So Folks, what are YOU doing for LeTour ??

TheBigYin

Well - apart from all of you lovely lot that are signed up for the TdF Challenge of course, who I'm sure will be going out riding your little socks off - but (and I guess this is probably more applicable to the UK/Euro folks on here) is anyone here doing anything extra...

As I'm sure you're all aware, the Grand Depart takes place in Gods Own County this year - indeed the initial roll-out on the Headrow in Leeds is approximately 10 miles as the crow flies from where I'm sitting at the moment, and the finish of the second stage is about 20 miles away down in Sheffield - so, I'm pretty much surrounded by the route.

I've already had a little trip up into the Dales to ride some of the nicer bits of the route (though perhaps Nice is not exactly the correct word to describe the "Cote de Buttertubs" especially the last kick over the cattlegrid).



Over the years I've spent many, many hours riding and driving around these locations, and to be honest, I'm slightly worried how the roads are going to cope with the expected influx of people, I can see there's going to be traffic trying to get away from some of the locations (particularly in Swaledale) until gone midnight - I can certainly understand why people are planning to go somewhere and camp out for the duration.

Second Stage - well - my current thoughts are to try and get somewhere near to Holmfirth by bike and watch them go by, because if the worst comes to the worst and I can't get anywhere near, at least it's a nice hilly 40-50 mile ride in relatively pleasant locations.



I'm currently scratching my head and poring over maps to work out where to try and get to on the bike. Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure that any of the decent viewing spots (i.e. the uphills - the only bit where you actually see the people go by for more than a couple of seconds!) are going to be staked out anything up to a week in advance by some folk.. Fortunately, I've managed to get Sky+HD installed in time to ensure that I can actually see the whole experience properly afterwards.

The third stage "darn sarff" - well - it's flat and boring, and ends in "That London" so i'll obviously not be attending, though I'll Sky+ the Eurosport coverage and watch it after my ride I suppose.



but once the riders cross the ditch again, the stage I'm actually quite looking forward to is stage 5 - just to watch all the skinny little GC contenders going down like ninepins on the cobbled secteurs... You can tell my affections are with the big Rouleurs, can't you...



Other than that, well - i'm looking forward to watching stage 10 when I get home from a nice long Birthday bike ride, probably while tucking into a mahoosive plate of Steak Frites and soaking up a couple of good bottles of Vin Rouge... Just as well there's the first rest day to recover from a gueule de bois, literally a “wooden gob,”

So - anyone else doing anything interesting ??

cloggsy71

The big problem viewing the tour from the roadside (as I see it), is that there'll be a lot of waiting around & unless you're on an uphill section, you're going to see the riders for a couple of seconds, then pack up & go home again.

Of course, by far the best way to see the tour is going to be sat on your backside in front of the tele. That being said, we are NEVER EVER going to see the whole majesty of 'Le Tour' in our lifetime again... It would be a shame not to 'actually be there!'

A lad I work with lives in Masham & he's invited people over for a few beers & watch the riders come down from Middleham, through Masham and onwards towards Ripon.

There's a good vantage point I might head for; me and a million others no doubt :grumble:

I was going to ride to Masham, but I fear the bike might get damaged with all the 'idiots' that are going to be coming to my particular part of North Yorkshire, so I may just leave it at home & walk...

Either way, I need to ride on the 5th for the Challenge ride, so everything is 'up in the air' for the time being...

TheBigYin

that's it exactly Clive - having actually seen LeTour a few times now, it's almost a "festival" atmosphere going on, the build up of a hour or more, then the tour caravan comes through, the dolly-birds in motorised profiteroles throwing loads of tat out to the waiting crowds, then probably 2 hours of peering down the road looking for traces of a red Skoda or Six... Then Whooomffff - and they're all through... and depending on your attitude, you either sit down and open a biere and wait a while for the roads to clear for 3-4 hours, or you join the queue and fulminate for the next 6 hours to get 20 miles down the road to the A1.

