10 Top Memories From London to Paris 2012

Riding the Eurostar back to London from Paris the day after the three day event was over, I jotted down some memories in my notebook of things that I was personally taking away from the event.  Small little memories that I'll look back on in years to come which will raise a thought or a story.  Let me share them with you: -

1. A white horse galloping alongside the group six peloton on day two.  Weather had been awful and this horse spotted us and ran alongside us in an adjacent field, we'd been riding in horrendous conditions.  It reminded me of the Tour de France when the guy always gallops alongside the riders - priceless.
2. Our Kamikaze motorbike outriders in France.  Our group had two Brothers in it like something out of ZZ top.  One rode a huge Honda Gullwing.  He'd fly down the road playing chicken with on-coming cars to get them to slow and then turn in with inches to spare at high speed.
3. Fish and Chips on the Ferry.  After a long, wet day, this meal totally hit the spot, I washed it down with a bakewell tart and a bottle of cold cider.  Wet through, this was a meal of kings.
4. Condor socks.  Fellow rider Neil Manning from Condor gave us all some socks for the event, they ended up becoming the centrepoint of our three day banter.  They were actually very comfortable and would thoroughly recommend you buy a set or two or three..
5. The handcyclists from Stoke Mandeville hospital. Awesome unit of three guys that hand cranked their way to Paris.  They inspired everyone and a big cheer went up at the gala dinner every time they were mentioned or a picture went up.  
6. The diversity of the group.  Met riders from Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Spain and Venezuala.  People travel from all over the world for this event.
7. The banter in the group.  Cemented some great relationships with the fellow Skoda team riders aswell as people we met within our group.  There were four hundred and fifty experiences in one great journey.
8. Day Two.   For anyone that was there, they will remember those riding conditions.  Driving rain and 50km/h winds - character building stuff.
9. Rolling up the Champs Elysee past the Arc de Triomphe to the Eiffel Tower cheered on by thousands of onlookers, roads closed - emotional.
10. King of the Mountains.  The day I got the polka dot (not), first (and probably the last) time I've ever been to the top of a hill in a group.