Flying Bananas
Unless you have been on Mars for the past few months it won't have slipped your attention that Sunday was the first stage of the Tour de France passing through our lovely town.
I was rather keen to get out and grab some photographs of the historic event so rose with the cockerel. I needn't have got up quite so early though. Standing in my position ready and waiting at 8am was perhaps a tad premature as I shared the road with just a few policemen and some bored-looking workers sweeping up the roads. I'd have to mill about for another five and a half hours to finally see the rampaging cyclists.
Before the main event was the three hour procession of weird and wonderful floats. Hundreds of cars honking their horns as they passed, pretty French girls precariously hanging on to the back throwing freebies into the crowds, I was almost knocked unconcious by a free sample of soap powder and nearly lost an eye from the girl throwing die-cast Skodas. Luckily no French breeze block manufacturer was sponsoring this years event.
Our local Police always got a great cheer as they drove past tunefuly playing their sirens but the loudest cheer of the morning went to the local KMFM Traffic Patrol car. Minutes before the riders arrived the tension was built to a frenzy by screaming French van drivers hawking their wares from the back of their mobile shops. We could hear the helicopters beginning to circle overhead, until finally the recognisable sight of a man sitting the wrong way on a motorbike with a camera perched on his shoulder rounded the corner, pursued moments later by a small bunch of five riders. A breakaway must have happened.
Four minutes later, the same furore of noise and flag waving greeted the following Peloton. Royal Tunbridge Wells was apparently the official food stop of the Tour, so rather than a pack of determined faces pressing on by fighting each other for position, we were treated to 180-odd riders stuffing their faces with bananas and cereal bars. Six hours of build-up for six seconds of masticating cyclists. But boy was it worth it. It was a carnival atmosphere in town, with brass bands, street performers, markets, fetes and allsorts happening wherever you turned. It was brilliant fun, but I'd had a long morning so retired home to the comfort of my sofa for a well deserved sit down. Vive La France! If you'd like to see more photographs I took from the Tour click here.
Can you guess where I was standing? Where did you stand? Did you enjoy it?
Hi there. Being a TW-er away from home in Canada... it's real good to see your blog! I have a Question about your page. I love the presentation. Did you do it on a MAC? I realise this has no ref to the tour de france but I was curious and had to post my querie somewhere...No worries if you don't want to say... Thanks x
”Comment left by Nicola on July, 13 2007
Thanks again for truly great pictures!
One big thumb down; the flag-posts of the Town Hall were empty! No wonder Frenchies dashed through the town. Where was the tricolor? A true faux-pas!
My praise goes to Alistair who organised a Community-Do on St. John's Church Green. Dunorlan was well organised too! – But I can’t get around the feeling that there was something missing.
Where were the hawkers on Five Ways? The cherry selling girls on Civic Way? Fresh strawberries from local farms? Where were the crepes Suzettes stalls? The Tour de France T-shirt sellers? Where is the spirit of Beau Nash, believed to be the greatest promoter of the Wells?
”Comment left by Daniel Bech on July, 10 2007
I must agree what a wonderful day =)
i just spent some time over at your Flickr site wonderful photographs!
”Comment left by Anonymous Bosch on July, 09 2007