Frannybobs

Well, as my fella is into cycling too - we're camping at the Yorkshire Festival of Cycling from Friday to Monday. It's at Harewood House in Leeds which is the ceremonial start (as I'm sure you all know) and when we've seen that roll through we booked on a led ride to go and watch Stage 1 somewhere else further down the route. On the Sunday we also go on another led ride to view Stage 2 from somewhere too.

In between when we're not watching it live, they are showing it on big screens. I will of course set it to record on my TiVO box to watch when we get back.

Now please, can you NOT put on the traditional Yorkshire welcome for us but bring out the sun instead? A few beers in the sunshine outside our little tent in the evenings would be lovely ;-)

composite

My plan is:

Friday
Start at my mates house in South Halifax around 1pm
40k ride up through Halifax to a pub near Baildon
A Pint or two while we wait for others to arrive
5k ride up ont’ Moor to bivi down for the night

Saturday
Drop down into Ilkley for breakfast and find a spot to watch from
Peloton ~ 12:24
40k ride over to a pub in Oxenhope
Few beers and dinner, then a 5k ride to Bivi

Sunday
Drop down into Hebden Bridge for Breakfast
20k up and o’er tops, t’ Crag Vale
Peloton ~ 13:36
10k ride back to Halifax for tea and cake

KitTheRoadie

Well unfortunately due to work and family commitments I'm not going to be able to get away! I am a little disappointed to be honest but I have 'live coverage' at work and highlights to look forward to when I'm home.

I've seen the tour 'in the flesh' once before so I know exactly what I'm missing out on! :sad:

Cloggsy - This isn't the first time it's started in the UK and I'm sure it won't be the last, certainly in our lifetime! *fingerscrossed*

Sounds like you all have some great plans, I hope you have a fabulous time and enjoy the spectacle! :happy:

cloggsy71

[SoapBox]

Something else which is annoying the hell out of me is, local farmers and land owners are making an absolute killing charging 'over-exuberant' prices for car parking & camping...

I am aware of one 'local' who is charging £10/car for parking on his field - He's already had 700 cars pre-book a spot (less than half of his field!) :grumble:

I think there was a caravan club or someone who had a rally field booked at a local football or rugby club for Le Tour too; obviously not putting two and two together and realising that the TdF was here for that weekend - they promply cancelled the 'club rally' and started selling pitches for the weekend at hugely inflated prices...

Don't get me wrong, but the out and out 'greed' (for the want of a better word), that people get involved in when stuff like this happens is ridiculous...

I just cringe when the 'Rip-Off' Britain wheels start to get into gear :grumble:

[/SoapBox]

... and breathe :happy:

Frannybobs

[SoapBox]

Something else which is annoying the hell out of me is, local farmers and land owners are making an absolute killing charging 'over-exuberant' prices for car parking & camping...

I am aware of one 'local' who is charging £10/car for parking on his field - He's already had 700 cars pre-book a spot (less than half of his field!) :grumble:

I think there was a caravan club or someone who had a rally field booked at a local football or rugby club for Le Tour too; obviously not putting two and two together and realising that the TdF was here for that weekend - they promply cancelled the 'club rally' and started selling pitches for the weekend at hugely inflated prices...

Don't get me wrong, but the out and out 'greed' (for the want of a better word), that people get involved in when stuff like this happens is ridiculous...

I just cringe when the 'Rip-Off' Britain wheels start to get into gear :grumble:

[/SoapBox]

... and breathe :happy:

You only need look at accommodation costs in Glasgow for the Commonwealths to see that in action....friend of mine was quoted £1250 A NIGHT to stay in a hotel (and this was way back when the tickets had just been on sale not like yesterday)...needless to say they found somewhere else a bit further out!

cloggsy71

Cloggsy - This isn't the first time it's started in the UK and I'm sure it won't be the last, certainly in our lifetime! *fingerscrossed*

Sorry, I didn't mean UK, I meant the most important part of the UK; Yorkshire

Lard_Vader

I hope you fellas will share some photos here or IG (if you partake). Would love to see your POV of the le Tour. And I'd agree--watching on the TV might be the best coverage, but this is the chance of a lifetime to see it pass in front of you live. If I were there, I think I'd try to get a glimpse once or twice per day if the route was near me.

