Tour de Rain!

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Got to the station and wanted to get a coffee to go with my croissants. Not much was open at this god for saken hour. I cant believe i was still up and running to be honest.The sun was just coming up over the horizon and it was magnificient. Seeing the sun rise in Paris was one of the cooler things i had seen on my trip!! I dont even think i got a pic of it. It just seemed like the whole world was asleep still and here i was ready and anxious to get the hell out of town. Realistically i could have spent another week here but i would be dead broke and would have to go home so NOPE.
No coffee shops were open that i could get a take away so I went into the station where this group of cub scouts were parading around everywhere. I ended up gettin a coffee from those machines which was not too bad. It was one euro and there was tons of choices like mocha cappachino hot chocolate latte and so on. So two of those did the trick and i was on the train to Colmar.
Not long after that i passed the hell out. I woke up a bit before my stop at Stratsbourg. Had to change there to get to the tiny little town of Colmar. Got there around 11am. Walked out of the station and there was the track pretty much directly in front. That was easy. I instantly had a HUGE smile on my face and couldnt stop laughing I made it. Pretty silly but i was excited. I knew it would all be over in like 15 seconds but I was here in person and thats all that mattered. I met a ton of American ppl actually. The place was not very crowded yet to my amazement. I walked up to the end of the finish line where they were setting everything up. I saw the podium, and all the merchandise vendors all lined up along the road. They had bleachers set up just past the finish line where you could see the winner stand up and get kisses from the lovely ladies. This was all ticketed but everything up to that was up for grabs. Most of the gates up to the finish line were already being guarded by bodies. I wanted to get the best spot possible cause i was so early but dreaded sitting and waiting for that long. I had to do a couple things first. Find beer, make a poster for Ryder Hjesdal our Victorian superstar, and get food. So i walked up the road and found an arts and crafts store. Got some red paper and borrowed a pen to make out the sign on the store floor while ppl stared at me confused as to what i was writing. What would have been much better would have been a flag but that would of taken alot more thought. I bought myself a sandwhich and found a place somewhat close to the action at the finish line.
Met a Canadian studying in Germany there standing beside me. He said that his buddies who were all from different countries were out to find beer as we speak. The shit thing was that there was this huge Screen right in front of us showing this reel of sports over and over again and not showing anything about the race. Come on guys the race has started this is why were all here get with the program. Nothing!!! Met an American dude who told me he had been following the tour for like 10 days now in a rental car with his family. His kids are both cyclists but their like 13 and 15 and grew tired of it after awhile. They were all back at the hotel just down the road. He ended up telling me that he was the head of merchandise for Disney and was over here on buisiness at Disneyland Paris. He was from Florida home of Disneyworld. Pretty cool. I should have asked him to hook it up but i wasnt planning on going back to Paris anytime soon. Even better the Calgarian beside me offered me a beer when the guys got back. Ahhh it tasted tres bien. I think it was a Heineken. I wanted to try and watch the race as they were getting closer but there was no wireless around. Damnit.
This nice older Scottish lady let me use her spare lawn chair she had under her feet. She said it was her backup incase this one gave her troubles. Amen sista. That was wicked. I was able to get like 30 mins sleep in before i got smacked with a bag of candy from this guy handing out free stuff. AAAAAHh French ppl have an interesting sense of humour i must say.
Then not too long after that it started to rain. IT started raining so hard that the ground below me turned to a river. I had my camel back with my passport wallet and laptop inside of that bag. It was wrapped in plastic but that gave me little assurance. I ended up getting the lady to help me hold my bag while i threw off my rain coat and put the bag underneath it. I checked to make sure the damn thing was still dry and sure enough i was in luck. But the rain NEVER stopped. It jsut kept pissing and pissing. I was seriously thinking of moving from my prime spot but i just couldnt do it. It was around 300 now and the pressure from the ppl crowded around even though the rain hadnt resisted for a second grew to be hostile. This one guy beside me kept putting his hand on the gate beside me even though there wasnt enough room for him or his damn hand. He motioned to me for me to let him stand beside him and i said AHHH No sorry. I had been there for 3 hrs now and my laptop could be quite possibly ruined because of all this. I wasnt moving for anything.
