The French Moto GP. Fantastic weather, a great day and easy return trip from Tours. Not many photos to share because they go so quick you cannot photograph them without hi tech cameras.

I have to share a few fun facts. Motorcycle fans are not very smart. We (and everyone else in our grandstand) paid good money to have seats and watch the bikes go past us very quickly. But for some reason, during most of the laps, all the people in our Ducati fan grandstand thought it was necessary to stand up as the bikes flew past. Why, I ask. If we all stayed in our seats then we would still have a good view. But once one person stands, then everyone has to. I felt like we almost wasted our money on seats as we jumped up and down.

The sample of photos below prove a couple of things. I had a great day, the bikes go way too fast to photograph, idiots in the grand stand continued to stand up, and although beer and food at the race track was ordinary we found a place for a cleansing ale after the race before we caught our train back home.

At this point, a special mention is warranted. Kylie went to the track to experience the day with me. But sacrificed almost a complete lead up race (Moto 2) to fight the queues for food and returned with a cold beer and some form of baguette (that we both agreed was possibly as  close to real food as we would find …… and so we ate it). I think she wanted to make sure I had a great day and enjoy all three races and I did. I will try and return the favour with champagne when we hit Paris.

Before we left Le Mans I snapped a quick photo from a safe angle (when he was leaving). This dude freaked me out. He was dressed like he was ex police or military and had a camouflage pack and sleeping bag. He was about 20 feet away from our cafe table and he quietly stood there drinking bottles of Heineken, smoking cigarettes and stopping every so often to do some weird stretching exercises. he was warming up for something ……… And I kept a close eye on him.

After about an hour or so ……… when I think his beer supply ended ………… he picked up his gear and walked away. I was guessing his train to go join the French Foreign Legion was about to depart. But I guess we will never know. Kylie was not keen for me to talk to him, and come to think of it, it was good advice.

 

Au revoir Le Mans. The image of about. 20,000 motorcycles in the parking lot will stay with me for a long time ….. and my hearing should return to normal in a few days.