Day 3 Tour De France
Sorry for the 2 day disappearance. We were staying at the Crown Plaza in Toulouse, France and I could not figure out how to get onto the wireless internet.
So we got up early for a great breakfast in Biarritz and took a 4 hour bus ride to the town of Revel. The Trek Travel team was all set up with bikes and had reserved a restaurant on the last climb of the day. Jodi and I went for a short walk and decided we wanted to enjoy the sights and sounds of the tour rather than ride for the day. We stayed at the open area of the restaurant and had lunch with about half of our group. The other half went out for a hilly 40-70 mile ride around the country side. We are surprised with the food and people of France. The smaller towns are unique in every way from the type of service and appearance you experience. The staff at the restaurant would not serve us food until we filled all of the seats at the table and would smoke cigarettes while serving food. This I must say is not the norm, we only experienced it in the town of Revel. The food was a local dish full of beans, cheese, chicken, bones included, pork, and sausage. Jodi and I did not care for it, but most seemed to like it and were excited to have a dish that was local. We were able to have a great time and were still full from breakfast so it didn't really matter. The caravan from the tour started to roll thru town shortly after lunch. This is several hundred cars and trucks made up of all the sponsors of the tour. It is a free for all of flying trinkets and food. They have trucks roll thru before and after selling magazines of the tour and all types of shirts, hats, and mussetts. They have loud speakers and blair out French and American music as well as promote their products. The caravan has tons of people like a parade dancing and waving while throwing all the goodies. We were able to swipe a couple of hats and small items.
The riders came shortly after the caravan was gone and there was a breakaway that went fling by us, shortly followed by the peleton. Once the peleton rolled thru the last car is a tow truck and then the road fills with spectators and cars from all over. It is amazing how fast the tour breaks down after it flys by.
We watched the finish on TV's and then loaded into the bus and drove back to the hotel in Toulouse. Once we all checked into the hotel we all walked to a restaurant about 15 minutes away. It was very European. We went down several flights of stairs and were in what seemed to be an old wine cellar. There was constant tiny pieces of brick that would fall onto the table from the ceiling. It was a wonderful dinner and evening for us to be able to learn more about France from one of our guides, Nat, He was a lot of fun to talk to about the cultures and experiences of France. He is studying French literature at the Colorado University and has lived in France before. French pay 65% income tax and work only 35 hours per week. They get 11 holidays and 5 weeks paid vacation. Also they get free education to any level and free health care. Lots of good, but lots of TAXES. Things are not cheap here. A Euro is valued at $1.30 US and you can't get much for a Euro.
Well to top off dinner John Burke and the rest of the Trek staff had a great surprise for us. They did a drawing for 7 winners to be able to ride in the Team Discovery van on the 18th stage from Albi to Mende. Four winners got to also go on a helicopter ride in the middle of the tour and see the tour for 20 minutes from the sky. The luckiest of the 7 winners got to spend the day in the second team car and watch and hear all of the team strategy unfold right in front of them.
Well beyond my wildest dreams Jodi and I were chosen as a winner to be able to ride in the Team Discovery van and go on the helicopter ride. Only one of us could go and Jodi would not let me convince her it should be her. So tune back in tonight and I will give you all the details. Now we have just gotten to Paris and are going downstairs to watch the finish of today's stage and explore the sights. The Eiffel tower is only a 20 minute walk away.
So we got up early for a great breakfast in Biarritz and took a 4 hour bus ride to the town of Revel. The Trek Travel team was all set up with bikes and had reserved a restaurant on the last climb of the day. Jodi and I went for a short walk and decided we wanted to enjoy the sights and sounds of the tour rather than ride for the day. We stayed at the open area of the restaurant and had lunch with about half of our group. The other half went out for a hilly 40-70 mile ride around the country side. We are surprised with the food and people of France. The smaller towns are unique in every way from the type of service and appearance you experience. The staff at the restaurant would not serve us food until we filled all of the seats at the table and would smoke cigarettes while serving food. This I must say is not the norm, we only experienced it in the town of Revel. The food was a local dish full of beans, cheese, chicken, bones included, pork, and sausage. Jodi and I did not care for it, but most seemed to like it and were excited to have a dish that was local. We were able to have a great time and were still full from breakfast so it didn't really matter. The caravan from the tour started to roll thru town shortly after lunch. This is several hundred cars and trucks made up of all the sponsors of the tour. It is a free for all of flying trinkets and food. They have trucks roll thru before and after selling magazines of the tour and all types of shirts, hats, and mussetts. They have loud speakers and blair out French and American music as well as promote their products. The caravan has tons of people like a parade dancing and waving while throwing all the goodies. We were able to swipe a couple of hats and small items.
The riders came shortly after the caravan was gone and there was a breakaway that went fling by us, shortly followed by the peleton. Once the peleton rolled thru the last car is a tow truck and then the road fills with spectators and cars from all over. It is amazing how fast the tour breaks down after it flys by.
We watched the finish on TV's and then loaded into the bus and drove back to the hotel in Toulouse. Once we all checked into the hotel we all walked to a restaurant about 15 minutes away. It was very European. We went down several flights of stairs and were in what seemed to be an old wine cellar. There was constant tiny pieces of brick that would fall onto the table from the ceiling. It was a wonderful dinner and evening for us to be able to learn more about France from one of our guides, Nat, He was a lot of fun to talk to about the cultures and experiences of France. He is studying French literature at the Colorado University and has lived in France before. French pay 65% income tax and work only 35 hours per week. They get 11 holidays and 5 weeks paid vacation. Also they get free education to any level and free health care. Lots of good, but lots of TAXES. Things are not cheap here. A Euro is valued at $1.30 US and you can't get much for a Euro.
Well to top off dinner John Burke and the rest of the Trek staff had a great surprise for us. They did a drawing for 7 winners to be able to ride in the Team Discovery van on the 18th stage from Albi to Mende. Four winners got to also go on a helicopter ride in the middle of the tour and see the tour for 20 minutes from the sky. The luckiest of the 7 winners got to spend the day in the second team car and watch and hear all of the team strategy unfold right in front of them.
Well beyond my wildest dreams Jodi and I were chosen as a winner to be able to ride in the Team Discovery van and go on the helicopter ride. Only one of us could go and Jodi would not let me convince her it should be her. So tune back in tonight and I will give you all the details. Now we have just gotten to Paris and are going downstairs to watch the finish of today's stage and explore the sights. The Eiffel tower is only a 20 minute walk away.
posted by CBE Staff at 1:36 PM
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