That IS a baguette in my pants.

Me, a baguette, and the Peloton at the Col De l'Estrade. Sorry
for the quality, it's a screenshot from the GoPro vid. 

Location: Mende, France.
Paris-Nice Stage 5
Video: In Process

So, just a quick update here. I got up early enough to set off towards the Category 1 climb on the Col de L'Estrade and found a place to park. Still was not sure of the plan, but since I was one of three people at that particular spot and it was very steep, I figured I'd hang in there and see what happened.

Usually when I do this, meaning I "wait-and-see", good shit happens. And it was just perfect all the way around. It was maybe only 40 degrees and the wind was howling but in comparison to the suffering the riders were going through, I figured I could manage. So I put on my shorts and tee-shirt and grabbed, eh, what should I grab?

Oh, I have a baguette.

Thomas Dekker gives a great example of
the confused look I was getting while
yelling in English. I may be the only
American fan here. Pretty sure, in fact. 

And just before the four-man break comes to me, I talk to the girl and the guy in the all yellow, this is the motorbike that carries the chalk sign that tells the peloton the lead. And I hear this crackle over race radio and I think I hear the word "americain" and I can't be sure but she points to me when I hear this. I say "C'est moi?" (It's me?"), and she smiles and nods "Oui, je pense que oui." (Yes, I think so).

Maybe they fingered me because of the sign I spray painted on black trash bags in white spraypaint and laid on the ground by the switchback which read "Gibbs Is Here. USA." I thought maybe the helicopter would pick it up but it wasn't here for this portion.

But it was visible to the race officials and the Gendarmerie as they passed by.

It was ridiculous, and I will tell you that a lot of the guys in the field as they passed by gave my curious looks because I was yelling at them in English. One guy, all alone, a Movistar guy, gave me the tongue-out look and smiled and I pushed him for a bit and he said "Donk Joo."

I yelled the names of Thor, Jens, and Laurens Ten Dam as each of them passed by, but the four breakaway guys were not familiar to me. Except for the guy from Europcar that I nearly ran into yesterday riding around the team buses. I could not find Tejay or Levi. Levi is so little he is nearly impossible to spot, even at 12mph.

But I ran, and I ran with a baguette, and I was happy. These guys blow my mind.

More examples of confused looks:

Tom Boonen (in the Omega kit) looks quite inquisitive, and also massive. 

Can't see the numbers, but I think thats Bookwalter (BMC), which
would explain his look since he is American. Not sure who the Rabo guy is.