The cheering fans...

Today I made a little card featuring the happy fans as the cyclists make their way through the Pyrenees mountains. Or at least in my world - the fans are bunnies. :-)

I used one of my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE stamp sets from the Hero Arts Summer release - Baby Animals. The intent is for this to be a set for making baby cards. But these little critters are super cute for all kinds of cards - including silly cards about a bike race in France. HA! I used the pennants in the set to cut out individual little flags for the bunnies to hold. And each bunny is wearing a shirt to support their favorite kind of rider - the GC guy (yellow), the climber (polka dot) and the sprinter (green). (Those sprinters is seriously hurting in the Pyrenees!) The King of the Mountains-inspired polka dot background is the Hero Arts Polka Dot Bold Prints by Lia. I love that this stamp has two different sizes of dots!

I played along with this week's Mojo Monday for the sketch.

So... I was going to share my thoughts on yesterday's Stage 10, but I typed it and then deleted it all. Let's just say there are many things about the day's race (and cycling in general) that completely bum me out. But I don't want to focus on that - I'm going to focus on the things I *love* about watching the Tour de France - and the thing I love MOST OF ALL is the beautiful scenery as the peloton (or the fractured remains of it!) makes their way through the spectacular French mountains.

This week they are in the Pyrenees along the border with Spain. In Stage 11 (which has already happened as this posts, but I don't know the results yet) they will be climbing - and of course descending - one of the most "famous" peaks in the Tour - the Col du Tourmalet! It's daunting. Check out this video to get a little feel for what it is like speeding down this thing on a bike. YIKES!! (Give it a second to load if you don't see a video show up right away!)

Tourmalet descent hyperlapse
Have you ever wondered what the descent of the Col du Tourmalet looks like? Here's a quick hyperlapse of what the pros will face tomorrow.
Posted by Global Cycling Network on Tuesday, July 14, 2015

I don't know what the drop-offs are really like, but to me it seems like one bad crash off the side and you fall foreverrrrrr! Eeeek!

But what I wouldn't give to one day be one of the many fans lining the route on a mountain stage!!

Vive le Tour...!