To follow Lance, join the library

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MAWSON LAKES, Australia -- Unlike other big cycling races that I’ve covered, the Tour Down Under is a little more retro. My experience isn’t wide-ranging -- three Tours de France, a couple of Tours of California -- but at those events there were media work rooms at each finish line, and in these work rooms were access to wireless and bathrooms, and I am not here to rate those two in importance.

The Tour Down Under is a little more intimate. Each of the six stages finishes within an hour or so of Adelaide so there is one press room, at the Hilton. But for our purposes the race ends each day in time, with some quick writing, to make our newspaper’s print deadline. If there is wi-fi.

Tuesday there was. At the Mawson Lakes Library. But after logging on I was asked for a user name and password, neither of which I had in my possession. Those were only for library members and the nice woman at the information desk didn’t have any passwords or user names to borrow. After some discussion I asked if I could join the library, and quickly. There were consultations in a back office, but eventually it was determined that I could join. I am now a member in good standing at the Mawson Lakes library. I have my user name and password!

But while these negotiations were taking place and then while I was trying out my new user name and password, the podium ceremony for the winner of Stage 1 was held and Kevin Rudd, the prime minister of Australia, held up a PDF copy of the front page of the Los Angeles Times because there was a story about Barack Obama in Washington, D.C. , and Lance Armstrong in Adelaide. Anyway, that’s what I was told.

And if anyone is ever at the Mawson Lakes Library and needs to get on the wi-fi, give me an e-mail shout. I’ll share the password.

-- Diane Pucin