Viewing le Tour - Questions re: Security - Page 3 - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

05-19-2004, 08:35 PM

> I was wondering if my fears were overblown. I had spoken recently to my
> fiance's teenage son who travelled in Italy last summer. He reported
> several pickpocketing attempts while he was there, including one by a
little
> old lady who was "nearly 80 years old" (but, still had quick and deft
hands
> that she clearly put into his pocket as she brushed by him on the street).

For what it's worth, I've heard far more horror stories about Italy than I
have France, particularly areas around train stations in large cities. My
wife & daughter went on a school trip that spent a bit of time in Italy, and
the stories of the Gypsies, with their cardboard facades held in front of
them so you couldn't see them steal your stuff when they bumped into you...
pretty amazing. I never saw anything like that in France.

> As for your experiences...wow...you must have some really good karma!!
> Perhaps you were a monk in a previous life, eh? <g> Anyway, it's good to
> hear that you don't have to stress over it too much.

Have you traveled abroad previously? If not, don't dwell on the things that
might go wrong. Look forward to having a great time. The experience is
amazing... although, frankly, you can remain fairly isolated from it when
you're on an organized tour. And don't get too hung up on everything
working out a certain way, especially on a Graham Baxter tour. Sometimes
the itinerary bears little resemblance to reality, but it's the changes and
surprises that often bring the most memorable experiences.

Which level of Alpes-to-Paris tour are you doing (standard/deluxe/luxury)?

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

05-19-2004, 09:30 PM

"Mike Jacoubowsky" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:aIVqc.51423$[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].prodigy. com...
> > I was wondering if my fears were overblown. I had spoken recently to my
> > fiance's teenage son who travelled in Italy last summer. He reported
> > several pickpocketing attempts while he was there, including one by a
> little
> > old lady who was "nearly 80 years old" (but, still had quick and deft
> hands
> > that she clearly put into his pocket as she brushed by him on the
street).
>
> For what it's worth, I've heard far more horror stories about Italy than I
> have France, particularly areas around train stations in large cities. My
> wife & daughter went on a school trip that spent a bit of time in Italy,
and
> the stories of the Gypsies, with their cardboard facades held in front of
> them so you couldn't see them steal your stuff when they bumped into
you...
> pretty amazing. I never saw anything like that in France.
>
> > As for your experiences...wow...you must have some really good karma!!
> > Perhaps you were a monk in a previous life, eh? <g> Anyway, it's good
to
> > hear that you don't have to stress over it too much.
>
> Have you traveled abroad previously? If not, don't dwell on the things
that
> might go wrong. Look forward to having a great time. The experience is
> amazing... although, frankly, you can remain fairly isolated from it when
> you're on an organized tour. And don't get too hung up on everything
> working out a certain way, especially on a Graham Baxter tour. Sometimes
> the itinerary bears little resemblance to reality, but it's the changes
and
> surprises that often bring the most memorable experiences.

Thanks...I normally have an Alfred E. Neuman attitude ("What, me worry?"),
and rarely has it or my guardian angel let me down. I sense that the GB
tour may be somewhat "eccentric", but I'm really looking forward to it (the
price was very reasonable compared to Trek Travel, for instance). Most of
my tours in the past have been of the cheaper do-most-of-it-yourself variety
(e.g., Bicycle Tour of Colorado), with camping option.

>
> Which level of Alpes-to-Paris tour are you doing (standard/deluxe/luxury)?

Since I've never been before, and since AdH will be such a zoo this year due
to the TT, and for the chance to have dinner with Bob Roll and Graham
Watson, I booked the luxury tour (it filled up within 24 hours of being
announced). We'll be spending 3 nights on l'Alpe d'Huez, about 1 km from
the finish line...and, yes, I am completely stoked to be going!

