If you ever get the chance just once in your life, make a vacation of your favorite sport. Whether, you have always wanted to cheer on the Lakers in the Staples Center, hold your breath while Tiger sinks a put in Augusta, or hear the roar of the engine as Schumacher tears down the straits of the Nurbergring, just once you need to follow your dream and see your favorite sports superstar live in action.
I did just that this past July as I watched Lance Armstrong be the first to win seven consecutive Tour de France victories. It was the culmination of six months of planning. I'd join up with a like-minded group of cyclists and we would follow the Tour through the scenic Loire Valley.
The race route is closed for only a few hours each day, so there I was pedaling my soft, middle-aged legs for all they were worth along the same route as Lance Armstrong. The French love their Tour and are enthusiastic fans to anyone who passes. Some would give me a toast and shout "Allez, Allez, Allez". It's as close as one can get to really feeling what the pros must feel.
But Cycling is one of those sports that can be difficult for the spectator. Unless you hitch a ride in the TV helicopter, what your most likely to see is a brief blur of color as the peloton spins past you. Only seconds of action as pay for the hours you have patiently waited by the roadside. But no matter, we were all cyclists, so we just hopped on our bikes and explored the countryside. We've all seen the pictures of France on TV or in the travel brochures, but what really surprised me was just how accurate is all that tourism hype. There really was a Gothic cathedral in every village and the countryside was littered with ancient Chateaux. Anywhere in the world it's a pleasant to bike through the countryside, but how many places can you ride through fields of blooming sunflowers and lavender?
For us, the highlight of the trip was watching the finish of Stage 6, from Troyes to Nancy. Lance was in the overall lead and safely protected by his Discovery teammates. But on that day there was better story. Christophe Mengin was an anonymous rider on an equally anonymous Team Francais de Jeux. In seven years as a pro, he hadn't won a single major race. But we were in Mengin's hometown, so he had something to prove. He held the lead for most of the day, despite the soaking rain. But within sight of the finish line, he crashed, just seconds from making his whole career worthwhile. You could feel the utter disappointment in the crowd, and later we watched as his team director held back tears during the interview with the media. Those are feelings you just can't get from TV and it made me love my chosen sport all the more.
Realistically not everybody will ever get a chance to see his or her sports idol in person. But if you can, don't let the opportunity pass. It will reward you a hundred times more then sitting on some beach. In my lifetime, a record of seven Tour de France victories will likely never be broken-and I was there.