Hmmm, now I'm sure there was something going on during the first week of July that had everyone, not just me, all excited and enthused but what was it I wonder...
Something to do with yellow bikes and hand-knit mini jumpers cropping up all over the place perhaps?
Having been pretty ambivalent about the whole thing in the build up to it, and having finally decided (not being a fan of large crowds etc) to stay in and watch it all from the comfort and safety of my own home I was ridiculously easily persuaded otherwise by Bernie and John who'd headed out early and reported ease of movement around the area and equal ease of access to the fan park.
This was no longer the case, by any stretch of the imagination, when I joined them about an hour or so later - I say joined them but that isn't quite true. I attempted to join them. Access to the fan park was restricted to a one-in/one-out scenario and the queues to get in were enormous - plus all phone signals were down so I couldn't let them know I'd arrived or contact them to locate their whereabouts.
I gave up on the fan park and any hope of being reunited with my sibling and decided to attempt the trek to The Cairn in the hope of being able to enjoy food, alcohol, a great view (including Mine Truly who was on shift at the time) and a bucking bronco. It was chaos getting there but well worth it by the time I did so I happily got a couple of drinks, nodded at Phil Jupitus as he walked past me, and found a seat with a view on the car park wall. Bernie and I eventually managed to communicate so they came and joined me, I think it was the temptation of the bucking bronco which did the trick!
Then we wandered back down to the Fan park, where Mine Truly joined us, to have some amazing burgers and listen to the music for a few hours - and I was very impressed that they'd put on some staged seating just for me ;-)
I got a little bit of video (it's bad, sorry!) - the noise is the ice cream van I was stood next to!
Start a Mexican Wave Day!
I didn't start one but you could say I unwittingly (careful what you say now) took part in one as the cyclists were hurtling down Ripon Road and the crowd all adged closer and stood taller to try and get a glimpse - then they moved as one wave to engluf the indoor bar and screen area as soon as it had passed!
I got a couple of photos of the 'civvy' procession which followed in the wake of the professionals :-)
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