One of these plagued Lance. Photo courtesy of billy-oneal.com.

Though the leaderboard remained largely the same, it took quite a bit to keep it that way.

Lance Armstrong suffered a flat rear tire that halted his progress late in the 211.5-kilometer ride from Tonnerre to Vittel, the second longest of the Tour so far. It took four teammates to help Armstrong catch back up to the peloton, which, despite a grueling early pace, was hindered by the hot weather and finished nearly six minutes behind stage winner Nicki Sorensen of Denmark.

Sorensen won the 12th stage going away, pulling away from a duel with Laurent Lefevre of France with just under 6 kilometers left and finished 45 seconds ahead of the lagging second place rider. Despite the conception that many riders would concede victory today to conserve energy for tomorrrow’s challenging mountainous leg, the generally flat course was anything but restful.

“Today was not an easy stage,” said overall leader Rinaldo Nocentini. “We rode the first two hours at an incredible speed, then the seven-rider break took off with Sorensen the most dangerous overall…I hope tomorrow will be an easier day.”

Nocentini’s hopes are not likely to be fully answered, as Stage 13 promises to be tricky and technical with no fewer than four noteworthy climbs. Riders received somewhat of a reprieve today, however, as Tour officials decided to rescind the radio ban they had previously placed on Friday’s competition. The move came in response to a number of complaints the officials fielded from riders and team spokespeople alike, citing the lack of radio contact during such an aggressive and circuitous route as a great danger to those involved.

Before today’s race began, Armstrong also expressed some reservations about the Tour’s flat stages so far. After several crashes on Wednesday that left 19 riders injured, and a crash in Stage 11 that forced Faria Da Costa from the Tour with torn ligaments in his shoulder, such perils are high on the mind of the seven-time champion.

“It is stressful with the crashes, on a stage like this where you have nothing to gain and then you lose everything because of a crash or a split in the group…that is something which keeps you up at night. You have to constantly pay attention.”

Read the text of this article on National Geographic Adventure’s blog here.

Before the estimated 21.4 million iPhone users start lancing this claim on Facebook mobile and firing off angry tweets, hear this out. For as great as Apple’s revolutionary all-in-one techie status symbol is, it’s just not all that practical while underwater, in freefall, or for mittened hands in the arctic.

Enter next generation, bombproof cellies.

Sonim XP3

More mortar shell than cute accessory, Sonim’s XP3 is the perfect device to carry with you to doomsday…assuming, of course, there will be anyone around afterward for you to call. You can use it as a hammer, a sinker for fishing, and ammo for your slingshot, and it will come out none the worse for wear. Plus, its extra-loud ear piece means it’s finally possible to talk to mom while you kayak over those 100-foot falls you’ve been wanting to try and the extended battery life will give you up to 18 hours of talk time during your recovery.

GPS and a built-in LED torch make it useful as a beacon and a life-saver, and you can take solace in the fact that it has an unlimited 3 year warranty. The downside? All that armor ain’t cheap. The XP3 will run you around $500.

Verizon G’zOne Boulder

A frequent complaint made of surlier cells is that they often don’t jive with major carriers. But, as its name suggests, the Boulder gets down with one of the largest companies there is (both a good and bad thing). With a two-year contract, this puppy will only run you $130, which is cheap for a pocket rock. The call quality is dubious, but maybe that’s outweighed by the built-in electronic compass and the military-certified durability. If not, the 1.3 megapixel camera and streaming video options at least help a little.

Nokia 3720

If your 3720 feels hot, just dip it in your beer or toss it in the fridge to cool it off. It can handle it. Nokia’s newest rugged doohickey also has a 2-megapixel camera, a music player, and audio and video recording capabilities, so it’s multi-faceted while also well-protected. The dust/water/shock-resistance only goes so far (meaning you might not want to go storm chasing with it), but for $175, it’s a pretty solid value. And if you’re not feeling chatty, just switch over to the FM radio that’s included and tune in while you tune out.

For more cell/projectile hybrids, check out good reviews at Wired and Popular Mechanics.

Read the text of this article on National Geographic Adventure’s blog here.

All photos courtesy of National Geographic Adventure Magazine.

A victorious Cavendish. Photo courtesy of cyclingfans.com.

Forget Lance Armstrong for the time being. Mark Cavendish is turning green.

