Tour de Yorkshire, Cambridge...and oh yes France as well!!

[Panwearsjaune]

T minus 35 days and counting, to the Grand Depart from Leeds 5th July, with two stages in the White County, and then a third from Cambridge to the Mall in London. It's just soo exciting! It's the biggest biking event in the world, with approx 190 professional riders in about 20 teams racing across tarmac and cobbles, up mountains and down Dales and ending on 27th July on the Champs Elysee, Paris in the now traditional sprint finish there. So here's the thread to share in it all, swop info about accommodation for Tour watchers, road closures, the parcours (courses), peloton gossip, potential meet ups, tv coverage, who's got the nicest legs etc.. and everything to do with the thrills and occasional spills with the event that is a game of poker played out every day on 380 wheels. OF course if you are a newbie to all of this and are curious about the whys and hows of racing then ask and someone will pop up to answer questions. Hopefully.

So I'll depart here next with the routes of the UK 3 stages being taken so no-one gets lost and ends up in the dreaded broom wagon.

I'm on the route before the start of the race...

Posting here to read later :)

I have just been wandering around the fan park in Harrogate, got a bit lost on the way and ended up round the back of all the media vans, they have completely covered a big chunk of the Stray. All the scaffolding and seating is up for the finish and Harrogate is completely full of people, the atmosphere is amazing, it's warm, there are cyclists everywhere. I'll put some photos up later, I have to go to school now for le Tour assembly. Boys went in today on decorated scooters, French theme obviously, and they had a garlic-and-spoon race and baguette relays at Sports Day yesterday.

Pan your bike is gorgeous. Dh has issues about the top line of the spesh (he likes the classic shape of his cannondale) but I love the speshs :D

V excited. Wish I was there. But also feel if I was there I would get v frustrated by all these nouveau fans in my way :D

Losty: pan's Jensie link has a very good sound bite for a new ringtone!

"Who's watching it where"

I can't be specific because parking is going to be a problem, but somewhere along Woodhead Pass.

I'll be watching from my sofa with multiple platforms open so I can follow twitter :D

I'm going to somewhere between Ripon and Harrogate where they have a castle. Along with about 12,000 other people.

I'll be watching it from my sofa with this thread open

Saw a helpful notice today "Danger - do not sit on dry stone walls".

They don't look very comfy, to be honest.

Dry stone walls are certainly not comfy & can be dangerous. As a child I stupidly tried to climb over a dry stone wall once, instead of using a stile. The whole thing fell down, taking me with it. I was lucky not to be hurt, but I managed to stay on top of the stones as they slid down.

I still feel guilty about damaging the wall. I was brought up in the country & was old enough to know better than to climb on a dry stone wall. It would've been a complete pain for the farmer to repair.

I suppose the signs are for the tourists, I was about to say "would anyone be that stupid" but obviously Drama was!

Some pics I took this afternoon - was there about 24 hours too early really.

Thankfully, Endo, I grew up & acquired a bit of sense!

I'll be at the town hall in Leeds hopefully getting a good view of the start! I only live about 3 miles out of the centre so getting a bus in to town.

Tour de France drinking game:

twitter.com/thejensie/status/485093832124821505/photo/1

Getting exciting. I'm hoping to catch it go past St John's church on the junction of the Ring Road/Harrogate Road in Moortown, Leeds. Any idea what time we should get there by if we are to stand a chance of seeing anything?

Watching at Cragg Vale. A walk up and over the hill from our house. Just praying it won't be rainig as can't imagine having 7mo Dd in a sling for 3 to 4 hours will work if it rains.

Monteray you need the stage timings:

letour.yorkshire.com/the-grand-d%C3%A9part-2014/timings

get there for the caravan.

Thanks Endoplasmic that's v useful. Do you reckon if we turn up an hour before caravan is due to pass that's too soon/too late to get a viewing spot? Just no idea how many people to except in general areas en-route.

So excellent to see new members of the peloton today!

Bunbaker - we will be on the Woodhead, either at the Woodhead turn down from Holme Moss, or a bit further along toward Sheff.

Motorways apparently very heavy coming northwards.

I've just dropped some leaflets off at local hotels and there were support buses and lycra clad cyclist having their bikes seen to in a very professional manner... I hope the cycling is better than the parking I saw from some of the tour support cars!

Dry stone walls.. Break fingers and dislocate one. ( previous thread posters will know the story...leave them well alone!)