How Mary grabbed the Tour de France

I GRABBED THE SUMMER and then had to hang on for dear life!! What a week.

We were relocated to Cambridge with my husband’s job from Atlanta, Georgia almost one year ago, so when we discovered the Tour de France Bike Race was starting in London for the first time in many years, the excitement started to mount. We knew we could not let this opportunity pass us by. 

It all began July 7 in London for the Prologue, a speed trial where each racer covers a 7.9 kilometer course as fast as possible. There were enormous crowds for miles and that only generated more fun and enthusiasm.  People of all ages, all nationalities, all sizes and every walk of life were standing shoulder-to-shoulder, armed with their cameras and prepared to capture great photos as each racer sped by.  It was hilarious to watch all those wannabe photographers trying to get “the shot” as each rider passed only to find he missed the racer!!  It was very funny to watch them prepare only to find they had missed again!!  This went on for several shots before the riders with their aerodynamic helmets and bodies close to the handle bars could be caught as a bright colored blur of speed as they sailed by. 

The Prologue began at 3 p.m. and ended when the last rider began his lap at 6:20 p.m.  As he passed us we packed our blanket and lugged our luggage back to the subway station heading for the train to Canterbury. I’m sure at least half the population of London was also heading in the same direction!  We arrived for our 8 o’clock dinner reservation at 10 o’clock, and finally collapsed in a 12th century B&B. Do you think we were impressed and excited?

After our full English breakfast, we set out to explore Canterbury and the cathedral for a short while before heading to the finish line.  The streets were already filling with tents selling fresh baked breads and pastries, strawberries and cream, cherries, olives, anything you could think of.  It was a beautiful morning and you could already tell it was going to be another hot race day.

After continuing to travel with our luggage on the cobble stone streets, pavements, roads, up and down stairs, we finally settled into our perfect location. Our spot was approximately 325 meters from the finish with only one row of people in front of us.  Great place for more photo opps. Everyone was patient, hot, and just so glad to be at this place at this time to see these riders as they headed for the finish line on the first leg of their long journey.

As we watched the filming helicopters get closer and closer, you could really feel the excitement building in anticipation of what was about to happen.   Here they come and there they go.  The leaders and the pelethon passed us just that fast.  It was like an artist stroke of bright and beautiful liquid color as they passed.  It probably lasted no longer than 10 seconds. But what you felt just by being there! And you get to see it all over again tomorrow. It is one of those moments that I will never forget.  At that point the SUMMER HAD GRABBED ME!

As soon as the riders passed us we collected our luggage (again) and headed to the train station, then the ferry terminal to cross the English Channel. Another wonderful thrill and something new for us.

With all the ticket planning laid out so smoothly, you knew you were living on borrowed time before disaster would occur. It happened when we departed the ferry terminal in Dunkirque and found NO WAY to get to the train station.  We finally found someone who told us we had to call a taxi. By the time they arrived there were 6 Americans who had missed the last train to Lille with connection in Brussels to Gent for the arrival of the bikers the next day. You should have seen all of us trying to come up with enough cash to pay for the taxi. Euros, pounds, American dollars, all swapping hands allowing us to barely catch the last train to Brussels for the night.

We had all decided we wanted to be at the finish line in Gent since this would be our last day with the tour and thought we would get to the finish line early only to discover many, many other spectators had already filled that area.  So we walked a little of the city and made our way back toward the finish line for the 5:30 arrival of riders.  People were everywhere- - standing on all the balconies, sitting in the concrete window ledges, one bloke was sitting on the top of traffic light. It was amazing to see the sheer number of spectators who turned out in each city to get a glimpse of these world-class riders.

All or time and effort carrying our luggage and backpacks for 2 days, the eight trains we caught, the missed train, one ferry, the numerous subway trains, the millions of steps, in 4 days to reach 3 different countries, did not dampen the spirit and the excitement of this event.  I would not have changed a minute of it (well, maybe the missed train).  I learned a lot, saw many new places and things, and the amount of determination these riders show every day when it is time to begin another new leg of their journey is simply incredible.

I grabbed the summer of 2007 and it is definitely one I will never forget!!!

Mary Jones

Comments

[Alice]

Hi Mary,

Glad to hear that you enjoyed the Tour.

I am already a cycling fan and so knew what to expect, but it sounds like you were blown away by how popular it is, is it fair to say that cycling and the Tour de France has got a new fan?
I have seen the Tour 3 times now and it is only until you experience it that you realise what the fuss is all about. Just seeing it on the tv is not the same, you have to see it, feel it, taste it, savour the atmosphere to enjoy it fully.
Ali.

[Lin]

Mary,

You missed your calling - you should have been a jounalist!!!!