Books

From the moment I picked up your book until I laid it down, I was convulsed with laughter. Someday I intend reading it.

-- Groucho Marx

Sports

The Unknown Tour de France, Les Woodland, Van der Plas Publications, San Francisco, 2000.

some amazing history behind the most famous of bicycle races
would you believe that the first race held in 1903 had stages of 476 km (296 mi), 374 km (232 mi), 423 km (263 mi), 268 km (167 mi), 394 km (245 mi), and 471 km (293 mi)!!!!
and this was in the days of unpaved roads (more like tracks), no pneumatic tires, and single gear bikes that weighed literally a ton (this was even before the invention of the derailleur and no one even dreamed of aluminum, titanium, or carbon fiber frames)
and the use of drugs (especially amphetamines) and alcohol (definitely not Gatorade) was the norm even in the early races
but what about Eugène Christophe who carried his bike and broken fork for six miles to a town and then fixed the fork himself at a blacksmith's forge during stage 6 of the 1913 tour!?!?
a great read, even if you're not a cyclist!

Fatal Storm, The 54th Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, Rob Mundle, HarperCollins, Sydney, 1999.

if you've seen the movie The Perfect Storm then you'll also appreciate this true story of the 1998 Sydney to Hobart yacht race
imagine being in a yacht with ocean waves that ranged from 30 ft to 90 ft!!!

Last Update: October 28, 2012.