As I continue making my preparations to follow the Tour de France and draw each day it has dawned on me that I’ll be on the road with millions of other fans. Millions.
While I might think I’ll find the perfect place to set up my drawing board each day in a field of sun flowers as the peloton passes, the ugly truth is bleeding through. What I’m being told by Tour de France veterans is that I’ll be fighting crowds, traffic, weather, traffic, long delays, traffic, expensive food, traffic and crowds. Did I say traffic?
Most likely I’ll see most of the Tour from my iPhone, iPad or a local bar in a small hotel along the route – c’est la vie!
But what I will see, and what they don’t show you on TV is the backside of the TdF. The behind the scene view of small towns poured into the local cafes and lining the streets for hours waiting for a glimpse of their heroes. I’ll be in the heart of France with the people of France.
And that’s what I’m looking for. The little moments of life that make the Tour de France the most important thing going on in the entire world for three weeks in July.
Bring on the traffic.
It would be amazing if you can follow me and tell your friends I’ll be posting on Twitter @theveloist, Facebook /theveloist, Instagram @veloist and maybe Strava MichaelVALENTI (mostly so you can see where I am).
Until the next update – be well, and ride safe.
Michael
If you’d like more information on participating in sponsorship of the first ever 21 Days of Cycling Art please just drop me a note CONTACT MICHAEL
