Tour De France Blog

I’m watching the Tour de France and keep hearing about GC riders. But I’m having a hard time finding out what the initials GC mean.

General Classification. Since the tour has 20 stages (daily races) the GC is the name for the overall standing day after day. The announcers will talk about how well a rider is doing today but they are far back (time) in the GC. When you are watching the daily telecast, you have to remember you are watching two races, the daily stage (a single day of racing on the tour) and the overall 20 days of racing. Every second of the race is timed thus adding up every day to determine where a rider falls in the general classification.

I have stubborn belly fat and I’ve been drinking lots of water and eating healthy. I know I also need to exercise, so I was wondering if 30 minutes of bike riding a day enough to lose belly fat?

change it to 30 minutes of swimming, it works more muscles in your legs and stomach. You’ll lose the fat faster.

With more than one hundred years notched on their belt, Harley Davidson is praised with building the best motorcycles on the planet. There is little doubt that they deserve the acclaim.

Arthur Davidson and William Harley dreamed of creating a “motorized bicycle” in their early adulthood. Test models were created and failed miserably, but this never deterred the boys from achieving their goal. Despite early models requiring foot power on hills, Harley and Davidson continued striving to create the “motorized bicycle” that they knew would become a success.

By 1906, the first fifty motorcycles were manufactured. A few years later, they followed with a line of motorcycles for police and military use. Short of a slowdown in the 1970s, Harley Davidson never stopped tweaking and improving their models. Today, Harley Davison produces millions of motorcycles for use on every corner of the world.

The distinct engine roar and loud vibrations through their tailpipes allow onlookers to hear the motorcycle far before it is visible. Listening to the strength of a Harley Davidson engine is an experience few will forget.

Three motorcycle nicknames were established courtesy of Harley Davidson. “Choppers” were born when the angle of the motorcycle’s front fork was extended allowing the handlebars to sit further back. “Hogs” became aptly named for the extra room used to transport racing pigs without switching to a larger vehicle. Who said people are the only ones who can ride a Harley? “Harleys” offered a shorter, catchier way to name a motorcycle manufactured by Harley Davidson.

Every March, Harley Davidson takes the Daytona by storm. June brings the Harleys to New England by way of Laconia, New Hampshire. Sturgis, South Dakota becomes a home away from home for many riders every August. Thousands of Harley Davidson’s enthusiasts attend these gatherings. Many leave with dreams of having their own bike customized to match what they have seen on other bikes.

In 1983, H.O.G., The Harley Owners Group, formed its first chapter. Today more than 1,000 chapters are in existence and more than one million members share their love of these bikes, whether they own one or not. The devotion to this fine brand is proven, and you do not have to be among the elite to enjoy all there is to Harley Davidson. There are also a slew of online forums and websites devoted to Harley Davidson. Not even Yamaha, BMW, Victory, or Honda come close to having the same fan base.

Even if you cannot afford a Harley, you can still show your enthusiasm for the maker by purchasing items from their merchandise line. All of these items help contribute to Harley Davidson’s $5 billion revenue every year. Hey, the advertising helps too! Not that Harley Davidson is hurting for promotion.

Harley Davidson truly is the reigning champion of motorcycle manufacturers. What others strive to achieve in their lifetime, Harley Davidson has conquered.

Gregg Hall
http://www.articlesbase.com/motorcycles-articles/why-the-harley-davidson-motorcycle-is-more-popular-than-ever-before-68281.html

What happens when you run out of pet food in the middle of the day? The quickest way is to dash to the nearest pet store and replenish your pet supplies, as most online orders are not delivered immediately.

It requires a lot of energy and time to provide the best pet care to our animals. The pet store is the most convenient place to purchase all the pet supplies for your beloved pets, as they will usually have stocks on the products or services that are in high demand or most commonly bought by customers.

In a large city or big town, there should be dozens of pet stores situated near every residential area. You should look for a store that keeps their goods in a neat and hygienic manner. Perishable products such as food or anything with a shelf date should be sold within the validity date.

In addition, an up-market store should have the latest products that may help pet owners minimize on the amount of time spent on pet care.

