I only thought that things were going to pick up around here after the Fourth. I had forgotten that for me the month of July is given over almost exclusively to cycling via non-stop Tour de France watching. Reading comes to halt. Home maintenance goes on the back burner. Shaving drops off dramatically. I’m a mess for 21 days a year. Luckily I’ve gotten my wife into it, or I’d be in huge trouble.

This is the first year that I’m enjoying the tour with the magic of TiVo. I’m able to come home and watch the live coverage and then switch over to the prime time “expanded coverage.” It’s a sickness really.

I’ve been a huge pro cycling fan since seeing the movie Breaking Away (1979) as a kid. If you haven’t seen it, run, don’t walk, to your DVD rental store/online rental service ASAP. (It is a New York Times Top 1000 film.) Greg LeMond’s victories in the Tour de France followed shortly after the film’s release. I was hooked for life. The recent doping scandals have taken the luster off the sport somewhat, but this year’s Tour has been thrilling and it’s only the first week.

The British announcers that call the action on television are a huge part of the draw for me these days. I could listen to Paul Sherwin and Phil Liggett talk cycling for days on end. And I do. Their cycling catch phrases have become legend (in cycling circles), and they’ve even inspired a Phil and Paul drinking Bingo game. Last night Paul breathlessly noted that a breakaway group needed to “dig deep into their suitcase of courage” to hold off the peleton. It’s beautiful. Check them out of you get a chance.

UPDATE: BGB’s Flavawheel followed the dream this year and has joined a San Franciso-based cycling team. He’s been blogging about their races. You can read his latest adventure here.

Paul Sherwin and Phil Liggett - best announcers in any sport

Since I won’t be doing anything in July, let me tell you about some people who are being productive this month. The hardworking gang at The Wren’s Nest are starting their own publishing company. They are my heroes. Their first publication will be a literary journal that will feature the talent of local high school students. The new journal will be published and sold at the upcoming Decatur Book Festival. Check out the details here.