Stage 19 Tour de France Col de la Croix Fry

After watching the Giro d'Italia earlier in May, I thought the Tour de France would be a little bit busier and a touch more theatrical. But boy it sure was. We parked the Vw early, 26 hours to be exact,  the small silver van with it's roof up. We were not alone for the night, with Italians, French and Germans to name a few fellow campers.

One chap even brought a horn for something to play. It felt like Glastonbury, with smoke fires and the sounds of Danny Boy coming from the horn!

We didn't wait long for the spectacle to begin

With freebies thrown in every direction. I did wonder how they got all the vans and floats up the mountain passes! It was dry up until this point and then with half an hour to go the heavens opened,  Thunder and lightening roared around the valley, it was going to be hard work for the cyclists.

And then cheers sounded from below and we could see from our position at the last hairpin bend, they were on their way. Here comes the leader Rui Costa emerging from a crowd of supporters

In this photo it's not the riders that I love but the Chickens are getting very excited

  But it's not just the chicken that is excited I'm shouting at the top of my voice for Froome, the excitement is amazing. The cheering and sounds of whistles, cow bells, the sea of colours polka dots, greens and of course the Yellow jersey.

 We make our way to the very top and not long  comes Cavendish and another loud cheer, I'm so delighted to see our second hero of the day.

The conditions of the day heightened the drama of the day on top of this mountain pass.

But not all were happy, this sad little wet doggie shaking with cold, just look at it's little face!

At the top of the Croix Fry

Now the paints and brushes are inspired and ready for action.

www.watercolourcourse.co.uk