Soon!

1 month of pure cycling. Can't wait for the 24th of July: I'll be in Paris to watch the last stage!

Rider unsafety

In one hand, I was really in need of sunny weather, nice temperatures (some days with almost 40ºC) and good food!

On the other, I was getting used to the peaceful roads in Norfolk where drivers respect riders and are cautious (majority). Here drivers are crazy! They always want to be in front of the riders, yell and horn at you, drive fast and some even drive through the red lights. Some streets have 1 meter holes.

Cycles paths are another joke in Lisbon: people use the bike lanes to walk (when they have a sidewalk) and cars and even big trucks are parked in the middle.
I'm not comparing Lisbon with Norfolk. The places are completely different. And I know if I lived in London it should be the same as here. But for me it feels different riding in Lisbon than before.

I guess the Lisbon riders will only have some safety when some drivers and people from the local authorities begin to walk, use their bicycles or the bus.

Behind

Feelings

Yes I'm back.

While I was in the plane watching the beautiful landscapes of my country and looking at the shapes of my city I felt really happy and thought to myself: "if everyone (including the people in my country) could spend some time away from the country and comeback after a while I guess they could have another mentality and try to preserve this".  The stress and the little-minor issues that people have in their day-to-day lives keeps them way from giving the exact value to our country. 

For me it's just for 1 month but feels good to spend some time with my family and my friends here. And to eat my mom's food! I don't cook badly (from what family says) but it's not the same coming home and seating in the dinner table with all the family together.

However I have to organize myself because time is going to fly. I have 2 chapters of my dissertation to finish in this month while take some time to see each one of my loved ones.

"There is nothing like returning to a place that reminds unchanged to find the ways you yourself have altered" Nelson Mandela (1994)

Bees

I feel completely different when I get out of my house and ride through the Norfolk fields and farms enjoying the sun, the peaceful roads and all the animals including sheep, squirrels, rabbits, cows and even foxes.

I also feel different when like today I got a bee sting in my lip! It hurts!

Do you want to be my friend?

I spend some time on the social media say Facebook and Twitter.

But never thought how the internet life could translate into a day-to-day life. Seems a bit strange.

When are you going to Portugal?

Just contact me and come whenever you want. I have a free room or I can show you the best places to stay.

And plus you have a free guided tour!

Don't miss this:

Nostalgic

Now that I've finished all my exams it's time to focus on my dissertation. But I've got time to enjoy too.

While I was resting my foot I read a lot about sports nutrition and sometimes I felt like I didn't know what to eat in training.

Look at how it was done in the past:

Fascinating Photography

If you've checked my blog on the last days you might have seen this post: http://mitano.blogspot.com/2011/05/italian-cycling.html

Yes Michael Crook made that amazing video about the Pillars of Italian Cycling. So now everytime I buy the Peloton Magazine I'm always looking for her name in there.


Her pics make cycling (and adverts, models...) even more fascinating.

Have a look at these brilliant pics and clips: http://www.michaelcrook.com

You can follow her adventure in photography in her Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Michael-Crook-Photography/342672986434

Sunday rides

Not the best video editing but you can have a look at the peaceful roads in here:

Eating well...

...doesn't need to be expensive:

Do it!

Foot way better. I can run again properly and I'm mentally preparing for the Sunday ride while watching this new  advert:

Think twice

If you seat more than 8 hours a day, think twice!