TDF mad money: the first 40 euros of fun.

//TDF mad money: the first 40 euros of fun.

TDF mad money: the first 40 euros of fun.

Waiting one year in my wallet.

I merde you not.

I have had two 20 euro notes from my three weeks at the 2010 Tour de France in my wallet for the entire year. I just didn’t have time to change them back to dollars at the Paris airport and decided to just keep them in there. A reminder and a promise that I’d be back.

For the past twelve months, whenever I opened my wallet they were there to keep the Tour memories fresh and push me into daydreaming about the next one. The tour I’m about to leave for in two days, the 9th of July, landing on the morning of the 10th. Oh la la freakin’ la.

I’ve often thought about how I’d spend that first 40 euros — a dinner in some cool little village restaurant, a bottle of wine and cheese for my first stage, stage 10 from Aurillac to Carmaux. Perhaps I’ll just throw a 20 note down on an cafe au lait the minute I land, jet-lagged but thrilled.

I’ll be grabbing a rental car at the airport — an Opal Astra compact — and driving South to Aurillac in central France. I have a day to rest on the rest day and then, bang. Tour craziness. I can’t wait.

I have an assignment from Cyclesport Magazine and one from paved. I’ll be busy but not too busy to eat fabulous French cuisine, drink awesome French wine and spend those forty euros aussi tot que possible.

By |2019-02-03T16:16:24-08:00July 7th, 2011|Uncategorized|5 Comments

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5 Comments

  1. Ricola July 8, 2011 at 2:22 am - Reply

    Sounds like a great plan! Have a safe flight and spend those first 40 € well…. Be sure to have at least another 40 € surplus when you leave because you wouldn't want to miss the 2012 TdF!!

    • TwistedSpoke July 10, 2011 at 3:40 pm - Reply

      Exactly, I plan to leave greater and greater sums after every tour so the wife has no argument for me going back. Matt

  2. Jennifer July 8, 2011 at 8:58 pm - Reply

    Enjoy – looking forward to reading the posts. Hopefully there will still be tour going on when you arrive. Can you believe the carnage so far? Yikes.

  3. jaynie July 9, 2011 at 4:38 am - Reply

    Jealous beyond words. How's your French? Will your trip take you through to Paris?

    • TwistedSpoke July 10, 2011 at 3:43 pm - Reply

      Jaynie, Just flew into CDG today in the morning and grabbed a rental car. But I'll hear till the finish and looking forward to two nights in Paris. Got any restaurant recommendations? Matt

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