TheBigYin

[SoapBox]

Something else which is annoying the hell out of me is, local farmers and land owners are making an absolute killing charging 'over-exuberant' prices for car parking & camping...

I am aware of one 'local' who is charging £10/car for parking on his field - He's already had 700 cars pre-book a spot (less than half of his field!) :grumble:

I think there was a caravan club or someone who had a rally field booked at a local football or rugby club for Le Tour too; obviously not putting two and two together and realising that the TdF was here for that weekend - they promply cancelled the 'club rally' and started selling pitches for the weekend at hugely inflated prices...

Don't get me wrong, but the out and out 'greed' (for the want of a better word), that people get involved in when stuff like this happens is ridiculous...

I just cringe when the 'Rip-Off' Britain wheels start to get into gear :grumble:

[/SoapBox]

... and breathe :happy:

thing is Clive, what we (semi) locals see as profiteering, is seen by people coming from 200 miles away as a relatively inexpensive way of seeing the tour, AND at the end of the day, it's THIS VERY STUFF that's actually a big chunk of the "estimated economic benefit" that it's bringing into the area....

While I'm not exactly happy at spending money to park at any time, with the width of the roads, and the nature of them (i.e. there's often NO alternative road) something has to happen to get the thousands and thousands of cars off the roads - it really is going to be like the worst ever bank holiday you've ever known, but doubled/tripled. I'm thinking especially all the stuff coming down off Buttertubs until the turnoff at Reeth - basically, your only way of getting off is back down Buttertubs along with 500,000 drunks walking down or following the Voiture Balai along Swaledale - either way is going to be murder

I'm tempted to come up and have a walk along to the route with you to be honest - the prospect of trying to get a bike through all the people doesn't appeal for much the same reasons you mentioned - at least the second stage has a few alternative roads that link across/into the route, being in a bit more industrial bit.

Frannybobs

I hope you fellas will share some photos here or IG (if you partake). Would love to see your POV of the le Tour. And I'd agree--watching on the TV might be the best coverage, but this is the chance of a lifetime to see it pass in front of you live. If I were there, I think I'd try to get a glimpse once or twice per day if the route was near me.

"Fellas" - ahem??? And laydeez :laugh:

Lard_Vader

I hope you fellas will share some photos here or IG (if you partake). Would love to see your POV of the le Tour. And I'd agree--watching on the TV might be the best coverage, but this is the chance of a lifetime to see it pass in front of you live. If I were there, I think I'd try to get a glimpse once or twice per day if the route was near me.

"Fellas" - ahem??? And laydeez :laugh:

Sorry about that! ;-) I wasn't aware we had some ladies in the British hood also. So I'll rephrase to "I hope all of you will share..."

Frannybobs

I hope you fellas will share some photos here or IG (if you partake). Would love to see your POV of the le Tour. And I'd agree--watching on the TV might be the best coverage, but this is the chance of a lifetime to see it pass in front of you live. If I were there, I think I'd try to get a glimpse once or twice per day if the route was near me.

"Fellas" - ahem??? And laydeez :laugh:

Sorry about that! ;-) I wasn't aware we had some ladies in the British hood also. So I'll rephrase to "I hope all of you will share..."

Haha don't worry, takes more than that to offend me! Ah yes, I'm English but I'm on the BETTER side of the Pennines than TBY and Cloggsy - in good old Manchester. Yorkshire = God's Own County...pfffffffffffft !! :noway:

cloggsy71

Ah yes, I'm English but I'm on the BETTER side of the Pennines than TBY and Cloggsy - in good old Manchester. Yorkshire = God's Own County...pfffffffffffft !! :noway:

Who won the War of the Roses?

