So it's been almost 4 months since my last post. Four months!? Well...There's good reason for it. No, I haven't lost my love for cycling. In fact, I have gained even more love. On May 14th, my wife and I welcomed a new baby girl into this world. Her name is Siena, loosely named after the beautiful Tuscan hill town that ends the one day race, Monte Paschi Eroica. My heart just had to make room for the extra love and as those who have had children will know, your whole life routine changes. But today is Father's Day and we are celebrating my first as a father to Siena!

Soon after the Tour of California ended, it was time to get ready for the baby and for helping my wife around the house as she was getting increasingly immobile. Then once Siena came, the world stopped (though I was catching Universal Sports' coverage of the Giro thanks to DVR). Now that we've started to come into more of a routine, I'll be back at it just in time for the Tour!

Can you feel the excitement already? This will be one of the most watched Tours thanks to you-know-who and all of the expected infighting between his Astana teammates will make for a Tour just as dramatic as LeMond's 1986 win over Hinault.

...On to July 4th when the Tour starts in Monaco.