Progress reports for the two Tours, posted by acting Tour Director "The Other":
It's Wednesday July 5th and the Tour de France has completed Stage 4 from Huy to Saint-Quentin, with Australian rider Robbie McEwen taking the stage and the Green Jersey (Maillot Vert) for the points leader. Tom Boonen from Belgium finishes 5th but hangs on to the coveted Yellow Jersey (Maillot Jaune) with the lowest cumulative time.
Updates on the progress of the Tour de Fleece's participants can be found on their individual blogs, or web pages, by clicking on their links in the Particpants List in the sidebar.
Herself (Katherine) is on the mend and will take the reins again shortly, and plans to post some progress highlights from a selection of participants' blogs, to help encourage everyone.
And for today's final news: a shop has been opened on Café Press to sell a few items with the Tour de Fleece logo. Proceeds from sales will be donated to the Dyana Afghan Women's Fund, a charitable organization founded by Afghan-Canadian author and journalist Nelofer Pazira to support the women's centre in Kandahar.
Stay tuned for more news...
BTW: The "basics" have been moved into this post's continuation, click the link below to see the details.
Eligibility: Any spinner who would like to take on a spinning challenge during the 2006 Tour de France bicycle race.
Concept: You will set yourself a personal spinning challenge. You will begin spinning on the first stage of the Tour (July 1st), and finish on or before the last stage (July 23rd). You, of course, may spin on those days designated rest days for the riders.
Rules:
1. The idea is to set yourself a challenge. It doesn't matter what the challenge is -- it could be spinning fine for the first time, or producing an artsy fartsy yarn as an exercise, it could be spinning enough for a specific project. If you've always wanted to spin a little every day (say, a spinning meditation practice), but never seem to find time for it, perhaps that could be the challenge -- spinning every morning of the tour. What matters is you set out the challenge, and meet it during the specified time.
2. There will be no spinning before the start of the first stage.
3. You must finish spinning before the last stage ends.
4. You may sample and do other research as needed beforehand if it helps you decide on your challenge, or will help provide you the tools and information you need to meet the challenge.
The Maillot Jaune (Yellow Jersey)
As much as I enjoy the different categories of the Tour de France, for the purposes of the Tour de Fleece, there is only one option -- the Maillot Jaune (Yellow Jersey). Either you meet your challenge, or you don't.
Finishers will get a button for their blog. Once I figure out what it should be (I have the basic idea in mind, though). Of course, there is the immense pride in undertaking the Tour and riding -- er -- spinning to completion.
(I do want to offer up a prize. I'll figure this out in a bit. If anyone out there wants to donate something, that would be great, too, but if not, there will be at least one prize that will be drawn for at the end).
Who's in?
I'll be setting up a Tour de Fleece web page with links to all participants, as well as a permanent home for all the information for the Tour de Fleece. I've also got a button that you can put on your web site to show that you are participating, so I'll put that there, too. But in the meantime, if you leave me a message in the comments or send me an email (link in sidebar), I can gauge if there is any interest in the Tour de Fleece, or if I'm just going to be spinning by myself this year.
(Which is okay, because then I win the prize!...Ahem...)
What am I spinning?
Possibly a box of roving from Rovings, in the Parrots colourway, but they're away this week, so it couldn't be ordered, thus ensuring its arrival before the Tour starts. So I may set myself a different challenge. Possibly spinning a small amount of merino/silk blend to see if I can actually do it.
Keeping track of everyone's progress
Post your personal goal in the Comments section of the Particpants post below, along with a link to your blog, where you'll blog about your progress. I will collect the links as they're added and put them in the Sidebar for easy access.
Sign me up!
Posted by: Jessica | 2006.06.28 at 01:58 AM
Please sign me up! I need something to motivate me to spin enough yarn for a sweater I'd like to make, from a very special fleece.
Posted by: Helen | 2006.06.28 at 08:35 AM
I did not see my name in the sign up list. Please add me if it's not too late. Thanks
Posted by: Sherry- ShaylaCanKnit | 2006.06.29 at 10:40 AM
Sign me up please. I'll be spinning 1lb of merino, either dyed or not depending on if I get to it tomorrow! and maybe some silk hankies.
Posted by: Ella | 2006.06.29 at 08:59 PM