After 4 years of keenly competing in the #tdf133 poetry competition I’m delighted to be providing a prize for the 2016 contest. #tdf133 involves writing a poem in 133 characters or less, in a tweet, to summarise each stage of the Tour de France.

You can see the whole range of entries by searching #tdf133 on Twitter.

The whole event (the poetry, not the Tour) is run by Rachel @TourDeCouch in Australia. It is hotly contested by Tour de France fans across the world, united by Twitter.

Continue reading “Judging Poetry #tdf133”

Massive thanks to kind folk on Twitter who have sent in photos of churches on the 2016 Tour de France race route. Here goes!

Portbail, Normandy – thanks to Bruno Lallemand @Lallemand_Bruno

Villedieu-les-Poeles, Normandy. Thanks to English Tifosi @41TourStages

Guchen, Pyrenees. Thanks to Mark Ansell @Mark Ansell

Estensan, Pyrenees. Thanks to Mark Ansell @MarkAnsell

Azet, Pyrenees. Thanks to Mark Ansell @MarkAnsell

Valloire, Alps. Thanks to TdF Beefeaters @tdfbeefeaters

Albertville, Alps. Thanks to English Tifosi @41TourStages

Megeve, Alps. Thanks to English Tifosi @41TourStages

Stage 19 of the 2016 Tour de France (Albertville to Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc) takes in a host of beautiful Alpine passes. We rode several of them back in 1994. It took a few days! With rest days too!

Above, we see me approach the summit of the Col de la Forclaz after a hot climb from Martigny. It turned out Peter’s back wheel had buckled on the climb, making it an even more incredible ascent (with panniers) than for race riders on carbon frames with team cars. In the next photo we see Peter’s panniers being double stacked onto my bike for the descent to a bike repair shop in Chamonix.

After Chamonix we rode through Megeve (part of the 2016 Tour). Soon after Megeve I saw a left turn to the Col des Saisies. We didn’t know about col bagging (and the Ordre Des Cols Durs) at that point but we recognised the name from Le Tour, so we turned off to climb it. Two days later a veteran col bagger at Alpe d’Huez told us about the OCD and we were hooked.

Finally, for this post we see the Alpine pass sign which led us to the Forclaz. We hadn’t originally planned to ride the Forclaz but the other passes were shut with snow so we took the open one! We also met the post lady on her bike near Albertville.

#tdf #tdf2016 #letour #france #letourdefrance #col #mountain #cycloclimbing #ocd #cols

Chesterfield is not alone! Check this fascinating article by Green Adventures. Wonderful places for cycle tours too.

http://www.greenadventurestravel.com/europe/crooked-spires.html

Bells can sound very different in another country. It depends on how the bells are hung and how they are struck. Click below to explore four different styles across Europe.

https://bellsandbikes.com/2014/11/24/le-tour-grand-departs-the-variety-of-bells/

Join me 2pm Friday 17 June for the story of “Bells & Bikes.” I’m the opening act in The Arts Tent. “British eccentricity at its best,” said @roadcc of my book. See what you think. And have a go.

https://bellsandbikes.com/eroica-2016/

What a fabulous three days of racing, ringing and bunting. Well done Thomas Voeckler, winning the race, and well done to the bellringers of Yorkshire who delivered again.

Full story via the link below (after the photo of Northallerton).

https://bellsandbikes.com/tdy/

Thirsk Yarnbombers really went to town for the Tour #tourdeyorkshire #tdy (7 second film on Vine).

How Sutton Under Whitestonecliffe prepared for Stage 3 of the Tour de Yorkshire. Great work by the local Scouts and Guides. (7 second film on Vine).