Not one, but two rides today. This morning's ride: Had a pass from Mrs Donger to drive over to Vielsalm to watch the Tour de France roll by. There's another thing to tick off my bucket list. Researched the area by Google Maps again, and did a bit of a reccie by car yesterday. Decided to park up outside a little village football ground in Sart near Lierneux, and ride my bike into Salmchateau about three miles down the hill from there. Google maps showed a couple of little back lanes in Salmchateau that looked useful, and I reckoned (correctly, it turns out) that it might be possible to ride up to the bigger town of Vielsalm even if the roads to be used for the race are closed. Arrived in Salmchateau about an hour before the peloton came through - though had a bit of a start as the first thing I saw was people leaving in droves and heading for their cars. Turned out I hadn't miscalculated, and they were just stowing away all the free crap that had been handed out by the tour caravan. Salmchateau was pretty much barricaded off:
There was a little alley just off picture to the left, which I took to pick my way through some narrow back streets to a better viewing point by a railway bridge, but I also found the narrow track that led along the side of the railway line all the way to Vielsalm. Crowds were still pretty sparse there, and it was just a straight stretch of unremarkable high street. I ignored the various TdF vehicles passing with regularity even 45 minutes before the race was due to pass, and made my way back to the railway path - as much just to keep moving as anything. (I had a bike, so I might as well use it). Crossed over the railway bridge and turned right and the track eventually became a proper road leading uphill (of course!) to a suburb called Rencheux. From there I was able to drop down into another part of Vielsalm and take up a cracking position opposite a large and very impressive looking church, and with my back to a large stone-built inn with a widescreen TV in the beer garden showing the British Eurosport coverage of the race. Result! I even had a little nook in the wall to place my bike, and a large stone planter to stand on with a lamp post to steady myself with so I could get an elevated view of the road. A motorbike journalist for l'Equipe pulled up alongside just before the riders appeared. Drunken Dutch blokes behind me provided my sound track. (None of them threw any urine at Froomey):
Here's one of Team Sky and the yellow jersey wearer, Geraint Thomas coming through. (Hoorah!):
... followed by the bulk of the peloton:
and the AG2R boys not exactly busting a gut today ...
Then almost before you could blink, that was it .... except for dozens more support vehicles
Chuffed to bits to catch that on my hols. The fun didn't stop there. When the van with a sign saying "Fin de Course" came by, the road was re-opened and I could take the short route back to Salmchateau on the main road. Some small children applauded me in error as I passed in my Kingsway CC club kit,
and a few groups of wags heckled me rather well. One clearly shouted that I was "en r'tard" while another group cheered me loudly and when I played along and asked which way the others had all gone, they pointed ahead and shouted that I was only "deux minutes" behind!
The 3 mile climb back to where I had left the car was well worth it, as they had been triple parked outside Salmchateau and it was mayhem. A steady stream of cars then passed me on my way up the hill - every one of them giving me plenty of room. I very much hope I will get the chance to do that again many more times in future. What a wonderful atmosphere and what great stage management of the event. 10.3 miles cycling too.
Vive le Tour! Cheers,
Donger.