Finally the screen turned on and we saw how bad the rain was for the riders. I think this was one of the only days on the tour so far it had rained. For god sake!!!
The endless parade of cars from the teams, sponsers, and police NEVER ended. It went up untill the last few mins of the race. They handed out soooooooo many candies, hats, shirts, noise makers, nes quick, and even plastic bats. It got annoying after awhile.
Finally it was the last 5kms and I filmed the whole thing. A German dude won. He cried even. He won by like 5 mins or something ahead of the pack. The crowd roared. Then the rest of em filed in. I think Lance got like 15th and Ryder got 30 or something. It was sooooo crowded you couldnt move anywhere. By this time I was near Hypothermic with my shorts on and drenched rain coat. I needed to get warm fast. The pack wasnt moving at all though. It took near 15 mins to get out of the crowd. I sat in a door way for a few mins making sure the lap top was ok. Thank god it was. Then was the problem of the slow ass at the back taking his time to finish. HAHAHA thats so mean. I could never do this track even for one day. But they wouldnt let us cross the road. IT was blocked for at least 30 mins after everyone left or was trying to leave. Some brave young souls jumped the gate and ran across bailing as they did it. The police watched keenly but did nothing about it. I just stood there shaking. I even went inside a bank for a bit for some warmth.
Got back to the train station and one of the teams were doing maintenance and washing the bikes. One of the riders was in the hotel in front of the station. Couldnt tell who he was though. Got my bag inside from the information place. The station was just slammed with ppl inside. I was soaked and all i could think of was warming up so i stripped down in the station with everyone around. Down to the boxers anyway. Threw on the jeans and my sweater. FInally i got to use the damn thing!!! Carrying it around for months it feels like and no use till now. SO after that know it was time to figure out just what the hell i was gonna do and where i was gonna go. I studied the departure list as best i could and could only find one place that would work out for me. NICE no not nice the place!! It left from a place called Bourgellis and it was a night train so i wouldnt have to pay shit to sleep tonight and thats what i like to hear.
That will have to do unless i find a bus to get back to the east coat of France maybe. After 15 mins of wandering around trying to find this bus stop from the directions this guy at the station gave me. No bus station, or it was closed or something. THey said they had free wifi on a sign outside the station. SO i had to check it out. Well there full of shit cause there definetly wasnt such a thing. Way too dificult of a process.
I was starving so i went for a kebab at the place across the street. Not bad at all but it wasnt exactly what i wanted. The guy working actually let me use his blackberry when he saw i was struggling with my computer. Super nice of him. I checked my email but no one even sent me anything!! awwww so after i finished that meal off i had to go for a stroll of the town now that everything had settled down a bit and the rif raf had already left. I walked back over to the finish and they were still packing things up and getting ready for the race tommorow. The stage would leave from Colmar as well but i wouldnt be here to see it. Went over through the park where all the buses and things were to see if i could see anyone famous i could recognize. Nope not much going on. I think the riders pretty much hit the sack as soon as they get in. Of course they do!!! I walked up the streets through the town to see if there was anything else coool to see. Not a whole hell of a lot. Not really on the tourist map i dont think. Saw all the bikes that they use to regulate the race outside of a hotel all lined up and took a pic. Then i pretty much just went back to the station and waited it out untill my train to Bourgallis came. Only took 15 mins or something then i was off.
Got on the train and it didnt take too long to get there. When i got on the train i found a seat by myself in one of the cabins which was kinda lucky. The conductor came around a few hours later and asked me "Un speaka ze doueche" i said ahhh no. He checked my ticket and i was golden back to sleep, AHHHHHH night night Cort de al zur here i come.

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Photos

Photo 4
Paris subway