The gloss wears off quickly

Tour de France 2024, Saturday 13 July, Stage 14 Pau - Pla D’Adet

By car: 0 km

By bike: 17 km

Tat: three hats (finally !), a sleep mask, a scarf and info of Béarn Region, two mini-screwdriver key rings, two bags of biscuit snacks, two bananas, some saucisson, and a cup of coffee.

 City to City

Tour de France 2024, Friday 12 July Stage 13 Agen - Pau

By car: 204 km

By bike: 16km

Tat: A can of Tourtel, Gendarmerie keyring, Cofidis buff, Senseo coffee pouch, Haribo sweets. Still no hat 

La France Profonde

Tour de France 2024, Thursday 11 July Stage 12 Aurillac - Villeneuve-sur-Lot

By car: 254 km

By bike: 10km

Tat: An Agriculteurs de Lot-et-Garonne flag; free entry to Parc Astérix; Monflanquin plastic mug

21 Étapes - So what’s all this about?

So what’s all this about?

For many years now, and especially since living in France I’ve been visiting stages of the Tour de France. Sometimes staying overnight and taking in a couple of stages, sometimes cycling in, sometimes just one stage, but I’ve never been to the final stage on the Champs Élysée. 

So a crazy plan bubbled away - why not go to Paris ? Why not take in more stages ? Why not see ALL the stages in one year ? It took my stepson David to point out to me that there’s no reason why I shouldn’t do that. I’m retired, I live in France - there’s nothing to stop me. Thankfully, my wonderful wife agreed too, and so 21 Étapes was born. A plan to see every stage of one Tour de France live. It’s grown slightly to include the Team Presentations beforehand - so truly a complete Tour de France. 

2024 wasn’t possible because a start outside France complicates travel - I will have to travel the same distances that the whole circus around the riders travel. But far more importantly, for the first time ever, the 2024 Tour finishes outside Paris - because of the 2024 Paris Olympics, and a Champs Élysée finish really was a prerequisite.

I also needed a bike that would enable me to park the car (yes - I’m not cycling the whole damn thing !) in a convenient place and take me into the centre of towns etc. We won’t dwell too long on why I sold my original Brompton bike (on reflection, it was like selling a child) but I’m now the proud owner of a new Brompton C Line (it’s really just another S6L) in Ocean Blue. 

So 2024 gave me the opportunity to shake things out, and take in three stages of the Tour to see how things work out. The story starts here…

Beeley Woods - 15 years on

I recently came across some letters and files about the path through beautiful Beeley Woods in the north of Sheffield, and thought you might like to see them.

Around about the turn of the millennium I prepared an outline proposal suggesting a proper multi-user path through Beeley Woods that could be used by cyclists (and equestrians) as well as pedestrians. Part of this involved a photo-reconnaissance of the existing route, and so I've put these against some pictures taken last week to show just how things have changed. I'll try and take some winter pictures for a better comparison at the end of the year.

The old path was uneven and terribly muddy; the new path is almost unrecognisable. Before, you were lucky if you saw anyone else in the woods; nowadays the woods are always busy with walkers, joggers, cyclists, babies in pushchairs, dog walkers, people in wheelchairs and mobility scooters - the list goes on and on. The other thing apparent from these photos is that whilst there are far more people using the woods, they are channeled into a far narrower area, and there's now far less damage to the surrounding areas - these have all completely regenerated. My only regret is that the accompanying equestrian track next to the cycle path was never fully implemented.

In short it's a great resource and I think it's the nicest stretch of cycle route in the Sheffield area.

I noticed that a counter had also just been installed by the cricket pitch at the Oughtibridge end. Please make sure if you're up that way that you add to the numbers!

Oh - and just to acknowledge that although I might have played some small part, in planting the seed of an idea, I was lucky that the idea was taken forward by Sheffield City Council and particularly Sustrans.  There's a letter from John Grimshaw expressing his interest, and if it wasn't for the massive effort of Sustrans and their summer work camps and local Rangers, this cycle route would never have come to fruition. It is literally the result of the work by hundreds of people. The area also benefitted from some rebuilding work after the 2007 floods destroyed much of the path at the Oughtibridge end.

And the Beeley Woods path gets a makeover

Over the past few weeks work has been progressing in putting earth down on either edge of the Beeley Woods path. A nice finishing touch that does make a difference.
It's a shame that, certainly at the Oughtibridge end, this all has grass seed in it, and in some of the more wooded areas, we are going to get a green stripe down each side - but I'm sure we can live with that!

Beeley Wood gets its bridleway

Well, sort of...

The order turning the Beeley Wood path into a bridleway has gone up - literally - as it is attached to the trees in the area. There's a copy below.

Sadly, the order only goes halfway through the woods (see map); I'm assuming this is part of the ongoing negotiations with the landowners.

Let's hope at least this section does get created into a bridleway.

