Inspired by Witchy’s reporting of the Tour coming past the Coven and by the entirely chance intersection of the Tour de France coming to the very bit of East London that I happened to be working in that day Planarchy is alive again for one day. East London was so excited even the DLR got redecorated…..
This particular bit of London didn’t get much attention from the Caravanne…indeed were the often present Police speed trap in place yesterday they’d have had a field day as the pre-Cycling vehicles whizzed through, late for Queenie presumably. Thus the first thing we got a decent view of was the official Tour road-sweeping truck….
The first riders to come through were somewhat slower than most but much smilier!
Then finally the race leaders…..er, racing along.
Then just as the rain eased a little, the Peloton came into view….
..and just as quickly departed….
Followed by a lorra, lorra bikes without riders…. and to think I’ve been wondering how to safely mount two bikes on our car!
Just as we think it’s all over we spy some stragglers….
All over too soon but a memorable experience nonetheless, possibly even better than when we stumbled across it half by accident in Paris (who’d have thought it would go there too?) many years ago.
Larger versions of pix and a couple more too, here….
Fantastic pictures – and – pictures without the blur the rest of us with ‘normal’ cameras got!
I don’t think I’ve ever managed to get blur before (tiny Sony camera is fantastic on ‘auto’ normally), and had I thought, I’d have changed the settings manually, or used the ‘sport’ cheat button.
They do look much more impressive many abreast rather than funnelled through our lane.
Thanks Witchy, both for posting your pix and for your comments. They key thing is to get the right amount of blur I think. If they’re too sharp you lose the sense of motion. I spent time practising with the cars that came first and some of the amateur cyclists who’d been allowed to ride the route before the main event until I got approximately what I wanted. Yes, good to get them in this wide road where you get a sense of the mass of the Pelloton but I’d really have liked to see them coming down Lea Bridge Road near our house….I imagine that was pretty good. Must have been good to have them all have to come so close to your front door in that narrow lane though!
Thanks again.