Firstly, there is a need to groom your pet under a daily, bi-weekly or weekly schedule, as the activity is necessary to keep the animal’s coat healthy and shiny. Grooming is also essential, as it will also eradicate fleas and other parasites. The pet store should have hygiene and grooming products such as shampoos, skin lotions, bathing foams, deodorizers as well as a good range of grooming tools like nail clippers/files, rakes, combs and brushes. It should also have products on dental care and commonly used medications.

Other useful innovations that can be found in an up-market store are the automatic feeders and watering gadgets. These products give your pets access to food and water whenever there is a need, without the owner’s presence to attend to their meals. In addition to convenience, automated feeders build in the control of releasing food to animals with dietary needs. As animals usually tend to dehydrate more quickly, it is important to have water readily available to them.

There should also be some varieties of traveling aids such as specially designed harness, car seats and soft cages in the pet store. Pet owners can buy these aids when traveling with their pets in cars. If you choose to bring your pet out in a bicycle, there should be a range of baskets with different safety and security features available in the store.

Most of the pet store will usually stock up a variety of leads and collars for dogs or puppies. In addition to holding your pet’s registration tags, collars also give the animal a unique identity whereas the leads can be belt around your waist as you jog or stroll with your pet. You can buy a pocket pouch from the store to carry your pet if is a small animal like the Chihuahua. A muzzle will most likely be necessary if your pet is a large or dangerous dog, especially on occasions when humans need to be kept safe.

You should be able to find a good range of bedding materials in a variety of sizes and styles in the pet store. These will probably include kennels and mats for dogs, basket and cushion products for cats, cages for the birds and rodents as well as aquariums for fishes and tortoises. Rugs and blankets are also needed to keep your pets warm during cold weathers. These accommodations will ensure that your pets are able to rest comfortably.

In addition, you should be able to buy secure enclosures such as safety pet fences or cat fences at the store. These are soft wire mesh enclosures that can be placed in backyards or on balconies. Such blocking enclosures will keep your pet safe and prevent them from wandering off while having a stretch of exercises outdoors.

Finally yet importantly, your pet will enjoy the endless list of toys sold in the pet store. These may include balls, Frisbees and bones for dogs, scratching posts and tunnels for cats, mirrors for birds as well as racing tracks for rodents.

You may even find more pampering products, unusual toys, specialty clothing and other ‘hidden treasures’ when searching through the bigger pet store(s). A trip there will bring you and your pets plenty of joy and fun together.

Ske Chay
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/pet-store-are-you-able-to-get-your-beloved-pets-need-70498.html

I have a 2 year old poodle and i have been trying to teach him to teach him how to sit in a bike basket while im riding the bike, but he keeps trying to jump out. Can someone please tell me how to teach him to stay in the basket?

You just have to work up to it slowly.

Start with having a basket similar to the one on you bike. Put the dog in the basket and give him something he really likes (food, toy whatever). Use a command like "basket". First try for a couple of minutes. We you get him to stay for a couple minutes in the basket work up to longer times, after about a week you can move to the bike. Keep the bike stationary, but him the basket and say "basket, good boy", give him a treat. Once he can stay in the basket start by walking your bike up and down the street while either you or a friend say "good boy" and give the dog a treat or pet every so often and reassure him that the basket isn’t gong to fall over. I think in about two weeks you should be able to get the dog to do this trick. Poodles are pretty smart.

going on a rugby tour in paris with my school and we’re going to visit stade de france. what do you get to see on the tour?

i visited the stade de france a few years ago : someone explain you how it was built, fun facts (about players…) how an international match is organised…

Facts about pets

Australian families who share their homes with pets number among the highest in the world, with 64% of households including pets. In those 7.5 million households, fish top the pet population at over 12 million, followed by birds, at 9 million. At almost 4 million, there are more dogs than either boys or girls under the age of 14 years, and our domestic cat population is approximately two and a half million. If we group horse for pleasure riding, rodents, rabbits, snakes, lizards and others together, we can add another 2 million pets.

Pet Supplies Pet association has been shown to have enormous positive benefits on health and wellbeing of Australians. When you have a pet as a member of your family, you will visit the doctor less frequently and use less medication, have lower cholesterol and lower blood pressure, recover from illness and surgery more rapidly, deal with stress better and be less likely to feel lonely. All in all, it is estimated that pet association saves the Australian health budget almost S4 billion annually.

