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Hello Rusty!

Yes, a long way indeed, and considering they are also touching on the edge of the Massif Central, it seems that there will be a lot of mountain stages - it promises to be spectacular, particularly with the views at the Col du Portet!

Found this video of a reconnaissance of the climb from bagnère de Luchon to the top of Portet - It's a few minutes long, but well worth
watching! It will be a brute of a stage! I love the Pyrénées because they are so wild!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_3b3_tIDaM

Hello, Elle!
I would be doing the same as yourself.
You know and trust the builders, so let them get on with it, I say!
The Grand Depart of Le Tour is next Saturday, 7th July.
I do get excited about the Tour.
Great racing and wonderful scenery, especially in the Alps and Pyrenees.
The first week they will be at Arras and Amiens, so may see a bit of the WW1 battlefields and cemeteries, too.
I hope so.
That's fine you are enjoying the tennis.
There was a big bit in my local paper today, about two of our Dundee Hawks, Laura Muir and Eilish McColgan, running in the Championships at the weekend.
It does not appear to be online though.
I am going to tune into the golf now, and hope Lexi is playing a tad better today!
Irish Derby at the Curragh tomorrow, too.

Hello, Pigale!
Thank you kindly for the link!
Wow! What a stage the Col de Portet is going to be.
A monster!
The white gravel reminds me of the Strade Bianche race in Tuscany.
And the Portet is even higher than the Tourmalet!
The climbers will be licking their lips.
I hope they leave the road surface the way it is, as the rider said, the way the road was way back in the days of Oscar Lapize etc.
And I noticed a photo of an old hero of mine at the side of the road, Raymond Poulidor, "Pou-Pou".
Pigale, I thoroughly enjoyed that video, thank you.
Bring on Le Tour!

Hi, Rusty!
Yes, I , too, read about Laura's intention of competing this weekend, although there was no mention of Eilish in the article I read online.
It is always good to see her!
I am looking forward to the Athletics this weekend ...both the Paris Diamond League and the British Championships at Birmingham.
It is just a pity that Day One of the Championships coincides timewise with the tennis final.
This means I shall need to be home to watch one or the other!
I can only record one programme at a time!
I agree with you that the scenery during Le Tour will be marvellous and well worth watching....I may look in...but I so hate the anticipation of a crash!
It is like watching "Casualty" on the television!
I don't mind the blood and gore....I just don't like waiting for it to happen!
How is the golf going?



Hello, Pigale!
We are going to have a lot of Sport around for the next few weeks , aren't we? Cycling, tennis, athletics......
I get a bit obsessed during Wimbledon fortnight!
Very anti-social!
Especially during the second week of the tournament, when the competition is hotting up!
Can you find me a bear if I look into the Le Tour?



Hello, Ros!
Are you about?
What are you up to this weekend?
Do you have the grandchildren coming over?

Good evening, Elle!
Well, unfortunately there will be crashes in the Tour.
That's the nature of the sport, and a certainty.
There are bears and wolves in the Pyrenees, and vultures and eagles, so we may see them!
The scenery is wonderful.
The link Pigale kindly posted was about a climb in the Pyrenees.
Scenery is great.
One of the first riders to climb it was Oscar Lapize, who won the Tour over 100 years ago.
During WW1 he became a fighter pilot in the French Army and was shot down in 1917 and died of his wounds in hospital.
Lots of history in the Tour, too.
You will have plenty to watch on TV with athletics and tennis!
The golf is good.
Brooke Henderson and two of the South Koreans are leading.
Lexi is a bit off the pace.
Lovely weather in Illinois, too!

Rusty, I am glad you enjoyed the link - I had never seen that route
before!

Elle, if you want to see some of the scenery without watching the
race itself, you could have a look at the link I sent Rusty - it is
about 10mns or so long, but you will see some stunning views of
mountains etc...
No bears on that video, but I'll see what I can arrange for you.
Yet we are more likely to see vultures and eagles than either
wolves or bears - they tend to keep away from humans .....unless
they are starving!!!

PS - I loved Pou pou too, much more than Jacques Anquetil to whom he was almost always the runner up - he was sometime nicknamed
'the eternal second', but in a very friendly manner, because
everyone loved him. Anquetil tended to be rather arrogant, even I
noticed this though I was just a teenager!

Hi elle

I'm fine, thanks. Not seeing anyone this weekend. TV will be off as well! Probably going to the library for the second time this week tomorrow. Hope ya'll have a good weekend.

Hi Ros,

Good that you are fine - are you working on a particular research
if you need to go to the library?

Hi, Rusty!
Yes, I have watched the link, and I do agree that the scenery is magnificent!
It is a pity that I cannot find myself interested in the cycling itself.... I don't think that is ever likely to happen......but possibly worth checking in to see some of the beautiful surroundings!
I do like it when there is interesting background history.
My daughter has sent me a copy of BB's school report.
He is doing very well and the teacher seems very pleased with him!
Not only is he doing well in his schoolwork but, even more importantly, his teacher says that he is a polite well- mannered child, who is friendly, considerate and helpful to others.
That is good to hear, isn't it?
Education is not only academic, but becoming a well-rounded, happy, and caring individual.
It sounds as though BB is doing ok!



Hello again, Pigale!
Yes, I did watch your link.
Amazing, fantastic scenery!
I hope the cyclists participating in Le Tour will appreciate their wonderful surroundings!
But they probably don't have time to look!