Following the wedding of Alison Simmons and Rob Brewis yesterday in Manchester a high speed dash to Kent got me to Mike and Sarah Warren in Kent to watch the TdF. It was great to hear Ken Livingston on the radio obviously delighted at yesterday's Prologue and saying it was such a success that "we're going to bid for it again, very soon".










After a recce of the course in Tunbridge Wells we selected a position on the other side of the road which meant asking a policewoman where we could cross; "You can't" she said, "we've been instructed to lock-down". "But it's half-an hour before the caravan comes through" we protested. Her colleague suggested we cross round the corner where he couldn't see us - Gallic pragmatism?

The publicity caravan included taxis, Vache Qui Rit, pork sausage, French Gendarmerie, Haribo and Tour Down Under.





The five man breakaway with David Millar swept through first. A full five minutes ticked by before the peleton who came through. Great colour, loud cheering, then endless cars with bikes on the roof; value on roof rack easily exceeding value of the car.










What a great day, finished off with Mike's church service, moved to the afternoon especially on account of the Tour.