If you were with us in the early days of this blog, you may remember that, on Friday, I always posted something related to cycling. I know it was selfish, but cycling is also my passion.

I was sitting with a guy from the Navy Construction Battalion (Seabees) at breakfast this past Monday. He is a Harley Davidson fanatic, had a bike that he rides as often as he can, boasting 30,000 miles. I said, “Yeah, I’ve got a bike, only 23,000 on the frame.”

He smiled, knowing he had bested me out of the gate, “What kind of bike do you have?”

“Trek,” I replied, waiting for reality to set in. I could see him searching, for a motorcycle named Trek, then it cleared the threshold.

Tomorrow begins the Tour de France. You can find my early posts on cycling under the category of Henrik’s Wheel. Henrik is my favorite wheel. When I am tired, I can always find a place to rest in his draft. When I get complacent, I can always expect No Mercy. Henrik is leaving Sunday on a 750 mile ride with a 90 hour cutoff. The California Gold Rush. Not for the faint at heart.

July 4th, is a US holiday, but also kicks off the Tour de France. Once again, my hometown hero is in the mix. Lance Armstrong is 37 years old, out of retirement after 3 years, broke his collarbone early in 2009, still raced in the Giro d’Italia, 12th place overall.

So, why after winning 7 previous tours and then retiring, does he want to race again? It could be to win number 8, but his team is committed to Alberto Contador as the team leader. So why?

Each of us faces that same question. Why do we do what we do? It is our interest. It is our passion. We cannot stop. -Tom Foster