h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've just had a look at the route for stage 3 of this year's Tour De France - Cambridge to London. By the time the cyclists get to North Weald, just outside the M25, they're going to be on roads I'm intimately familiar with, and at certain points they'll be less than a mile from three different places in east London where I lived at various times between 1981 and 1997. It's going to be very strange seeing the peloton, which I'm more used to seeing in the French countryside, on the Champs Elysée or struggling up Mont Ventoux, crossing the North Circular Road at Waterworks roundabout, barrelling down Lea Bridge Road, Bow Road, West Ham Lane, New Plaistow Road and West India Dock Road.

I'm all agog

Well I'm hoping to get over that side of London to watch it

I saw the depart a few years ago when they did London to Canterbury, I was intending to then leg it round to Victoria and get down to Canterbury before them, but so was everyone else...
So I bailed out and watched it on TV in a pub.

Have to say Cycling is one of those sports where you get a much better view on TV but it is great to be stood there when they all hurtle past.

I always wish I was in London. I have given up on it ever happening. Looks like retirement will be in Little DooDah. Oh, yay.

There's always the Mega Million lottery

Don't you need to buy a ticket or something to win that?

Ah. That'll be why I've had a 100% failure rate so far

Remind me not to go out that way nearer the time...

I've won $2 every week since shortly after the Lottery started here in Texas.

Is that because you've refrained from buying a ticket every week since shortly after it started?

Stage 2 passes within a few miles of my home and as most of my village seems to be being taken over as a park and ride point for spectators, it would seem churlish not to get into the spirit and go and spectate. And it's a good excuse for a day in the hills.

It'd be interesting to see the cleanup too, wherever there are barriers, timepoints or sponsors banners, balloons etc. The crew that follows the race each day supposedly has it all taken down so efficiently that two hours after the race has passed the roads are open again and you wouldn't know it had been there.

Gosho, yes. I win $1 every Wednesday and Saturday night.

A couple of years ago we stayed in the village that the TdF had passed through on 14 July, only a week afterwards. They were still up to putting on a huge pageant only shortly after it. you'd be surprised at how good the French are at organising.

I've just looked at the route. Starts in Leeds on 5 July - hits Cambridge on 7 July. I shall be in Cambridge some time mid-August, so I'll miss the cyclists.

Actually, I'm not really interested in cycling at all, but it is quite an event!

Does Sho know they're going through Sheffield?

I don't know. I'd be surprised if she hasn't heard about it though. And if she hasn't, she has now

*waves to Sho*

Just seems very odd its coming to the UK at all... Err... given the name of the event all very annoying and tedious, Cambridge will be closed for the day, and out of bounds, and so I'll be stuck in teh house, unable to go out and William won't be able to get in, to town, as far as we can tell, as there will be no buses or transport, and, so, I guess, all the shops will be closed, as people won't be able to get into work ... BoB knows how the emergency police, ambelence fire etc, will be able to opperate, with so many key road throughout the city seemingly not working I assume the council here will be dishing out vast amoutn of compensation to shops, for lost trade or something... all seems a lot of hastle for a bit of cycleing to happen in a city which basically has non functioning transport and road ssystems at the best of times Hmm.... guess I'm not much of a fan