What was the strangest thing you ecountered on PBP?

[Mikepzt]

My first PBP, thought it was brilliant and at times sureal. I am curious as to what strange things people encountered.

For me 1.00 am on day 2 was surreal. Three Ukrainian guys were riding with a loudspeaker belting out rap music, as they passed one was continually hurling a stream of abuse
(assuming it was Ukrainian abuse and not just banter) at the lead rider.

Each time I escaped ahead they would pour on power and catch me. A late tabac gave an escape to let them pass only for them to join me where they sat glaring at each other. After that I never saw (or heard) them again.

That was one of many 'did I really just see that' moments on PBP. Interested to hear other encounters

[Exit Stage Left]

Probably Andrei from Jaroslavl, and his three foot long stuffed shark mascot. Surrealism strikes to the heart of the event, and Andrei turned up with 'Berry' at the main office in search of a bike to replace his broken one.

I found Anastasia, a six foot strawberry blonde from St Petersburg, to translate. She was readily recognisable as Russian, even in her PBP fluorescent gilet, thanks to the two PBP Russie flags sticking out of her helmet.

We put Andrei's slightly confused demeanour down to his new friends from Amsterdam.

[Diagonaliste]

Arriving in Loudéac around 03:30 during my second night, a pissed up local old man appeared to be trying to gain entry to the control and was shouting a lot at the volunteer stewards (no idea what). One of the volunteer stewards eventually lunged at the guy and tried to wrestle/eject him from the outskirts of the control. It was all very physical and totally unexpected. Must have lasted around 2 minutes, but was a bizarre scene compared to the conviviality of normal proceedings in PBP.