>
> --Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
>
>

05-19-2004, 09:30 PM

"Mike Jacoubowsky" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:aIVqc.51423$[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].prodigy. com...
> > I was wondering if my fears were overblown. I had spoken recently to my
> > fiance's teenage son who travelled in Italy last summer. He reported
> > several pickpocketing attempts while he was there, including one by a
> little
> > old lady who was "nearly 80 years old" (but, still had quick and deft
> hands
> > that she clearly put into his pocket as she brushed by him on the
street).
>
> For what it's worth, I've heard far more horror stories about Italy than I
> have France, particularly areas around train stations in large cities. My
> wife & daughter went on a school trip that spent a bit of time in Italy,
and
> the stories of the Gypsies, with their cardboard facades held in front of
> them so you couldn't see them steal your stuff when they bumped into
you...
> pretty amazing. I never saw anything like that in France.
>
> > As for your experiences...wow...you must have some really good karma!!
> > Perhaps you were a monk in a previous life, eh? <g> Anyway, it's good
to
> > hear that you don't have to stress over it too much.
>
> Have you traveled abroad previously? If not, don't dwell on the things
that
> might go wrong. Look forward to having a great time. The experience is
> amazing... although, frankly, you can remain fairly isolated from it when
> you're on an organized tour. And don't get too hung up on everything
> working out a certain way, especially on a Graham Baxter tour. Sometimes
> the itinerary bears little resemblance to reality, but it's the changes
and
> surprises that often bring the most memorable experiences.

Thanks...I normally have an Alfred E. Neuman attitude ("What, me worry?"),
and rarely has it or my guardian angel let me down. I sense that the GB
tour may be somewhat "eccentric", but I'm really looking forward to it (the
price was very reasonable compared to Trek Travel, for instance). Most of
my tours in the past have been of the cheaper do-most-of-it-yourself variety
(e.g., Bicycle Tour of Colorado), with camping option.

>
> Which level of Alpes-to-Paris tour are you doing (standard/deluxe/luxury)?

Since I've never been before, and since AdH will be such a zoo this year due
to the TT, and for the chance to have dinner with Bob Roll and Graham
Watson, I booked the luxury tour (it filled up within 24 hours of being
announced). We'll be spending 3 nights on l'Alpe d'Huez, about 1 km from
the finish line...and, yes, I am completely stoked to be going!

>
> --Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
>
>

05-19-2004, 09:30 PM

"Mike Jacoubowsky" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:aIVqc.51423$[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].prodigy. com...
> > I was wondering if my fears were overblown. I had spoken recently to my
> > fiance's teenage son who travelled in Italy last summer. He reported
> > several pickpocketing attempts while he was there, including one by a
> little
> > old lady who was "nearly 80 years old" (but, still had quick and deft
> hands
> > that she clearly put into his pocket as she brushed by him on the
street).
>
> For what it's worth, I've heard far more horror stories about Italy than I
> have France, particularly areas around train stations in large cities. My
> wife & daughter went on a school trip that spent a bit of time in Italy,
and
> the stories of the Gypsies, with their cardboard facades held in front of
> them so you couldn't see them steal your stuff when they bumped into
you...
> pretty amazing. I never saw anything like that in France.
>
> > As for your experiences...wow...you must have some really good karma!!
> > Perhaps you were a monk in a previous life, eh? <g> Anyway, it's good
to
> > hear that you don't have to stress over it too much.
>
> Have you traveled abroad previously? If not, don't dwell on the things
that
> might go wrong. Look forward to having a great time. The experience is
> amazing... although, frankly, you can remain fairly isolated from it when
> you're on an organized tour. And don't get too hung up on everything
> working out a certain way, especially on a Graham Baxter tour. Sometimes
> the itinerary bears little resemblance to reality, but it's the changes
and
> surprises that often bring the most memorable experiences.

Thanks...I normally have an Alfred E. Neuman attitude ("What, me worry?"),
and rarely has it or my guardian angel let me down. I sense that the GB
tour may be somewhat "eccentric", but I'm really looking forward to it (the
price was very reasonable compared to Trek Travel, for instance). Most of
my tours in the past have been of the cheaper do-most-of-it-yourself variety
(e.g., Bicycle Tour of Colorado), with camping option.

>
> Which level of Alpes-to-Paris tour are you doing (standard/deluxe/luxury)?

Since I've never been before, and since AdH will be such a zoo this year due
to the TT, and for the chance to have dinner with Bob Roll and Graham
Watson, I booked the luxury tour (it filled up within 24 hours of being
announced). We'll be spending 3 nights on l'Alpe d'Huez, about 1 km from
the finish line...and, yes, I am completely stoked to be going!