Cyclemeter Cycle 7 Jul 2010 09:19:18

Finished Ride: 7 Jul 2010 18:43:55
Route: Dover - Greenwich
Google Maps URL: http://maps.google.com/?q=http://share.abvio.com/6ac7/f540/4bad/dd56/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20100707-0919.kml
Shortened Google Maps URL: http://j.mp/aKw5Ba
Ride Time: 8:20:02
Stopped Time: 1:04:31
Distance: 85.09 miles
Average: 10.21 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 27.31 miles/hr
Climb: 4275 feet
Calories: 4441

http://www.cyclemeter.com

The drugs do work

After a desperate start feeling really good now

Only 35 miles to Greenwich!

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Pretty desperate morning. Felt better after the first feedstop and
then hung onto the Dutch coattails again to get me to lunch
2pm and still 50 miles to go

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Back in Blighty

With bad roads, bad drivers and a bad route

This is going to be a long 100 miles

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Cyclemeter Cycle 7 Jul 2010 06:51:39

Finished Ride: 7 Jul 2010 07:48:56
Route: Cocqelles - Docks
Google Maps URL: http://maps.google.com/?q=http://share.abvio.com/6ac7/f540/4bad/dd56/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20100707-0651.kml
Shortened Google Maps URL: http://j.mp/bRoXBI
Ride Time: 41:47
Stopped Time: 15:23
Distance: 6.25 miles
Average: 8.98 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 16.88 miles/hr
Climb: 121 feet
Calories: 317

http://www.cyclemeter.com

Ridiculously early start

Have to catch an early ferry this morning and cycle through Calais, so
it's a 6:45am start this morning (!)

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And they win!!!

And this is BEFORE the kick-off!

Dutch Day

Took the Dutch "train" out of Brugge today. Linked up with 5 rather
attractive Dutch girls on the way out and made great progress the
whole day (cycling that is!)

Really good day today - excellent weather, easy riding in a peleton,
and good scenery. Only spoilt by not paying attention on Calais and
going over the handlebars. Hopefully just bruised ribs and ego.

And now we're in a pub waiting for the Holland v Uruguay match. The
Dutch really know how to party!

Cyclemeter Cycle 6 Jul 2010 09:20:01

Finished Ride: 6 Jul 2010 16:48:16
Route: Bruges - Calais
Google Maps URL: http://maps.google.com/?q=http://share.abvio.com/6ac7/f540/4bad/dd56/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20100706-0920.kml
Shortened Google Maps URL: http://j.mp/aV6J2r
Ride Time: 5:54:05
Stopped Time: 1:34:05
Distance: 77.70 miles
Average: 13.17 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 22.62 miles/hr
Climb: 912 feet
Calories: 4858

http://www.cyclemeter.com

Sleep, eat, cycle - day 2

Brugge - Calais

And stop

Cyclemeter Cycle 5 Jul 2010 08:50:39

Finished Ride: 5 Jul 2010 18:42:42
Route: Brussels - Bruges
Google Maps URL: http://maps.google.com/?q=http://share.abvio.com/6ac7/f540/4bad/dd56/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20100705-0850.kml
Shortened Google Maps URL: http://j.mp/cnISEV
Ride Time: 8:00:51
Stopped Time: 1:49:30
Distance: 89.31 miles
Average: 11.14 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 27.13 miles/hr
Climb: 2218 feet
Calories: 4894

http://www.cyclemeter.com

Feeding time

Cyclemeter Cycle 5 Jul 2010 08:50:39

Started Ride: 5 Jul 2010 08:50:39
Route: Brussels - Bruges
Google Maps URL: http://maps.google.com/?q=http://share.abvio.com/6ac7/f540/4bad/dd56/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20100705-0850.kml
Shortened Google Maps URL: http://j.mp/cnISEV

http://www.cyclemeter.com

Getting nervous!

OK Some people are taking this very seriously!
There are some very expensive bikes appearing.
We've got a target time of 4pm to finish. I know we normally like
leisurely lunches, but that's a couple of hours shorter than I'd
normally expect
Weather here grey but not too cold

The Muur awaits. Remember you should be able to follow my progress via
the Cyclemeter Google links.

Let's go...

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Atomium, Brussels

Paris has the Eiffel Tower, London has Big Ben and The Eye; Brussels
has, err... A giant iron atom

Cav to team at team bus:
"I never got the chance to race"

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Bienveu a la Belle France

Excuse the poor French - but hopefully I can blog abroad now!

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Impressed!!

With the London Cycle Network - got me to the station in 16 mins this
morning. No special facilities but just excellent signage.

And with EuroStar. First time on board. It doesn't half shift...

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St Pancras looks fantastic in the early morning sunshine

Off to Brussels!

Beautiful morning

Sat down in Le Pain Quotidien enjoying an croissant almond. Is it too
frivolous to consider Bucks Fizz to finish off?

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Relaxing before the big day

Ah! The pampered life of the international sportsman

As befits my status, I've been given the exclusive use of a top London
apartment in preparation for the big ride (thanks out-of-stepdaughter
Sioned ;-) Up at around 6 tomorrow morning, early to bed tonight.

In the TdF, a great ride from HTC rider Tony Martin in the prologue
today. Who knows, we might meet him tomorrow (apart from Cav, I'd also
love to meet Flecha). Big mention for Brits David Millar and Geraint
Thomas for their rides today.

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