Grand Depart just announced for 2014.... Two stages departing from Leeds before heading for a third stage to London.
I'll be planning a couple of nights out (hopefully on the moors somewhere depending on TdF route and timing) and a route to be able to watch both stages pass by as I'm mid-route between bivi's.
Anyone else up for this?

Its on the list for next year.

Wait and see what the routes are and i can pick out a few local spots, and some riding inbetween. Any luck they might go past my house :D

I shall be advising work that they wont see me for a couple days in july 2014

I'm confused ... is this next year or the year after? I am right in thinking that it's still 2012 at the moment? ... I have to ask as I can't actually remember how old I am, nevermind what year it is.

Year after next, so about 18 months away. Would be up for that. I have some vague plan to ride the whole UK route from Leeds to The Beautiful South.

yes 2014 (got a bit carried away)

Interesting to see where to route goes, and hopefully it'll be possible to ride between the stages. I'll post something up nearer the time

Maybe the first prologue will be a less hilly affair but then they'll likely be up on the moors for the second stage and we can plan around seeing the whole affair roll by... should be good and once they get to publish the routes we can make some firm plans/routes.
Missed the GD in London last time but I heard it was a good day so I'm keen to see it all this time and combine it with some bivi action in Yorkshire.

Sounds like a brilliant plan

Provisional Routes released

Stage 1: Leeds - Harewood - Otley - Ilkley - Skipton - Kettlewell - Aysgarth - Hawes - Reeth - Leyburn - Ripon - Harrogate

Stage 2: York - Knaresborough - Silsden - Keighley - Haworth - Hebden Bridge - Elland - Huddersfield - Holmfirth - Sheffield

Its going to be very easy to see the both days of the tour with some Bivi action :D

Sounds cool. I'm up for it.

I want to bivi but if my boys missed out I wouldn't be flavour of the month - or year for that matter. I am happy to do a bivi with them but understand if others dont want kids about!

I'm still up for this... will have a look at the routes and likely routes/sites although I reckon you'd have much better local knowledge Matt.
Ione - might be bringing my two as well depending on distance etc. so we could let them all loose on the others :)

brilliant! will have a look at the routes Chew sorts and see if we can do a child friendly version. :-D

Everyones welcome. Little kids & big kids (me) :D

I know the area very well indeed, so be very proud to show you around the Shire. I was planning on it being a social ride and enjoy the tour. Think cake, beer & tea, rather than miles.
First thoughts are Skipton/Ilkley area as both days pass through there, and if theres an opening event in Leeds on the friday, I have a cheeky train idea.

Cool, the route goes through Langsett - I love that climb up and over form Langsett to Derwent - it's a mean, technical, evil mother f**ker - you should incorporate that into your trip!!!

Can I throw my name in the hat as "interested in coming" providing it falls right for me.

Hmmmm I know a nice little cave just above Burley Woodhead, there is also a platform in the Cow & Calf you can sleep under.

Then over Rombalds moor to Aire Valley and watch it again.

I'll definitely be bedding down within 2 miles of the Sunday route, oh wait a minute, I do that every night anyway :D

pistonbroke wrote:I'll definitely be bedding down within 2 miles of the Sunday route, oh wait a minute, I do that every night anyway :D

likewise.

Brilliant Chew... both days looks great for catching a bit of moorland bivi action and some close up TdF too.
Yorkshires a bit new to me for riding so your local knowledge is a winner, but sounds like you're dead right with the rough area.
We'll have to keep it quiet or the entire tifosi will be there too

I like the sound of this

but it's far too organised amd forward planning for me!

its a long way off but if im not working then id like to join in, i like chews idea of tea and cake more!!

Sort of related, I nearly caused a crash in the Tour of Spain about 25 years ago . I'd heard they were coming past the campsite I was working on so went to take some photo's. It was a duel carriageway with 4 foot of tarmac added to the side then two feet of dirt road before a ditch. I was on the dirt road bit taking pics with a telephoto lens. I suddenly noticed a young guy with a very worried expression on his face, I whipped the camera away from me eye to see that he was riding on the dirt, about six feet away from me and headed straight at me. I have never moved so fast in my life. To this day i still don't understand why he would choose to ride on the dirt, it's not as if they were bunched up, sprinting or even racing at this particular point. Wonder if it was caught on telly?

I'm only in glossop so will definately be around to bivi out and watch this. should be good

would definitely fancy this, so long as you dont mind a slow rider tagging along

perhaps we can set up our own brewery/ginsters related fuel zone for the riders?