Around 90% of Australian familles with pets, consider those pets as fully integrated family members and the primary caregiver who assumes responsibility for the pet in the majority of situations is female. Not surprisingly, expenditure on pets, pet care and pet products in Australia is placed at more than $4 billion annually and provides employment for more than 40,000 people. Of this expenditure, two thirds (66%) is spent on dogs and one quarter (25%) is spent on cats. Dogs therefore get the greater amount of attention in pet world.

Care and grooming products

Caring for pets requires time and energy on the part of the caregiver. In today’s busy world, time is a commodity in shorter supply than perhaps it once was. There are a lot of products available to help reduce the amount of time needed for pet care. Search Myshopping.com.au for pet care products for your particular animal.

There are automatic feeding and watering products that mean your animal can access food and water when they need it and don’t have to depend on you being there to attend to it. Having water readily available for dogs and cats is important because they dehydrate more quickly than humans. Automated pet feeders not only reduce the chore of being there to provide meals for your pets, but add the convenience of timing food releases for animals that may be subject to particular dietary needs. Using an elevated pet feeder can aid your pet’s digestion because the pet doesn’t have to strain and bend over to access the food. Portable watering and feeding products are useful for those who take their pets with them at work or on the move, and include drinking pouches and feedbags for dogs and cats.

The need to groom your pet depends a lot on your living environment, and whether (or how much) your pet is an indoor or outdoor pet. Grooming could be a daily, weekly or occasionally scheduled activity, and is necessary to keep the animal’s coat healthy and to eradicate fleas and other parasites. It is also important to keep dander in check. Grooming products for pets include products for coat maintenance, nail clipping, dental care, bathing and beauty. There is a huge range of shampoos, face washes, and deodorisers and skin care products as well as styling tools and bows and ribbons for beautification. Grooming tools you may require could include a grooming table, heated blower-dryer, combs, rakes and brushes. As well as nail files and clippers.

Accommodation and transport products

As we cram ourselves into smaller and smaller living spaces, we have a need to accommodate our pets in the most comfortable manner. There is a huge range of bedding, mat and cushion products for dogs and cats, as well as cages and aquariums for birds and fish. (Aquariums are also available for hermit crabs and snails). Small ‘housing’ products such as indoor and outdoor kennels and sleeping tents and bags come in a variety of sizes and styles to suit all kinds of living environments. Rugs and shelters are also important for keeping your pets warm during cold weather, and insulated or shaded shelters are important during warmer weather. Pet that suffer from arthritis can benefit from pet warming pads, while animals that have motor disabilities can benefit from special ramps and steps that aid them in their mobility.

As a large proportion of pet owners like to travel with their pets in cars or on bicycles, there are a large number of travelling options, including specially designed car seats, harness and soft cages. Some car seats double as a travel suitcase to carry your pet’s travel needs or as a bed for a comfortable night’s sleep. For the cyclist, there is a range of pet bicycle baskets available with different safety and security features.

One of the reasons that pets help foster better health is due to the time we spend walking, running or playing with them. Searching Myshopping.com.au for leads and collars will yield a tremendous variety of products. Leads that you can belt around your waist give you ‘hands-free’ control of your dog while you walk or jog freely. Collars not only provide a way to carry your animal’s registration tags, but also provide a unique identity for your pet. If your pet is small or has a disability, you can get a pet stroller or a pocket pouch to walk or carry your pet.

Safe and secure enclosures can keep pets from wandering off, while giving them an outdoor experience. Safety pet fences or cat fences are wire mesh enclosures that can be used in backyards or on balconies to keep you pet safe while giving tem the ability to stretch in the fresh air. Portable soft pens, many of which can be coupled together to enclose a larger area, are ideal for containing a pet indoors or blocking off an entrance.

Safety products and toys

There are occasions when both pets and humans need to be kept safe from each other and from other dangers in the home and neighbourhood. These can include muzzles and safety restraints, as well as steps and life preservers to use in shimming pools and at beaches. The elderly pet may need special pet stairs or slings to help with mobility, or a brace that acts as a support crutch.

