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Hello, Elle,
Tom Simpson was a British rider who died on Mont Ventoux in 1967, during the Tour de France..
The official cause of death was given as "heat exhaustion."
The temperature on the Ventoux that day was said to be more than 50 C.
There were slight traces of amphetamines in his system.
There is a memorial to him near the summit.
Tom had been World Champion.
I think he is buried in Nottinghamshire.
The only foreign rider to attend his funeral was Eddy Merckx.
You are doing well with the Treaties of Utrecht!
I can not get access to the loch site either.

Chris, Tom's last words were "on, on, on".
That is what the team mechanics and soigneurs said.
The reporter who said they were "put me back on the bike" was miles away when Tom collapsed.
He invented that story.
A fairy tale for the newspapers.

Sid Saltmarsh of the Sun was the man who invented "put me back on the bike."
Complete rubbish.

Elle and Pigale,
Normal service has been resumed at the loch!

Yep, just seen the chicks and Lassie but she has just left now leaving the young ones half-asleep.

Time for bed for me too,

Night night

Goodnight, Pigale!

Hi, Rusty!
How terrible for Tom Simpson to collapse and die from heat exhaustion.
The amphetamines certainly would not have helped together with such a high temperature as 50C.
So was Tom thought to be taking drugs to enhance his performance - or were the amphetamines simply a normal medical prescription?
I presume back then there was very little done to test for drug-taking?
I have just looked in on the chicks after reading your latest post...
Only two in residence in the nest.
I wonder if the male has ventured out yet?


Hello, Chris!
Thanks for the info!
I don't know if you read my post the other day about the painting of the six sphinxes at Crystal Palace Park?
You will no doubt remember them as stone coloured - well, they are being repaired and then painted a dark terracotta red to match the original sphinx in the Louvre.
Apparently the last time the Crystal Palace sphinxes were painted this colour was back in the 1900s.
I don't think I like it.......Google it and see what you think?

Good morning, Elle.
Fine morning here!
Regarding Tom.
It was common for riders to take amphetamines.
The year he died it was national teams in the Tour, not trade teams.
He was part of a very weak British team.
Tom had been suffering from diarrhoea (spelling?) for 24 hours and his manager at Peugeot advised him to abandon (in a phone call the previous night) and not start the Ventoux stage. His own personal manager insisted he ride. He was in poor condition before he got to the mountain.
The summit of Ventoux is an awful place. It is like the surface of the moon.
Scorching temperatures and no respite from the sun.
In hindsight he should not have rode, but a combination of illness, scorching heat, and amphetamines, caused his death.
Tom was a great rider and a very popular one.

Good morning, Rusty!
A lovely day here, too!
Ah, I understand now about Tom.
Thank you for explaining.
It is fitting then to have a memorial to him on the site where he died.
This will serve both as a tribute to him, and also hopefully as a warning to other competitors to take due care.
You were up and about early this morning!
I expect you are now occupied with watching the golf?
Did you mange to get out first to collect your paper?

Good morning, Elle,
Yes, a fitting tribute to Tom.
His daughters added a plaque to his memorial some years ago.
A personal tribute from them.
He was a very popular rider.
Known in the peloton as "Mister Tom".
Yes, I was on the go early today.
Arrived at Screwfix at 7.05!
My plan was to get in ahead of the tradesmen!
Screwfix is a busy and popular store.
Bought several torches.
From there I went to ASDA and LIDL.
I had the golf on for Monty teeing off at 6.30!
It is a fine day at Troon, too!
I'll watch the golf until the cycling starts.
High winds, as Pigale said, are forecast for Mont Ventoux.
Hope the riders keep safe!
Is this Ladies Who Lunch day?