Britain’s Cavendish won his second consecutive stage today, finishing first in the 192-kilometer ride from Vatan to Saint Fargeau, and capturing the green jersey (designating the best sprinter in the tour) from Thor Hushovd of Norway. The win was his fourth of the tour and likely not his last, as tomorrow’s 211.5-kilometer ride from Tonnerre to Vittel is also quite flat and likely to yield another sprint finish.

Overall leader Rinaldo Nocentini of Italy suffered a scare about 20 miles in when he was involved in a crash in the peloton. He emerged generally unscathed, however, and was able to maintain his six-second lead on Alberto Contador and eight-second lead on Lance Armstrong by catching up and finishing with the peloton (all riders in a large group are given the same finishing time to avoid dangerous mass sprints).

Looking ahead toward the weekend, things should start to get quite interesting on Friday, as riders enter one of the first significantly mountainous stages of the Tour. The stakes could be raised even higher if Tour officials decide to enforce the planned radio ban on Stage 13, as team coordination and cooperation are particularly important during climbs and descents.

Read the text of this article on National Geographic Adventure’s blog here.

Pedaling hard or hardly pedaling? Photo courtesy of cleveland.com.

One wonders if the ban on earpieces for today’s 10th stage led to any trash talking between a certain two Astana teamates.

In what’s been labeled an attempt to jazz up some typically lackluster mid-race stages, Tour de France officials have banned radio communication between riders and their teams’ cars for the 10th and 13th legs. Their hope was that without the coordination offered teams by staying in constant contact, the competition would be more spaced out and vulnerable to concerted attacks.

Lance Armstrong argued it was just the Tour’s way of injecting drama artificially, something he called “a lot to do about nothing.” And, indeed, the ploy did little to make the stage more exciting. Britain’s Mark Cavendish won by a bike length over Thor Hushovd of Norway, capturing his third stage victory of this year’s race, and the overall leaderboard remained the same, with Rinaldo Nocentini of Italy hanging onto the yellow jersey, and Alberto Contador and Armstrong 6 and 8 seconds back, respectively.

Tour officials are debating whether or not to keep the radio ban in place for Friday’s more mountainous Vittel to Colmar route, but strong lobbying from riders and team officials alike may dissuade them from upholding it. Armstrong was among the detractors.

“I can’t hear anything, I don’t know anything…I feel naked,” he said in jest before the race began. Much to the dismay of many female fans, Armstrong managed to keep his wits and clothes about him on the 194.5-kilometer ride from Limoges to Issoudun.

Read the text of this article on National Geographic Adventure’s blog here.

This could be you. Photo courtesy of howstuffworks.com.

Reports vary, but it’s safe to say there are 200 million+ websites in existence, a number that changes faster than Mount Washington’s weather.

Here are five travel sites you probably don’t know about but should. They’re great for everything from killing those extra ten minutes of prepaid Internet cafe time to prepping diligently for your global adventure.

1. gethuman.com
So Delta overcharged you for your tickets to the Mayan Riviera. But the last thing you want to do is spend time, better served zip-lining and free-diving, navigating an overgrown phone tree. Fear not. Gethuman.com gives you numbers and specific instructions on how to get a real, live person on the phone at over 1,000 different business…so you can therapeutically scream at them and try for some free coupons. No guarantees on them speaking your native language well, though.

2. points.com
Airline points are great, that is, until you’ve collected 100,000 of them and realize they’re relatively useless. Points.com will fix that, though. This site allows you to take that ostensibly valueless currency and turn into something more tangible: miles, flights, hotel stays, you name it. You can even exchange points and miles with other users to find the airline you want. Kinda like an airline mile barter depot. Now all they need is electronic wampum.

3. mizpee.com
Aptly named, considering its appeal to women (guys, generally, can find a functional alleyway or take a knee just about anywhere), mizpee.com will guide you expertly to the nearest and nicest waterclosets just about anywhere in the country (and British Columbia, too). They’re rated by a five-roll toiletpaper system, tell you whether or not a purchase is required to use them, and also exactly how far you’re going to have to walk with your knees locked together. Oh, and not to forget the “Flush of the Year” section, which will point you toward’s the nation’s most memorable spots to answer Nature’s call.

4. The Universal Packing List
Wow. Unless you revel in making your travel item checklist (and inevitably forget stuff anyway), this site is a godsend. Put in information like your trip duration, your luggage type, your accommodations, and even how many kids you’re bringing, and the Universal Packing List will generate an itemized and personalized register of everything you’re going to need. Heck, it even includes necessary vaccines for international travel and what you ought to do before you leave (shave, turn down your home’s temp, etc.).

