Tour of CA
 

Anyone here watching this event. Those guys are tough. I skipped a 30 mile bike ride yesterday because it was rainy and windy. Those guys ride >100 miles a day no matter what. They ride up hills, they ride in a paceline at speed, they ride even right after falling off, they ride even when they can't feel their hands and feet anymore. I was going to have two eggs over medium, corned beef hash and wheat toast at midpoint of my ride. Those guys consume only bars, gel bloks or gel during the 5 hour event!

Anyone who says pro cyclists are wussies don't know jack.

The general public has no idea how strong these athletes are. The pain factor is unbelievable at their level. I do road and mountain biking and love it. As a matter of fact, I'm going to see Lance climb Palomar Mountain on the last stage of the Tour de CA on Sunday.

That's why I sold my old Raleigh to Scott, and took up pool. These guys like pain too much to be normal...

To perform at that level, I can't see anyone doing so and be competitive without juicing up. Armstrong with his 7 TDF wins is the exception.

I went to the start of stage 2 in Davis. It was pouring rain and I was soaked, but the turnout was still pretty good. It's a lot easier to watch the live feed on the computer or on TV. It was fun to see the start because they interviewed the riders before and had a bunch of stuff going on. This was my view.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1234845652.jpg


I hope they catch the person that stole Lances' TT bike. It's hard to believe that anyone could get away with selling or using any of it.

I'm too much of a wuss in this weather to go see the tour live. I've got it DVR'd off Versus.

Check out http://tracker.amgentourofcalifornia.com/ for live coverage.

I was hoping to ride todays Bonny Doon route with my friends from RoadBikeReview.com, but I've been in bad health lately. Watching Levi hammer up that climb today was something special though, those guys are hammers.

RBR - I get their newsletter.

I heard your quite the hammer yourself on a cyclocross bike.

Oh come on you could deal with that wet stuff. I love to do the club rides in the rain. the wet really does something to some people. I love it. the more it comes down, the more I hammer the guy behind me. Make em' dring from the rooster tail from the rear tire. This was 15-20 years ago. I don't how I would do now. Have not done it in a long time.

If any of you were paid what these guys make a year, you'd ride in the rain too.

So who's going to the Rose Bowl this Saturday to see the end of the race's second-to-last stage?

I am taking my babies there if it doesn't rain. I am less then 10 min away right off the pasadena fwy.

I might go. I hate crowds, though. And when is the Rose Bowl not crowded?

the tour is ending the Merced to Clovis stage DIRECTLY in front of my office tomorrow.
They are saying 25,000 people will be here.
I WON"T - i'm staying as far away as i can
All roads will be blocked off & i can't even get in unless i get here at 6 AM, then i won't be able to get out, as they are having a street fair until late.
It would probably be fun, but to me it's a hassle.

Stage 2 went a couple of blocks past my house after Bonny Doon Mountain -- took the kids to the finish line. These guys are tough and it's a really cool sport. The ALMS could learn from their fabulous website, complete with streaming video, picture-in-picture, commentary, ticker, leader board, GPS sat map, and course profile, all on one page! The finish-line crowd was really fun and the Expo was great. If you can get to Paso, Buellton, the Rose Bowl, or the end of the final stage down in Escondido, one word: go.

Not a real big fan of the course this year - I think two years ago was way more interesting (to say nothing of the final stage running literally right by my front door). Lots of boring stuff this year, but the riders are looking great!

I might go down to Escondito to see the final stage. Very cool stuff.

I was hoping to get the family placed somewhere on Palomar South grade but the traffic situation looks to be hopeless. No interest in going to the street fair in Escondido so it might end up as a DVR event.