This post follows an earlier Frog Blog which you might want to read first.
Herbie arrived in France and quickly got involved in the Tour de Frog. Herbie had been into cycling ever since he outgrew the tadpole stage. While he certainly wasn't as famous as Lance Armstrong, he was well-known in biking circles, so he wasn't too surprised to hear his name called out loud. He glanced up and his eye met those of a very colorful frog who was waving the American flag. As she smiled at him, Herbie pedaled on, but in that moment his life had changed forever.The following day had the racers struggling through mountainous terrain. The mountain
stages of the Tour de Frog were a real test of endurance. The summit loomed, to be followed by a dangerous decent. As Herbie pulled ahead of a fellow competitor, the support of the crowd added exhilaration to the challenge.
One day, at the end of time trials, Herbie found someone waiting for him. It was the young lady frog who had been waving the American flag on an earlier day. She introduced herself as Francine. Totally smitten, Herbie invited her out for the evening. They visited Van Gogh's Night Cafe. A roving Gypsy talked them into posing for a picture. It was a memorable night!With the Tour de Frog finished, Herbie spent some time touring France on
his bike before returning to the United States. Paul Cezanne is one of Herbie's favorite artists. During his time in the countryside, Herbie biked through the town and farm where Cezanne had once lived and painted. (Note of interest: The painting of Cezanne's Farm, through which Herbie is shown cycling, was painted by Jean.)While there was no need to discuss Herbie's final standings in the Tour, he did return to Lily Pond with a sense of satisfaction with this great new adventure.