5. Mangolanguages.com
Covering twelve different tongues, Mangolanguages.com will arm you with free quips and catchphrases for just about any country. Whether you want to be able to say “Get me to a bar, stat” when you land in Spain, or whether you want to figure out how to tell the Internet cafe owner he’s overcharging you for a prehistorically slow online connection, this site will help you out. Sadly, Chris Kattan and his infamous SNL skit of the same name are not included.

For 25 more sites you didn’t know you needed but can’t live without, look here: (http://www.dumblittleman.com/2008/03/30-useful-websites-you-probably-didnt.html)

Read the text of this article on National Geographic Adventure’s blog here.

Astana's real captain? Photo courtesy of theirearth.com.

Maybe it’s the flash of a yellow jersey only eight seconds ahead; maybe it was the endless doping allegations and the questions about his legacy; maybe it was dating Kate Hudson. Whatever the case, something has Lance Armstrong inspired. Again.

So much so, in fact, that after finishing this weekend’s stages through Andorre-La Vieielle, Saint-Girons, Saint-Gaudens, and Tarbes, Lance Armstrong was willing to admit to a French reporter that this year’s tour would “probably not” be his last. His legs must be feeling awfully spry on those pedal strokes.

Armstrong is in third place, eight seconds off leader Rinaldo Nocentini, and is expected to battle Astana teammate Alberto Contador, currently in second place at six seconds back, for the overall title. Contador made an unexpectedly bold move during Friday’s stage, pulling away from his fellow contenders and using his strength on the Pyrenean hills to gain 20 seconds on them in the last 1.2 miles, vaulting him into second place overall.

Trying to counter with a move of his own, Armstrong pulled away from the peloton in Sunday’s stage, trying to catch breakaway riders Pierrick Fedrigo of France and Italy’s Franco Pellizotti, who ultimately went on to win the leg by 34 seconds. However, the peloton quickly caught up to him and perhaps fortuitously so as, despite leading the peloton by five minutes coming out of a steep climb in Tourmalet Pass, Fedrigo and Pellizotti only ended up winning by a slim margin and expending a lot of energy to do so.

Sunday marked the Tour’s emergence from the Pyrenees and today is an off day. The riders will begin again tomorrow on the 194.5-kilometer tenth stage, from Limoges to Issoudun. Little is expected to change on the leaderboard until Stage 15 and the beginning of the grueling Alpine climbs that often determine the winner, with even Armstrong saying “I think that’s where the race is going be decided…the hardest mountain in France is on the last day, basically. You can’t forget that.”

Read the text of this article on National Geographic’s blog here.

On K2's Steep Pitch. Photo courtesy of Frederick Ericsson.

Take a tumble on a pair of K2 skis and you might twist an ankle. Fall on K2 skiing and it will likely spell disaster.

A solemn reminder of the inherent danger on the mountain’s stolid slopes, Italian adventurer Michele Fait slid down an ice sheet to his death while skiing the SSE spur from atop an acclimitization camp on June 23. Fait and Frederick Ericsson had planned on scaling K2 and becoming the first people to ever make a complete ski descent of it before the tragic accident occurred.

Ericsson had been chronicling the pair’s trip on Powder Magazine‘s website and, a few days before, even went so far as to report that the harrowing car ride through a waterfall to arrive at the mountain “was probably more scary than anything we will face on K2.” Their first days on the slopes held great promise, with Ericsson commenting on the good quality of the snow, the excellent weather, and his excitement at the prospect of a push for the top.

The two arrived at K2 Base Camp on June 18 and had allotted three weeks for acclimitization, having plotted a course up the Cesen Route on the SSE ridge. At the time of Fait’s accident, they were on their way down to Base Camp at 16,700 feet from an overnight stay at Camp 2, at an elevation of just under 20,000 feet. With Ericsson skiing well downhill from him, Fait apparently lost his edge on a patch of ice and was sent tumbling down the rocky slope to the base of the wall some 3,000 feet below. He was dead when Ericsson reached him about 20 minutes later.

Due to the avalanche-prone nature of the area, Ericsson and a guide who had come up to help from Base Camp were forced to secure Fait’s body to the snow overnight. The two returned with eight other mountaineers the next day, holding a moment of silence for the fallen skier, wrapping his body, and burying him nearby.

