I didn't bother going out for the caravan - it came through the CIty a couple of hours before the riders - but along with thousands of others I wandered 5 minutes out of the office to spend an hour getting damp and watching cars, vans and motorbikes for my 10 seconds of grimy men in lycra.
Random observations. Loads of car and van passengers taking photos of the crowds. A random cyclist who managed to get onto the route and ride (to cheers) down Lower Thames Street 20 minutes before the peloton. The rather hopeful (and very cheerful and polite) Tour Maker encouraging spectators to stay in the cycle lane. The cyclist with a large rucksack who was encouraged by a motorcyling Gendarme to get off the route - as it turned out a few minutes before the last riders.
It was fun, but I'm not sure I'd travel any more than a few minutes unless it was for a place on a hill where there would be more than a few seconds of blur.
