How do you celebrate TDF time?

[Librarygirl]

Well, it's quite exciting - this year will be the first Tour de France that I have ever watched! Can't believe that I have missed it all these years, now I'm cycling myself I've suddenly become interested and am really looking forward to it

I was wondering, what do YOU do to celebrate TDF? Just watch solo, or do you get together with friends? Do you tape it, or try to watch live?

Here in Australia, it is showing from 10.00pm every night, except for the prologue which is on at 2am - I'm not sure that I'll be able to keep awake for the whole stage even though I'm a night owl. I do love the idea of doing something special for at least one of the stages though. I remember reading in previous years about people who get on their wind trainers and cycle along through the night while watching!

[Bike Chick]

DH and I record it during the day then watch it every evening after dinner. There is usually a discussion the next morning at work with a couple of co-workers about what happened the day before. I've also been known to sneek a peek from my computer at work because I can't stand to wait until the evening to find out what's going on

[crazycanuck]

I run far far away from the TV as it's just another big lancy shmancy show off time

Urgh.

[Crankin]

Since I didn't work in the summer as a teacher, and now I am back in school, I am usually home to see the "live" broadcast in the AM. That takes most of the morning... I don't watch it everyday, though. Some days we watch the "expanded" coverage on Versus in the evening, but there are days when I will watch it twice, in the AM, alone, and with DH at night. When it is on in the AM, I don't usually sit and stare at the TV the whole time; I go about my routine things, housework, yoga, studying, etc, with the TV on a little louder than usual. If I hear something exciting, I will go over and watch.
We do usually get together with cycling friends on the weekend to watch particular stages. This usually involves mojitos or beer.
I always get a little sad when it is over. This means summer is half over.

[buffybike]

+1--can't wait for the mountain stage tomorrow. And I was really happy for Chavanel today. Good for him!!!

[emily_in_nc]

+1--can't wait for the mountain stage tomorrow. And I was really happy for Chavanel today. Good for him!!!

Me too - he worked hard and had a wonderful ride - totally deserves to be back in yellow!

Looking forward to tomorrow's stage...I'd love to see Lance smack it to Contador, but I feel quite sure that is *not* going to happen.

[TrekTheKaty]

Today I made the Garmin Rice cakes. Hubby finds a stretch of our daily ride to yell, "hey, it's just like (insert current race segment)." Today, we saw sunflowers and I won king of the hill (total of 100 ft climbing--2 rollers--I think DH gave it to me).

[TxDoc]

I was wondering, what do YOU do to celebrate TDF?

Usually throw a 'TdF party' on the first and last day of the Tour - cheese & wine, or a few nice French recipes... it's always a fun time

[MommyBird]

I rarely watch TV. I do not even have one in my house.
But, I do have two in my pool house. One in the main area and one in the home gym. TDF is one of the main reasons that we even have cable!

I keep the official TDF and VERSUS sites open and check them throughout the day. They change the formats each year. Some years it is a great way to follow the tour and others it can be cumbersome.

Some days I will go out to the pool house and spend an hour on the Precor which is conveniently centered on a TV. Unfortunately, I sometimes get sucked into hanging out in the main room, on the sofa, until the finish.

My husband, on the other hand, avoids any TDF coverage during the day so that he can fully enjoy the evening highlight show. That means I have to hold in my prior knowledge of the finish for hours. This can be difficult.

[tulip]

I don't have a TV, so I catch it on the Internet from various countries. It's a pleasure to see/hear coverage from other countries because it's not an exclusive Lance show, like it is on Versus.

I've been watching it since 1986, but there are many more options now than ABC's two-hour weekly coverage back then. When I lived in France, I had it on all the time live. I didn't get much else done, but it was fun.

Oh, and celebrating will include French wine and cheese, baguettes, and good conversation with my French friends. I may even get a tricolor to fly outside my house, at least on the 14 juillet. It's a time to revel in my love of France a bit more than I usually do.

[nolemom]

Watch it off and on at home, and the bike club has a night out to watch a mountain phase at a local sports bar. Probably the only time that their back room is dominated by cycling fans and the big screen is tuned to Versus.

[Eden]

Being on the west coast of the US, our coverage usually starts *early* - sometimes 4 or 5am. We usually pick the "queen stage" - the one with the biggest climbs, the most excitement and the biggest potential to turn the race on its ear, invite some friends over, get up nice and early and make a big breakfast.

[alexis_the_tiny]

I don't have a TV, so I catch it on the Internet from various countries. It's a pleasure to see/hear coverage from other countries because it's not an exclusive Lance show, like it is on Versus.

Tulip, where on the internet do you find the TDF? There aren't any bars showing the TDF where I live and I'm not sure how to get it on cable...I'm missing out on the action. Also? Rooting for Contador!

[Possegal]

The Versus camera guy came over and filmed us at the start line today - with my big US flag hanging over the barrier. And when I yelled to Big George, he stopped and turned around and looked over. I should have had the nerve to wave him over to see if he would have come over. So many missed opportunities.

[tulip]

Tulip, where on the internet do you find the TDF? There aren't any bars showing the TDF where I live and I'm not sure how to get it on cable...I'm missing out on the action. Also? Rooting for Contador!

You have to click around a bit on the European sites. Sometimes they get cut off and then you have to surf for a new feed. It's not ideal, and I might end up paying for Versus Tour Tracker, but I'd much rather watch the European coverage. It helps to understand the languages, but I'll even watch it in Danish if need be!

If you have cable, check to see if you have Versus. They have exclusive coverage in the US. I don't know if you are in the US, but if you are and you have cable, then Versus is the best bet for TV coverage. My issue is that I don't have a TV and I don't have cable or satellite. This is the only time of year that I want a TV, but it's not worth it to me for the rest of the year.