Over the weekend here the Giro d'Italia, one of the biggest cycle races in the world, came to town. When it was announced, I didn't know anybody who knew anything about competitive cycling. But, as the preparations began, most of us started to realise that we could expect something big. When they told us the roads would be closed we started to get intrigued, and by the time we heard that school would be closed because nobody would be able to get there, we were cheering before we'd even seen any cycling.
And the roads were closed: close to home on Friday, and on stretches across the country over the weekend as the racers flashed down the coast road, twisted through the city and finally headed south. All along the route, every step - or is that pedal? - of the way, we all went mad for bright pink, the Giro colour.
There were electricity pylons painted pink, pink kerbstones, pink pillar boxes, wigs of pink, faces turned pink: you name it, it was blushing. Rumour has it one enterprising fan had been collecting old bicycles for months. he spray painted them and offered to set them up outside shops and restaurants, for a fee, and then take them away after it was all over. Smart.
All too soon, it was over. We watched on tv as familiar landmarks appeared on the screen - it was strange - and we stood at the side of the road and cheered as strangers looked around at the streets we know so well. And when everyone had gone home, I went out to take a few extra pictures before the decorations disappeared. Which I think brings us right back to knitting and crochet. I liked the cycles, I really did, and the cheering, and the everybody-liking-each-other-and-getting-along; but I've found my favourite bit. Yarn bombing, Giro Style.
Before I go toady is it okay if I give a shout out to the new issue of Scrap365? That's my layout on the front cover. Out now!
36 comments:
My Layout. Front cover. Sweetest words out, I reckon;)!!! LOVE your Giro story....mine is we visited Roma one year....& didn't realise it was on....it's fun trying to see the Vatican with a road race & traffic chaos going on. Great fun, actually:):) Love your knitted bits on your page & especially stapled twine. FUN!!!
All very exciting, Sian! And I did see the event reported on the news :-) Fancy the schools being close too!
We had the Women's Tour of Britain go through Bedford last Thursday. Roads closed again and a finish on the river embankment (nice wide road along there!).
It absolutely hammered down with rain for almost the entire day - though apparently it stopped for the finish! I didn't go into town, though it would have been fun to see the cycles go past. It's not a good plan for me to stand in the rain for hours - not unless I want bronchitis.
But I did go and see two stages of the Tour de France about 18 years ago. Ex-boyfriend was mad about cycling, so off we went to Portsmouth, to see the stage that went through there, then we followed them back across the Channel, to watch it go through Sainte Mere Eglise, near to Cherbourg. Good fun!
I love your page, with the yarn-bombing photos, and the story about the pink bicycles - that's ingenuity!
Congratulations on your feature on the FP of Scrap365.
Err... just an amendment, to protect the innocent! It must have been far more than 18 years ago, that I went to see the Tour... James is almost 17 now, I've been with Dave for more than 18 years - and it was waaaaay before then! Heehee!
Love the yarn bombing and your page, of course! I once saw some around a tree trunk in town (before I had my smartphone) and went back the next day to take a picture, but it had gone.
admired the array of pink, including yarn bombing when I saw it on the news - love how your city embraced the event. I do love the buzz when a big event sweeps through town
Love all the pink....especially the yarn bombing.
It's funny how when an event is close to home....something that has never interested you.....suddenly does!! Reminds me of DD1 and myself at the London Olympics.
Look at you, cover girl! :) Sounds like you had an amazing time, bet you were left feeling "in the pink" (sorry) x
Congrats on making the cover! Must have been tickled pink over that (tee hee)! I've heard of yarn bombing and seen it in photos, but never in person. Can't imagine having the free time to knit something big enough to cover a tree.
what a wonderful pretty pink page to mark the occasion. I always think it's so nice when something happens that involves the whole town. Congrats too on your front cover...I can see a page coming soon x
it all sounds very exciting, i love events that bring people together x
I may just tell everyone in the store that my friend is on the cover of a magazine
I saw that magazine in the shop and scoured for your name. Recognised you a mile off!!!
I love the story and the page. I know I say this EVERY time I'm here but ... you do make me wish I scrapbooked again. And what a lovely dose of pretty creativity to counteract all that alarming sportiness ... ;-)
The Tour de France is coming through our area soon, but I don't think it'll be as pretty as your cycle experience! Well done on the Front Page honour - well deserved!
That sounds a wonderful surprise! I love anything occasion that bring people together and creates excitement. Yarn bombing - love it! I've not seen it for real but live in hope.
I love the enterprising idea of painting cycles and charging for them to be in situ for the event - some people are clever with their ideas. And yes!! You can certainly share Scrap 365 cover. Loved it!! Congratulations - how wonderful to be front page - well deserved Sian!
It certainly is alright to give a shout out for a front cover :-) Very well done!
Love your giro page, it captures the story but in a different way.
I saw the Giro on the news and thought of you ~ I should have guessed that you'd be recording it in your own superb way!
Well done on the front page ~ I only buy that mag when I know you'll be in it somewhere!!
Oh congrats on the front cover and I like the idea of taking photos of all the yarn bombing :)
Fantastic news about making the front cover - wey-hey! Delighted for you :). I had a look in Smiths but couldn't see a copy - I will have to do some hunting when I go citywards later in the week. Superb page, full of lovely little bits of things and I had no idea it was such a big event (though my uncle did ring to tell me about the bit he had seen!).
Fab page and I love the yarn bombing - good to see it taking off here, first saw it on trees in Iceland and thought how great it was.
What a fun story of the excitement in your town, Sian! Love the layout you've created, and I think that is SOOOOO cool that YOUR LAYOUT is on the COVER of that magazine. Well done, you!!! xo
had my copy of scrap365 in the post and when I saw it I thought "That's my friend Sian," I then told my daughter, my granddaughter and my son-in-law - just so they'd know.
I love the pink, now I'm away to sleep so I can knit some more.
Yep - like many others I got my Scrap 365 in the post last week and as soon as I saw the cover I though 'I bet that's one of Sian's' and it was! Love your layout - wonderfully layered.
Congratulations on being on the cover of a magazine. Very exciting. Michelle t
Both the cycle race and the well-deserved cover piece are exciting events! Such fun layouts!
Sounds like a FUN event & you've done a great job with this page!!
I look for Scrap 365 everytime we stop at Barnes & Noble, but I haven't found one in months! :<(
I loved seeing all the pink stuff about and I'm tickled pink (did you see what I did there...) that you wanted to keep it going a bit longer. Its unusually colourful for you but I love it! Well done on the front cover too! I knew it was you as soon as I saw it! x
How brilliant it was to see your layout on the front cover . I always flick through to find you first . The way you've documented the giro is great . Your colours are very striking on the layout x
Great pages. Congrats on being a cover girl.
Seeing all that knit-bombing has reminded me that I MUST stop the car near some we have at work - I keep meaning to because it makes me smile every time I see it.
Great event page Sian :)
How lovely - the page, the giro event excitement AND the front cover - wonderful!
Interesting story- fun shines through on your page. Nice layering and page design. :)
Congrats on getting the cover! Love that layout and the new one and especially the yarn bombing.
Everything about this page is excellent! The colors, the design with the flowers, the intriguing title and the story! I love the yarn bombing photos too!
Big huge congrats on making the cover of Scrap365! A page should be made about it too!!!
From cover! good for you and what a lovely layout you shared about your Giro. fabulous. Always a pleasure to drop by and catch up with what treasures you've been creating
meant to say, Front Cover!
Your enthusiasm shows! Your photos help, of course, but your descriptions convey the excitement of the day. And how nice is it that the theme color is pink? The whole thing makes for a bright, fun scrapbook page.
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