OT = Geraint Thomas did it!!!

[nannyrainbow]

Man oh man, Geraint Thomas is the first Welshman to win Tour de France

We, along with a lot of other Welsh people, were on tenterhooks all day until the final ride of the Tour. Man, what excitement locally when it was declared late afternoon that Geraint will be on top spot of podium tomorrow, Sunday, in Paris

Welsh Assembly (parliament) building in Cardiff going to be lit up yellow in his honour. All riders who take part that race each year deserve applause for doing it as they have 3 weeks of hard graft. Only 2 so called 'rest days' in that time, often they are travelling to next start point of France so not actually resting. Surprising how large France is.

Beautiful scenery & amazing wildlife. Saw several vultures - I do mean of the feathered variety!! Gigantic wing span they have. Have you seen any vultures in the mountainous areas, Wendy? Love seeing the flamingoes in the southern part of France where salt water area is.

Wonder if a daffodil will be created in Geraint Thomas's honour, I know they often create roses to commemorate a person or occasion.
so maybe daffodil growers in Wales will do likewise, we shall see.

[Squirrel]

Well Done to him for getting the Victory. I have seen bits of it on tv and it seems to have been a difficult time for many riders.

HURRAY FOR WALES. (my grandma was born there in Sth Wales.)

[nannyrainbow]

Your family were brave to move from Wales to Australia all those years ago, Sally. Seen TV programmes & you have a wonderful outdoor life, great for families.

[wendywombat]

I'm not Welsh but I was bouncing with delight as well!!

Fantastic, and I'll watch him ride to triumph around the Arc de Triomphe later!!


Yes I have seen Vultures! We were in the Pyrenees some years back and watched them flying above us. We had to lie on the ground to watch them right above our heads...stiff neck otherwise!!
There had been a study going on at the time and one man was flying with the vultures on a hang glider. Through our binoculars we could see him with the birds. They were so used to him flying with them that one actually landed briefly on the wing of the glider!!!

I thought that you'd like to read this:-
A group of vultures is called a kettle, committee or wake. The term kettle refers to vultures in flight, while committee refers to vultures resting on the ground or in trees. Wake is reserved for a group of vultures that are feeding.

Not seen Flamingos though!

[richardandtracy]

He's very much to be congratulated. The Tour is a physical ordeal almost beyond imagination, and to be the winner is simply astonishing. Every day they cover distances that are tiring when you're pointing a motorised bicycle, let alone being the power plant too.

As for circling vultures, never seen them but a good few years ago I was at the controls of a K13 glider launched from RNAS Yeovilton when I found a thermal over a stubble fire and circled in it to gain height. The thermal was very tight and the glider went in 20 yard circles standing on a wingtip to keep in the core of the thermal, possibly 80 degrees to horizontal. Anyway, 2 Buzzards circled up inside us then spilled out to match our height gain when 15-20 ft above us. They stayed investigating us as close range for a minute or so before tightening their circles closer to the core of the thermal, leaving us standing as the faster rising air in the middle took them up at double our speed. A memory to cherish, that one. Never seen such a majestic sight in my life, a supreme predator in the environment it excels in. Seeing a buzzard at a falconry robs the experience of all the appreciation of just how much in control the bird is when flying free.

A couple of themals later, I discovered a downside of flying in a stubble fire thermal, when at a height of 3000ft a lump of burning stubble landed on our canvas wing. The manoevers to get it off before setting us alight were, perforce, a little violent!

Regards,

Richard

[wendywombat]

We are so lucky to have large birds of prey here. Red and Black Kite, Honey Buzzards, Peregrine Falcon and Sparrow Hawk all live around us. We see them every day circling the fields which surround us. Especially now whilst the farmers are cutting the crops. Plenty of small rodents abound in the fields.

We also have a Parachute school just the other side of the woods...daft people jumping out of Perfectly sound aircraft and they often get accompanied by the buzzards as they descend.

That must have been a wee bit of a fright Richard to be 'bombed' by burning stubble!!

[marigoldflowers]

Yes. oh man didn't we have great celebrations. I'm not allowed to drink but still enjoyed it all. Seems incredible, watched Geraint since he was young. Hope it gives youngsters incentive to go& do some sport. Any sports is good for your heath, rugby is the roughest one I know of but even so the training is very good exercise. Some of the castles in Wales along with government buildings were lit with yellow lights on Saturday & Sunday evenings.

Wendy & also Richard wonderful experiences you each had with the wild birds, amazing.

[country lass]

Plenty of celebrations around here too. I agree, Geraint has been good right from the start of his cycling career. Apparently he really trained hard so well done to him for the years of training. We also followed Chris Hoy throughout the years. Another amazing cyclist along with Bradley Wiggins.

Geraint went to the same school as Sam Warburton, rugby player, & Gareth Bale the footballer. Must breed 'em tough & determined down there in south Wales

[Garnet]

Brilliant, absolutely brilliant, well done Geraint, or should I say Bendigedig