Planning TdF…

So Sunday didn’t work out as planned, with @v_girlracer having done a 20 mile walk along the Ridgeway the day before; she had hurt her ankle. I decided to go it along and start marking out our route from Calais to Belfort. This has to be done the cheapest way possible i.e as few toll roads as possible.

Now in this day and age you’d think either the AA route map or the RAC route map (I use them in Britain all the time) would be fairly useful. Ah, well you were as wrong as me if you thought that!!!

Google eventually threw up the http://www.autoroutes.fr/en/traffic-forecast.htm a French route map. This is brilliant. Obviously put your ‘departure’ and ‘destination’ in. Then click on ‘modify the research’ then under options go for economical. This has put our toll at 2 Euros (just realised theeres no euro symbol on my keyboard!) and fuel at just over 68 Euros.  On the original one it shows the toll as 41.6 Euros, although the fuel is slightly cheaper at 63.29 Euros.

So I’d found a route (alright it’s nearly 9 hours of driving (compared to 6.45 on the shorter more expensive route) but there is two of us!). Then I had to plot it onto the massive fold out road map I have, ok it took a while, but it’s done! Then I thought I’d better plot it onto the big detailed road book of France that we have. Now THAT was EXHAUSTING!!!

No we don’t have a Sat Nav, although i’m hoping someone might have one we can borrow!!

Hmmm, what next? Well until the detailed route comes out in June, we can’t really work out where we can watch it. Yes we are going to be at the start and finish of some stages, but I have a feeling Dutch corner might be calling! I’ve also been warned that the start and finish are madly hectic and not to bother with them. Think I’m autograph hunting? Puhlease! (Alright I have Alex Dowsetts autograph, that a friend of mine sent me, but really?!? Not my scene). I’ll have my camera, my best mate, a great sense of humour and….. am i missing something? Oh possibly the bikes and riders…. 😉

We also have to think about camping, having not found anyone willing to lend us a campervan. And trying to stay somewhere near Pau on the rest day when hopefully my TF (twitter friend) is meeting us.

We have loads of other stuff to think about, but thats it for now!!

Ciao

@elzrocks

Having to choose!

Sometimes I wonder if I’ve made the right choice – about what I do for a living. Let’s face it I could be sat in an office, climbing the walls with boredom, getting RSI from typing on a keyboard too much, or iPad finger, doing nothing all day but reply to emails, answer the phone… it just doesn’t interest me!

Wow we had some serious strange weather today, and I was outside to experience it – heavy hail, light rain, blazing sun, freezing wind… the list goes on and on.

So I’ve got to the point in life where I realise I can’t do this job for the rest of my life, and I don’t want to. I don’t want to be worn down and become bitter like a few people I know who still work with racehorse. So where do I go? What do I do?

I actually have no idea. I went to Loughborough Uni mature student open day last year, and yes it looked awesome. Do I have the pre requisite grades? Er, no. Should I do a course to get those grades? Er, can’t afford it. Crap. Now what? Maybe the Open University? Actually I’m quite tempted, but again the cost of it… Fail.

Ok so what interests me? Ah, racehorses, cycling, photography, reading books, socialising… What can I do with a list like that? No, I don’t want to be a vet! should I get Cytech qualified? Learn how to take better photos? Hmm, I really don’t know.

Somewhen, I’d like to travel around the world – just to see what it’s like. Funnily enough Britain is boring me….

Anyone want to lend me a VW Campervan for the Tour de France this year? Anyone at all? Ah… thought not

Keep smiling 🙂 (and thank you to the one person who does keep me smiling!!)