Amgen Tour of California - Day 6

Last Saturday, May 21st, was a day I had been waiting for, I had planned for....and almost missed it altogether.  While talking to my mother earlier in the week she mentioned that they had been watching the Tour of California - 7 day cycling race.  I started laughing as at the time I was standing right next to my pin board and there was my print out of Day 6...the day it was a 45 min drive from home and I had planned to go, stand on the side of the road and cheer the riders on.  That night the TV was set to tape the rest of the race.

Saturday promised to be a splendid spring day and I was excited at our plans to drive 45 minutes and watch the race on a mountain stage.  We left a little later than planned but made great time and arrived in Glendora at 12:30. We drove up the canyon and as I saw the signs for 'begin feed zone and end feed zone' I wanted to stop and take a picture but was ...advised against stopping. The difficult task was to decide just where to stop on the long, long mountain road.  I wanted shade, a corner a distance to see the rides approach and few people. (oh, that sounds like watching it on TV at home).



 After a few stops on the road, running to the edge and looking over and down the canyon, we decided on a large turn out, that had a sweeping curve in the road.  It turned out that we could see to the other side of the canyon, where the racers  would be going down.  There were 3 other cars in the turn out and an offical race man.  His job was to announce when he spotted the racers on the opposite canyon road.  We heard him talking on his radio and we gathered lots of info about the status of the race from him.

 Here I am, resting and waiting for the first sighting of the race coming down the opposite canyon road. It was thrilling to see the first police cars, then the first riders, more cars-not sure how no one gets squashed, it is controlled bedlam.

We waited about 45 minutes for them to appear on our road.  First there was the banner flying high above the riders, announcing their coming, then the helicopter sitting above them, moving along the canyon walls in time with the riders.  Police cars and motorcycles were racing past us, yelling at any cyclists on the road to stop and pull off, clearing the road for the race.  I was amazed at how many people were involved before we even saw the first rider.  Then almost suddenly...there in the distance, down the road and bobbing between the shrubs i saw the first helmets, then as they round the corner the roadway became moving ribbon of color.  

I was not prepared for how FAST they would be riding up hill. The first riders were there in front of me and then just as fast they were dissapearing up the hill lost in the sea of support cars and motorcyles following then. It was exciting, it was all that i had hoped it would be. 

 Then the trail of cars followed the last of the racers and it was over.

To watch this race was on my bucket list, and I will check it off. But I also have another entry on my list,  the Tour de France, in France someday.

At home we watched the race on TV so we could see some of the exciting moments - the hill climb and sprints.

A great day, one of just doing pretty much nothing and enjoying it.