Ericsson’s updates have ceased and word is that he discontinued his trek following the loss of his friend. The event again justifies K2′s moniker, the “Savage Mountain,” which alludes to the difficulty of its ascent and its high fatality rate. Of the mountain’s recorded 302 ascents as of 2008, roughly one-fourth (77 in total) have perished in their attempt to scale it.

Sean Wisedale, a mountaineer at K2 Base Camp, witnessed and blogged the account first hand. You can read Ericsson’s first three Powder Magazine updates here.

Read the text of this article on National Geographic’s blog here.

Time Trialing. Photo courtesy of italiancyclingjournal.com.

Bionic human pin cushion Lance Armstrong is no stranger to needles. The 37-year-old’s seen his fair share during cancerous trials, doping probes, and post-crash repair jobs (to busted limbs and bikes, alike).

Apparently the only scars left from having his body and mettle tested as if he were a military prototype, though, are the ones he’s seered and continues to scald into the French countryside. There’s no getting around it: You put this man on a bicycle and he makes just about anything else in the world seem possible.

Rick Reilly’s got a poignant, succinct look into Armstrong’s chase for his 8th Tour title here and his clever turns of phrase (he refers to Armstrong as “cycling’s Dorian Gray”) coupled with a tale of impending triumph that’s hard to muck up make for a great read.

ADVENTURE will continue to post updates on the Armstrong Comeback Story Redux, along with the rest of the Tour, until its conculsion July 26th. Stay tuned…

Read the text of this article on National Geographic’s blog here.

Round a curve in Milan earlier this year. Photo courtesy of cyclingfans.com.

Surprise, surprise. It looks as if Lance Armstrong’s charity ride has turned into something more: like, say, a legitimate run at his 8th Tour De France victory.

Armstrong’s Team Astana, favored to win today’s 39-kilometer time trial in Montpellier, lived up to the hype, finishing the 4th stage in 46 minutes and 29 seconds. Their 40-second margin of victory over Team Saxo Bank means Lance Armstrong is now essentially tied for the race’s lead, just milliseconds behind official leader Fabian Cancellara.

Tomorrow’s 196.5-kilometer stage 5 stretches from Le Cap d’Agde to Perpignan and is dedicated to surrealist painter Salvador Dali, who penned the 1959 Tour’s official postcard.

Read the text on National Geographic’s blog here.

Armstrong in action. Photo courtesy of popcrunch.com.

Far from the fanfare of years past, Lance Armstrong is not even considered the leader of his Astana team in this Tour De France. But the leaderboard would tell you otherwise.

Though he has contended his motivation for riding this time around is largely charitable in nature, there’s no avoiding that if Lance Armstrong is riding in a race, he’s always going to be a favorite. Today’s results appear to show Armstrong arriving at that conclusion, as well, just as he arrived at La Grande-Motte. About 30 kilometers from the third stage finish, Team Columbia took advantage of strong crosswinds and split the peloton with a late surge. Armstrong was paying attention and managed to stay with the lead pack, ultimately resulting in a rise into third place in the overall standings, just 40 seconds behind Swiss leader Fabian Cancellara of the Saxo Bank team.

Armstrong’s finish ahead of his teammate and supposed team captain Alberto Contador has caused some to wonder who the real captain of the team is and posit that perhaps Armstrong’s innate desire to win may cause rifts amongst Astana, especially if Contador continues to fall behind. Monday’s results, however, appear to have been caused more by bad timing and a lapse in judgment on Contador’s part than anything else, as he failed to stay with Team Columbia as they broke away and was subsequently stuck in the second, lagging half of the peloton.

“There are no troubles at all in our team,” said Astana sports director Alain Gallopin. “It’s even the contrary.”

Despite Gallopin’s comments, one has to wonder how content Armstrong will be playing second fiddle to Contador’s lead, especially if he is feeling strong as the race continues and is within easy reach of the yellow jersey. His comments after Monday’s race seem to allude to this possibility. When asked about his chances of donning the famous canary-colored shirt, Armstrong responded, “never say never.”

Briton Mark Cavendish won the 122 mile third stage, slightly edging out Thor Hushovd of Norway and Cyril Lemoine of France. The next stage is tomorrow’s 39 km team time-trial starting and ending in Montpellier. If Team Astana does well, it is quite feasible Armonstrong could once again be leading the Tour de France, even if his team’s not willing to admit it.

Follow the race at letour.fr

Read the text of this article on National Geographic Adventure’s blog here.