>
> --Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
>
>

05-19-2004, 09:30 PM

"Mike Jacoubowsky" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:aIVqc.51423$[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].prodigy. com...
> > I was wondering if my fears were overblown. I had spoken recently to my
> > fiance's teenage son who travelled in Italy last summer. He reported
> > several pickpocketing attempts while he was there, including one by a
> little
> > old lady who was "nearly 80 years old" (but, still had quick and deft
> hands
> > that she clearly put into his pocket as she brushed by him on the
street).
>
> For what it's worth, I've heard far more horror stories about Italy than I
> have France, particularly areas around train stations in large cities. My
> wife & daughter went on a school trip that spent a bit of time in Italy,
and
> the stories of the Gypsies, with their cardboard facades held in front of
> them so you couldn't see them steal your stuff when they bumped into
you...
> pretty amazing. I never saw anything like that in France.
>
> > As for your experiences...wow...you must have some really good karma!!
> > Perhaps you were a monk in a previous life, eh? <g> Anyway, it's good
to
> > hear that you don't have to stress over it too much.
>
> Have you traveled abroad previously? If not, don't dwell on the things
that
> might go wrong. Look forward to having a great time. The experience is
> amazing... although, frankly, you can remain fairly isolated from it when
> you're on an organized tour. And don't get too hung up on everything
> working out a certain way, especially on a Graham Baxter tour. Sometimes
> the itinerary bears little resemblance to reality, but it's the changes
and
> surprises that often bring the most memorable experiences.

Thanks...I normally have an Alfred E. Neuman attitude ("What, me worry?"),
and rarely has it or my guardian angel let me down. I sense that the GB
tour may be somewhat "eccentric", but I'm really looking forward to it (the
price was very reasonable compared to Trek Travel, for instance). Most of
my tours in the past have been of the cheaper do-most-of-it-yourself variety
(e.g., Bicycle Tour of Colorado), with camping option.

>
> Which level of Alpes-to-Paris tour are you doing (standard/deluxe/luxury)?

Since I've never been before, and since AdH will be such a zoo this year due
to the TT, and for the chance to have dinner with Bob Roll and Graham
Watson, I booked the luxury tour (it filled up within 24 hours of being
announced). We'll be spending 3 nights on l'Alpe d'Huez, about 1 km from
the finish line...and, yes, I am completely stoked to be going!

>
> --Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
>
>

05-19-2004, 09:30 PM

"Mike Jacoubowsky" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:aIVqc.51423$[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].prodigy. com...
> > I was wondering if my fears were overblown. I had spoken recently to my
> > fiance's teenage son who travelled in Italy last summer. He reported
> > several pickpocketing attempts while he was there, including one by a
> little
> > old lady who was "nearly 80 years old" (but, still had quick and deft
> hands
> > that she clearly put into his pocket as she brushed by him on the
street).
>
> For what it's worth, I've heard far more horror stories about Italy than I
> have France, particularly areas around train stations in large cities. My
> wife & daughter went on a school trip that spent a bit of time in Italy,
and
> the stories of the Gypsies, with their cardboard facades held in front of
> them so you couldn't see them steal your stuff when they bumped into
you...
> pretty amazing. I never saw anything like that in France.
>
> > As for your experiences...wow...you must have some really good karma!!
> > Perhaps you were a monk in a previous life, eh? <g> Anyway, it's good
to
> > hear that you don't have to stress over it too much.
>
> Have you traveled abroad previously? If not, don't dwell on the things
that
> might go wrong. Look forward to having a great time. The experience is
> amazing... although, frankly, you can remain fairly isolated from it when
> you're on an organized tour. And don't get too hung up on everything
> working out a certain way, especially on a Graham Baxter tour. Sometimes
> the itinerary bears little resemblance to reality, but it's the changes
and
> surprises that often bring the most memorable experiences.

Thanks...I normally have an Alfred E. Neuman attitude ("What, me worry?"),
and rarely has it or my guardian angel let me down. I sense that the GB
tour may be somewhat "eccentric", but I'm really looking forward to it (the
price was very reasonable compared to Trek Travel, for instance). Most of
my tours in the past have been of the cheaper do-most-of-it-yourself variety
(e.g., Bicycle Tour of Colorado), with camping option.

>
> Which level of Alpes-to-Paris tour are you doing (standard/deluxe/luxury)?

Since I've never been before, and since AdH will be such a zoo this year due
to the TT, and for the chance to have dinner with Bob Roll and Graham
Watson, I booked the luxury tour (it filled up within 24 hours of being
announced). We'll be spending 3 nights on l'Alpe d'Huez, about 1 km from
the finish line...and, yes, I am completely stoked to be going!

