Never Give Up.

Yesterday was a rough stage at the Tour de France for Andrew Talansky. He had started off the Tour as one of the favorites, with hopes of ending up on a podium in Paris. But then the crashes happened. And yesterday it all caught up to him. The television cameras stayed on him as he suffered to keep up, then drifted off the back of the peloton. And they remained on him as he pulled off on the side of the road and a team manager had a talk with him. Many thought that was it, he was getting in the car and calling it a day. But to everyone's surprise, he got back on his bike AND KEPT GOING!! He was obviously in tremendous pain,  wiping away tears as he rode. But he kept going. Thirty two or so minutes after the winner of the stage crossed the line, Talansky rode in to the sound of cheers. And it was heartbreaking and amazing all at the same time. So, today's card is inspired by The Pitbull, who I will think of every time I'm out of my bike and I think it's too hard to continue...

I played with my Hero Arts ink daubers for this one. I pounded them hard on my paper to get the awesome splotches. I love doing that - it's like taking out some aggression in the stamp room. I added some additional flecks of ink with a wet paintbrush, and stamped my favorite tiny little Hero Arts bicycle. The message is spelled out with Amy Tangerine stickers.

Talansky didn't start today's stage, his injuries were just too much. But the fact that he kept going yesterday, I will not soon forget.