than we thought! Road work continues out front but they should be on their last run through and today could be the last day.

Friday 7/9/21 and the plants are happier and all standing up, the power of water! Someone else is also very happy as he wins the Sprint in the Tour

Good ride for 26.15 this morning, should be no problem making the 30+ for the day.

TONY DOWN

Monday 28th June 2021 at 1300 and here I am in Oncology at Durango Hospital. Dr Cathcart finally comes in and off we go. Starting with the blood tests where they were looking for a DNA match to see what other drugs/poison they could use, answer NONE!

Oh well, what can we do now? Well there is one more set of pills that you could try but they bring your face out in a horrendous rash, and they don’t work that well either, but they might give you another couple of months ………. or ???

What else is there? ……. well you could sign up for clinical trials up in Denver …….. Hmmm, that is ridiculous and would cost a fortune, Oh well then just enjoy the time you have left then and the quality of life! …….. and how long is that ???

Well it’s TERMINAL so anywhere between 6-12 months ……… SHIT! so this is the DEATH SENTENCE then ? ABSOLUTELY but its the liver cancer that will kill you. Pray tell me, as I’ve not had any symptoms from this cancer what are the signs and what should I be looking for and how painful will it be ?

Well you are lucky, as eventually you just fall asleep but you don’t wake up. You get jaundice and your eyes go yellow along with your pee and you get more and more tired until the end. Well that’s great!

It’s almost too much writing this stuff, and I’m very scared bordering on terrified as I have no wish to DIE. In all my years flying, apart from the first time when we were about to go to war with Iraq, when I was in Cyprus on my first tour, back in the 1960’s, I never really thought about dying. I certainly don’t have any strong religious convictions and perhaps I should seek help in that area. It really brings it home when you realize you might not make Christmas this year .

Enough of this. Can’t get sucked into this feeling sorry for myself and giving up, got to FIGHT to the bitter end if I have enough strength and willpower. Apart from the Tour de France how is my personal cycling going? Well not too well at the moment as the weather was cool and wet with some severe thunderstorms yesterday. The garden is soaked, and I’ve just been out to water my new plants which were sheltering under the balcony. The plan was to hit 500 miles a month, and in the light of other things (like DEATH) that now seems somewhat futile! However, can’t give up and let this beast devour me.

Starting today after a wet 6.30 yesterday I’m up to 983.73 for the year and still need that extra 17 miles to crack the 1000. Right now in the big picture I’m at 17,374.40 out of the required 24,902 so with what we have discovered this week that target seems a little too far unless I have a mini miracle which can only be achieved by staying fit …… what a joke!

Almost time to get out there avoiding all the road works and relaying of blacktop which is quite impressive. Better get a few pics before they finish. Need to see what the other nursery at Cliff Rose has left. Went there yesterday and a thunderstorm with torrential rain arrived as I did and it was so bad I didn’t get out of the car.

Cycling miles achieved so I’m through the first 1000 this year and who knows how much more I will get. It does keep me off the Internet and worrying myself so with that and gardening I have quite a lot to do in the immediate future. Plant shopping went quite well at Walmart and some reasonable plants could soon be in the ground and brighten the place up.

Thursday 1 July, might be the last one I see! No matter a day of full on gardening, weeding, dead heading roses and prepping beds for the new flowers.

TONY DOWN

Wow! what a start to Le Tour! The first weekend and a lot more exciting than I was expecting. The first week is usually full of crashes as with 180 odd elite cyclists from the pro world most are trying to be at the front of the peloton to either be in a position to sprint or keep their team’s GC men safe and touches of wheels or handlebars on some narrow roads are inevitable.

However, this year some buffoon of a woman was on the side of the road with a silly cardboard sign which she was aiming at the TV camera for her own personal gain and hit one of the Jumbo Visma riders who was in the first row travelling at around 40 mph and within milliseconds we had 3/4 of the peloton lying in the road. Truly awful and a lot of flesh wounds and painful bruises. It appears the police are now after this woman and will charge her with reckless endangerment.

