TODAY WAS ONE of those days when we just got lucky. We went to the start of stage 13 of the Tour (yes, this is our last one -- it's always Kerri's idea...really!) with hopes of seeing some of the cycling teams up close and getting an autograph or two for Patrick and Julia. We thought it might be fun to see the teams when they aren't flying past us at 45km/hr. We were behind the fences with the other onlookers watching some of the teams tune their bikes and give press interviews when a staff member from the Garmin-Chipotle team walked toward us and said, "Who wants to come inside the fences?" As luck would have it, she walked right up to Julia and gave her a coveted yellow armband that allows full access to the team areas. She them gave one to Patrick and one to me as well. A policeman helped us over the fence and were able to walk around the warm-up area with complete freedom. Patrick and Julia got quite a few autographs they even got some of the riders to pose with them for photographs. Here are some quick photo highlights: 
P & J with Mark Cavendish, winner of 4 stages so far...including today.
Getting hats and jerseys signed by King of the Mountains leader Sebastian Lang.
The very friendly (and cute, says Kerri) Nicolas Portal of Caisse d'Epargne.
P, J, and I with Julian Dean -- Garmin-Chipotle rider and New Zealand champ.
Just after getting the autograph of CSC rider Jens Voigt.
Henry looks a bit nervous standing in front of Christian Vandevelde's bike (can you find Kerri in the background?)
Even I get in a photo: with CSC Manager and 1996 Tour winner Bjarne Riis.
Some days you just get a little lucky.
CJS
8 comments :
Great fun. What a great day for the kids.
Bjarne Riis!! Those were the good ol (performance enhancing) days. Although I give him credit for admitting to cheating when he won. And CSC has a pretty good record in that area now.
The photo of Henry is the best. He really does look a bit scared.
NICE...you totally scored, or should I say the kids scored. Mark, Jens, Bjarne! We have to wake up at 5:30 (pacific time) to watch each stage and then we watch it again in the evening for the Bob Roll commentary. Next year we will be in france for the tour and can't wait. Great photos.
What a wonderful experience, I wish I was there.
TR and I are off to Nashville on Monday for the annual conference of the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging.
DG
Totally awesome, now, how do you lead into conversation with Bjarne Riis by the way? Did you come away with any tactical nuggets?
Wow! What a lucky family!!!
We are planning to go and see some of the tour on Thursday. It actually comes closer to us tomorrow, but the trip up and down the mountain with all the traffic is not appealing to us.
I hope we get even a fraction of the luck you had.
I agree, Nicolas Portal IS cute!
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