Did you know that I am oh-so-way-into cycling? No, of course not, how would you know this? ((Actualies, if you had read this little post about me prancing about the house chanting Champs-Élysées, you may have well deduced a certain love of all things cycling.)) Well, I AMS!
As I revealed, I had a couple of years of my life where I cycled competitively, and I've been known to blaze some wicked trails on ye ol' (neglected) mountain bike. Unlike most things in life, where I am totally late-bandwagon, I was pre-bandwagon with the cycling fanaticism. Yes, America, there was cycling before Lance. There was even American Cycling before Lance. Recollect, if you will, Le Tour de France and Greg LeMonde, who bore down in the time trial against some French dude and took the final yellow jersey to the synthesized tunes of John Tesh. Yeah, I watched it the year before that (thanks, Dad!) (And I know that by euro standards even 1985 is late bandwagon -- all hail Eddy Merckx!)
So, imagine my glee (!!) when I determined that yes indeedy I could watch - LIVE - a stage of the Amgen Tour of California! I headed up the hill a ways, found a sweet parking spot and an even better race vantage point. We picked a spot at the top of Turnitas Creek Road, which was one of two hill climbs on the Stage 2 route. SO MUCH FUN. The scene: POURING RAIN (POURING!!); a narrow, backcountry road; literally a couple hundred fans (including a couple in chicken suits, a crazy shirtless man, and enough cowbells to Fear the Reaper ((stupid SNL made YouTube take the Chris Walken/Blue Oyster Cult cowbell skit down. Like anyone would know that skit existed if it weren't for youtube, cuz no one watches SNL no more!)) ) mostly bedecked in gortex and sporting umbrellas (though some people were wearing jeans or spandex capris or other clothing demonstrating that evolution has not blessed all equally).
looking up the hill
The commotion starts off about an hour before the first pack of riders arrives, with CHP officers zooming up the hill and barking at people to clear the way (because some people don't get the hint when a speeding motorcycle honks the whole way up the hill, and also need a verbal order). A few team cars, sans bikes, parade by, horns honking. Then some old dudes who are just out riding in the rain in some sort of misplaced solidarity come riding up the hill, tricking the spectators into cheering, then booing, then laughing (it's neat how fan emotion travels up the hill). With the riders 5 miles back, a convoy streams up the hill, seriously honking.
Garmin-Chipotle Slipstream - Go US Sponsors!!
Then comes the DJ car, which announces a 10-man breakaway to the beats of some sappy euro-techno - thumpa thumpa thumpa.
CROWD GOES WILD.
Next, the 4 Mile Car, with a lady yelling "4 Miles Back, Riders are 4 Miles Back!" (does she do this for the entire 116 miles?).
AND FINALLY, the MOMENT we've been waiting for....
who dat?
Damn, that was fast.
Next was the peleton. I tried video for this one. Result: Meh (and tell that loud girl (me!) to STFU!). Note that these guys are going UP A STEEP HILL, at like 20mph. I would love to say that I saw Lance, or Mark Cavindish, Levi, Floyd, etc. etc., but alas what I saw was a bllllurrrrrr of faces and lycra and intensity. Zooooomm. Can't wait to catch it on VS.
So.Much.Fun.
the mass exodus
(Next year, I'm going to rig up some waterproofing for my real camera though, because I can't stand the ol' point and shoot anymore.)
