2008 Tour of California

[snapdragen]

Host cities have been announced:

Prologue: Sunday, Feb. 17 - Palo Alto
Stage 1: Monday, Feb. 18 - Sausalito to Santa Rosa
Stage 2: Tuesday, Feb. 19 - Santa Rosa to Sacramento
Stage 3: Wednesday, Feb. 20 - Modesto to San Jose
Stage 4: Thursday, