The bounty is always sweeter when you’ve had to go through hell to get it. This is one of the reasons Le Tour is the revered bike race it is – three weeks of grueling racing, over cobbles, through crashes, through the many cities, towns, and miles of roads. Making it through the race is a feat unto itself. Winning it and you have the delicious bounty you’ve trained your whole life for.

My last few days were rough (see “Stage 12 – Hors Hell”).

Last night, I enjoyed dinner with people who speak English, a fine treat indeed. In my company was Twisted Spoke’s Matt Walsh, and two cycling fans, Larry and Joe, whom we met in the restaurant. They recounted their lovely afternoons: Matt walked down from the press center to enjoy the mountain top suffer fest, while Larry and Joe rode their bikes (lucky!!) to the top, cheered the race, then rode back down chasing their favorite riders. I melted into my chair and reached for my third glass of I-Deserve-This-After-Today-Dammit wine, wondering how Matt was able to enjoy the course.

“Oh! I just left early, and made sure to stay ahead of the caravan.”

Doh! I didn’t even think of that! With my presse sticker, I could get onto the course, I just had to be far ahead of the caravan and race.

Today my Tour started turning around.

I don’t feel tired, drained, resentful, angry.

I feel alive and energized. I literally jumped out of the car and skipped to the press room. I love my life again!!! I love being here! The awfulness of the past few days makes this feeling that much sweeter, the release after a series of things that aren’t working.

Knowing the roads were closed mean I could take the whole width of the road to careen up and down the mountainside as fast as I wanted, and I LOVE driving. I loved all of the happy people I could make happier by honking and waving. I loved seeing the course. I LOVED knowing that I wouldn’t get lost!!!! My MIND could finally turn off, and I could focus instead on things that I’m good at – like thinking about what I wanted to write in this post.

The sunflowers were breathtaking, beyond what my imagination could fathom. Just like in business – our results and rewards may be far more stunning and glorious than what our minds can consciously imagine from our starting points.

Another interesting thing about riding the course. People will stare at you like there’s something wrong with you, like you have something large and slimy on your face. But it’s not because they’re disapproving, it’s simply they are trying to figure you out, or to figure out what you’re doing, who you are, etc. Just like in business, we may launch a product or service to a lukewarm reception. It doesn’t mean that our product or service is good or bad, it’s simply that people are trying to figure you or your service out.

You will, on the other hand, have groups that cheer you on! Some will wave casually, some will jump up and down and scream, some will have an organized wave (woo!!) to share with you. Awesome! Some are organized enough to do a wave. Some come dressed in the craziest costumes.

Find those groups that cheer you on, rather than suffering and slogging through awfulness, and life is that much sweeter.

The Race Starts Here

The Course

Beautiful Scenery

Giddy-Up! Intermediate Sprint

Castle-icious

Easy On The Eyes

pPcious! This captures the essense of Le Tour

Amazing sunflower fields

Finally figured out why I never got the Haribo candies - I never arrived early enough to snag them!

Happy Vino Fans