I'm taking another day off the bike. I had a real good stretch after work. One that really seemed to work on the IT band. I'm going to try the same movement later this evening.

Rolling hills outside Ste Genevieve

Some of the yellow flowering plants around Prairie du Rocher

A lonely tree and barn.


News Item of the Day: (BBC) Australia's Robbie McEwen claimed his third victory in this year's Giro d'Italia as he won a group sprint in the 10th stage on Wednesday. McEwen came from behind in the last 100m to edge out Alessandro Petacchi. Stuart O'Grady took third place and veteran Erik Zabel was fourth after a thrilling finish involving the top sprinters in the world. Danilo Di Luca retained the overall leader's pink jersey, nine seconds ahead of fellow-Italian Ivan Basso.

The 11th stage on Thursday is the first to feature big mountains and the 150km (93.2m) course finishes with a climb to Zoldo Alto in the Dolomites.

Police seized a hyperbaric tent and medicines from a hotel being used by some Giro d'Italia teams. The Italian news agency ANSA reported that the tent was found in a hotel hosting the Davitamon-Lotto team of McEwen. Allan Peiper, sport director of Davitamon-Lotto, said hyperbaric tents are not illegal under International Cycling Union and World Anti-Doping Agency rules. But the pressurized oxygen chamber could possibly infringe Italian anti-doping rules which forbid a wider range of performance-enhancing methods.