Edward IV of York defeated Henry VI of Lancaster in 1461 and again in 1471!

I'm just sayin'

Frannybobs

Ah yes, I'm English but I'm on the BETTER side of the Pennines than TBY and Cloggsy - in good old Manchester. Yorkshire = God's Own County...pfffffffffffft !! :noway:

Who won the War of the Roses?

Edward IV of York defeated Henry VI of Lancaster in 1461 and again in 1471!

I'm just sayin'

Over 500 years ago....I demand a rematch :laugh:

TheBigYin

During the Wars of the Roses the people of Yorkshire were mostly on the side of the Lancastrians.

The war was not between the counties but between the houses of York and Lancaster.

The idea of the people of Yorkshire were mostly on the Yorkshire is a mistake partly due to the fact that the white rose is the modern-day symbol of Yorkshire and the cricket match between Yorkshire and Lancashire being known as the roses match.

Most of the House Of York's holdings were down south IIRC.

Still - it makes for a nice healthy competitive spirit at the Cricket Games, doesn't it.

ETA: nothing really against the Lancastrians TBH - Scousers and Mancs yeah, but not Lanks. :laugh:
(just kidding folks, before you come over and shoot me, or steal my car!)

Frannybobs

During the Wars of the Roses the people of Yorkshire were mostly on the side of the Lancastrians.

The war was not between the counties but between the houses of York and Lancaster.

The idea of the people of Yorkshire were mostly on the Yorkshire is a mistake partly due to the fact that the white rose is the modern-day symbol of Yorkshire and the cricket match between Yorkshire and Lancashire being known as the roses match.

Most of the House Of York's holdings were down south IIRC.

Still - it makes for a nice healthy competitive spirit at the Cricket Games, doesn't it.

Yes I remember doing that at school actually a zillion years ago and being told it wasn't Lancashire v Yorkshire!!

Hahaha - Mancs

ETA: nothing really against the Lancastrians TBH - Scousers and Mancs yeah, but not Lanks. :laugh:

Rude I'm assuming there are some exceptions to your rule?!!! (Although I agree with the scousers bit for the most part!)

In fact, I actually spent 3 very happy years on the wrong side of the Pennines at university in Sheffield and developed a great affinity for the place and the people. The porters at the uni buildings were largely ex-miners and ex-steel workers and great blokes. The ones at the Hall of Residence I lived it would even make me brews and a bacon butty when I came in from a night out!! I was always being told though "It's tha turn ter mash" - haha, I picked up some funny phrases and can still remember the Yorkshireman's motto!

TheBigYin

For the benefit of the non-northerners.

Yorkshiremans Motto...

Hear All, See All, And Say Nowt
Ate All, Sup All, and Pay Nowt
And if tha' does Owt for Nowt
Do it for Thissen...


I love proper Yorkshire, my favourite was back when I started riding with the local bike club. Second Club Run with them one of the "regulars" shouted at me...


"Ow Upp Wooleyleggs, gerrup frunt and chuck some coyle on...."

(Hey, you with the hairy legs, go to the front of the bunch and increase the tempo a little, there's a good chap...)

(if nothing else this thread may help some of the Soft Southern Jessies who are thinking of coming up to see the race to "get into character" :laugh:)

verdemujer

Being way across the pond and far, far away, I'll check out the highlights of the pictures here and there and read all of your very interesting banter on MFP. Having converted all the kms to mileage, my little puny rides will just have to sweeten poor team 4's overall mileage pot. I will say I've very much enjoy the Youttube fly throughs of the Yorkshire routes. Very pretty. I hope the riders enjoy the countryside as much as the natives.

lpherman01

Watching & listening to Phil Liggett. I just love the way he announces a race.