There is no shortage of toys for your pet available through Myshopping.com.au and may include scratching posts and tunnels for your cat; Frisbees, balls and bones for your dog, mirrors and balls for your birds, racing tracks for rodents. You can even find the more unusual toys along with training devices; clothing articles and pampering products here on Myshopping.com.au just click and search.

Andrew Gates
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/a-guide-to-buying-pet-products-54782.html

Does anyone know any short little facts bout Le Tour De France in France? I need about 7.

Take your pick from a google search: http://www.google.com/search?q=Tour+de+france&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&startIndex=&startPage=1

The word “adventure” has been a part of our lives in some minor or major experience. Travel has also been undertaken probably more frequently than we have had adventures. Now, when we combine these two words, a whole new vista of thrilling experiences come to our mind and understanding Adventure Travel becomes possible.

Adventure is usually thought of in terms of facing physical dangers, surpassing them and in the process there are some ups and downs that keep the suspense alive and finally either one feels a sense of achievement or disappointment. Well, adventure can be said to be a unique, out of the way experience that applies strictly to each one individually. The different kinds of adventures that one can think of can vary from being very passive to very active depending upon the nature of the individual. For example, for one, going for a walk in the countryside may spell adventure while to another, it could be whitewater rafting while a third may not be satisfied with anything less than a walk through an Amazon jungle!.

Mountaineering, rock-climbing, para-gliding, bungee jumping, sky-diving, bull-fighting, racing, etc can be termed as adventurous. The thrill and sense of danger that challenges a person’s capacity may attract them to undertake daring feats. These are some of the physically active adventures. Unlike these, exploring the countryside, visiting new cities or remote places, camping, trekking, scuba diving, going off on safaris also involve physical activity but these may be considered a little passive when compared to the ones mentioned above. For children, learning to ride a bicycle, horse riding, exploring an abandoned house, taking a roller coaster ride, or getting onto a giant wheel for the first time, may all constitute an adventure.

There are people who seem to be bitten by the travel bug and cannot stay in a place for long. They yearn to try out new places, visit the wonders of the world or far off remote areas, museums, art galleries, gambling casinos, libraries, temples, shrines, etc just to get the feel of it and experience that high of having known the unknown first hand. Adventure is that experience which goes beyond the normal or common routine of one’s life. It is exclusive to a particular individual depending on one’s personality, nature and tastes. It has entirely to do with one’s own imagination, physical and mental courage.

Sometimes, all the members of a family could have the same tastes as far as adventure is concerned. It makes traveling together that much easier. Sometimes, views within the family might differ. In which case, one might think going to Disney is an adventure while another might want to go up in a hot air balloon!

For some, adventure travel may be scaling the Mount Everest or mixing with the local people of an unknown village. Ultimately, the experience of making it adventurous lies totally within you as there is no yardstick to measure how adventurous an event has been for a person. It is your own, exclusive, personal experience!

Tom Sample
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/make-your-next-travel-experience-an-adventure-83814.html

I have a bike that is half mountian bike & half road bike. What do I have to do to get starting for riding my bike? For examble I want to ride 20 miles a day. How would I begin training to ride tha far?

If you are trying to ride distance, chances are you going to come across a hill or two. Practice downshifting your gears to the lowest or second to lowest and keep on riding.

The real challenge with hill-climbing on a bike is to keep your feet on the peddles. As your bike slows down, you will have the urge to get off the bike and walk. Don’t do this! Remain in your seat and just take it slow. Your balance and your patience will be put to the test, but once you’ve mastered it, you will be able to ride the steepest hills with total confidense and ease!

Besides learning your gears, make sure you learn pedaling cadence. Riding long distances can take a toll on your body, so learn to pedal at a steady pace; 60 pedals per minute will keep you coasting at a nice speed without wearing you out.

And of coarse check your tire pressure. Keep your tire pressure at or around its maximum pressure. With proper tire pressure you will be able to cover more ground using less effort. A portable pump that straps to your frame is a good investment.

The only other things you really need are a lightweight multitool for quick fixes and a pair of shades to keep your eyes from watering up.

Happy Riding!,
SierraSurfer3

P.S. Don’t forget to take it slow after a ride. Do some easy laps on your bike when you get home to cool down instead of heading straight for the shower. I learned this one the hard way once and ended up hobbling blind from the shower to my bed where i passed out for an hour.