Happenings For No Reasons

It's not true that everything happens for a reason.

It only may seem so.

Or sometimes, the reason is bad.

The German climber landed at the feet of Gaius and Kong with a severely bruised ankle.

And could not resume his climb.

Kindly Kong sat him down on a flat rock and spoke of the soothing qualities of ice, hoping the words would suffice to effect a recovery. (He had no real ice).

Gaius was idly staring at the climber's stout shoes, while weighing up in his mind whether it were nobler to be a Knight of the Tortoise, or an anxious Carved Cloud. ( A no-brainer)......

...when he spied a wisp of spidery webbing, attached to the climber's left shoe.

Jumping Jigglybits! A dead loxosceles (not yet proven, but likely) spider, dangling from it.

Would you mind? asked Gaius.

Of course not, said the German. I don't need it.

And Gaius extracted his arachnidan prize.

........

In Dubai, Kong takes his leave of Gaius.

You made a wise choice, says Kong. And see how well it turned out.

Indeed, says Gaius. Well, Kong,  this is goodbye for the present. Good luck with the New Confucian Manifesto.

Thank you, says Kong. Good luck with the Tour.

Tour? says Gaius. Oh yes the Tour. Most kind. Thank you.

........

In Gaius's garden shed Equipo de Loro works feverishly, on the two extra bikes.

Dedalus's idea was a good one.

Take the wheels off the scooter. That's one wheel each.

How to remove: Place Allen keys into both sides of the axle heads and turn them anticlockwise. Gently push inwards. When the bolts are undone push the axle bolt through with the Allen key, thus removing the wheel.

( so you see, I don't make things up).

......

Saturday, 6.30 pm at the Tour Village, the Team Presentation.

(Highlights only. It's long)

Phil Liggett: And next we have Team Philosophe! Team leader, the widely revered, and not just by philosophers, Voltaire! aka Vello!

(loud cheering)

And the team has a new surprise rider. Marcel Duchamp, the famous father of Conceptual Art. There's nothing he doesn't know about bicycle wheels, I assure you.

(more cheering)

And thirdly, the well known empiricist, David Hume!

(cheers and muted hooting)

Phil Liggett: And next up, we have Team BMC. First on stage, Richie Porte! They say he's the man to beat this year. And next, another popular and talented rider.... Rohan Dennis!

(cheers and whistles)

....and so forth. That's enough highlights.


8.30pm:  A free concert in the Tour Village.

The headline act is: Birds of Tokyo, indie rock band.

They play songs from their new album, Brace.

Arthur and Pablo are reasonably impressed with the lyrics

If I had to drown myself in gasoline would you carry the match for me?

But the Pesquet, who has turned up thinking Birds of Tokyo would be ... birds ... is disappointed.