With about 10K to the finish the inevitable touch of bars and once again about 130 riders are involved in another crash in which Chris Froome is injured but struggles on to the finish.

Chris struggled on to the finish, I hope he can continue. The race continued with a fairly predictable win for World Champion Alaphilippe, a Frenchman zooming off on a finish ideally suited to his skill sets. A well deserved win despite all the carnage to many of the teams. After watching all of this I personally did not feel much like venturing out on the roads, so a personal “rest day” was in order!

Day 2, and another incredible day’s racing with another Frenchman taking the win. This young first timer in the Tour wanted to get a stage win to dedicate it to his Grandfather who was a prominent rider in the early 70’s and although finishing second several times never got the win or the yellow jersey. Well he did it, the grandson that is, took the stage win, and the overall and of course that coveted “Yellow Jersey” Well done Van de Poel junior!

Day 3 should have been a simple Sprint Day but the carnage on the roads continued with poor old Geraint Thomas coming off in what seemed a minor crash but yet another painful shoulder injury which the medics relocated as he lay there and he was off again and caught up with the peloton for a decent but painful result.

No more problems until 10K from the finish when last year’s long time leader, Roglic gets knocked off his bike

But despite all this he made it back and finished overall in 20th position.

Now we are coming into the sprint with yellow jersey leading out his team’s sprinter for another team win and before they cross the line Sagan is nicely positioned in 3rd with the fastest sprinter on his inside and they collide at around 45 mph and both hit the ground.

Day 4, yet another pancake road to what is predicted to be a mass sprint for the line, and so it was! With a fantastic and well timed lead out Mark Cavendish increased his number of wins to 31 and is now only 3 behind all time winner, Eddy, on 34.

Back in the Colorado mountains the weather has changed with showers and thunderstorms making any distance riding a non practicable venture, unless you like getting wet! I managed 27.80 after two attempts on Sunday. Nothing yesterday due to the hospital visit, and a dismal 6.30 before I got wet today and since then it has been AWFUL !!!

TONY DOWN

The weeding she is finished! Now clean the car and on with other duties ….. well that was the plan. However, moved the car and the check engine light has gone out …… now what ? Phone the shop and they said OK so saved $484 for the time being. Off again on a beer quest and I’m now restocked.

3 days of intensive weeding has left the body a bit tired and the odometer about 75 miles behind schedule. Today I’m planning an earlier start and then a visit to a few plant nurseries and even Walmart, to see what stocks are left and hopefully pick up the sap remover. Need to get the Beemer ready just in case the man from Grand junction follows through and pays me a visit.

No time to waste, so on with the kit and let’s get on the road. Not too bad, a bit cooler, a few more clouds, but 27.53 puts me in a position to pass another goal if I take a second ride later this afternoon. Second ride completed and the total for the day 38.61 which takes me through the 900 banner after 3 days off gardening.

Now we approach the start of this year’s Tour De France and the end of the month along with , hopefully, a new plan in the cancer battle.

We had the arrival of long time visitor, Howard, who has been living off the grid down in Arizona but was ordered out by the Rangers as a fire was getting too close and now all the AZ forests are closed. Forced to move my car back under the Cottonwood and then the temps shot down and it rained!

I still have lots to do, plants, Beemer, the quest for miles, fill out my PERA forms, and clean up the workshop again. Beemer battery checks out fully charged, bike reduced to $6400, let’s hope it sells. Ride goes well with another 32.54. Pera forms all printed, I wonder how much this one will be worth this time around, I’ll guess about 3K?

Not a great start to the morning as we are in a showery belt of rain and that could last all day. Some things I can do while the cycling is on hold, fit the NEW Beemer battery which tested fully charged, Complete those PERA forms and give the bed an oil change. Showers and high winds all day! However I got a few miles in regardless and a hard earnt 14.27 is in the box. Now it’s time for 3 weeks of Tour De France!

TONY DOWN