>
> --Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
>
>

05-19-2004, 11:34 PM

>For what it's worth, I've heard far more horror stories about Italy than I
>have France, particularly areas around train stations in large cities. My
>wife & daughter went on a school trip that spent a bit of time in Italy, and
>the stories of the Gypsies, with their cardboard facades held in front of
>them so you couldn't see them steal your stuff when they bumped into you...
>pretty amazing. I never saw anything like that in France.

I was just about to make virtually the same comment!

Travelling in Italy, we were accosted at junctions where traffic lights were on
red - where gypsies would come up and beg money, in a less than friendly way...
Never saw this once in France or Germany, but in Italy it was all too common in
the cities; Pisa being a particular pain-in-the-ar$e. I also found that in
Italy, sadly, the tourist was preyed upon by shopkeepers in that prices
mysteriously increased when you bought the exact same item as the Italian
person in front of you...

Cheers, helen s

--This is an invalid email address to avoid spam--
to get correct one remove fame & fortune
h*$el*$$e*nd**$o$ts**i*$*$m*m$o*n*s@$*a$o*l.c**$om $

--Due to financial crisis the light at the end of the tunnel is switched off--

05-19-2004, 11:34 PM

>For what it's worth, I've heard far more horror stories about Italy than I
>have France, particularly areas around train stations in large cities. My
>wife & daughter went on a school trip that spent a bit of time in Italy, and
>the stories of the Gypsies, with their cardboard facades held in front of
>them so you couldn't see them steal your stuff when they bumped into you...
>pretty amazing. I never saw anything like that in France.

I was just about to make virtually the same comment!

Travelling in Italy, we were accosted at junctions where traffic lights were on
red - where gypsies would come up and beg money, in a less than friendly way...
Never saw this once in France or Germany, but in Italy it was all too common in
the cities; Pisa being a particular pain-in-the-ar$e. I also found that in
Italy, sadly, the tourist was preyed upon by shopkeepers in that prices
mysteriously increased when you bought the exact same item as the Italian
person in front of you...

Cheers, helen s

--This is an invalid email address to avoid spam--
to get correct one remove fame & fortune
h*$el*$$e*nd**$o$ts**i*$*$m*m$o*n*s@$*a$o*l.c**$om $

--Due to financial crisis the light at the end of the tunnel is switched off--

05-19-2004, 11:34 PM

>For what it's worth, I've heard far more horror stories about Italy than I
>have France, particularly areas around train stations in large cities. My
>wife & daughter went on a school trip that spent a bit of time in Italy, and
>the stories of the Gypsies, with their cardboard facades held in front of
>them so you couldn't see them steal your stuff when they bumped into you...
>pretty amazing. I never saw anything like that in France.

I was just about to make virtually the same comment!

Travelling in Italy, we were accosted at junctions where traffic lights were on
red - where gypsies would come up and beg money, in a less than friendly way...
Never saw this once in France or Germany, but in Italy it was all too common in
the cities; Pisa being a particular pain-in-the-ar$e. I also found that in
Italy, sadly, the tourist was preyed upon by shopkeepers in that prices
mysteriously increased when you bought the exact same item as the Italian
person in front of you...

Cheers, helen s

--This is an invalid email address to avoid spam--
to get correct one remove fame & fortune
h*$el*$$e*nd**$o$ts**i*$*$m*m$o*n*s@$*a$o*l.c**$om $

--Due to financial crisis the light at the end of the tunnel is switched off--

05-19-2004, 11:34 PM

>For what it's worth, I've heard far more horror stories about Italy than I
>have France, particularly areas around train stations in large cities. My
>wife & daughter went on a school trip that spent a bit of time in Italy, and
>the stories of the Gypsies, with their cardboard facades held in front of
>them so you couldn't see them steal your stuff when they bumped into you...
>pretty amazing. I never saw anything like that in France.

I was just about to make virtually the same comment!

Travelling in Italy, we were accosted at junctions where traffic lights were on
red - where gypsies would come up and beg money, in a less than friendly way...
Never saw this once in France or Germany, but in Italy it was all too common in
the cities; Pisa being a particular pain-in-the-ar$e. I also found that in
Italy, sadly, the tourist was preyed upon by shopkeepers in that prices
mysteriously increased when you bought the exact same item as the Italian
person in front of you...

Cheers, helen s

--This is an invalid email address to avoid spam--
to get correct one remove fame & fortune
h*$el*$$e*nd**$o$ts**i*$*$m*m$o*n*s@$*a$o*l.c**$om $

--Due to financial crisis the light at the end of the tunnel is switched off--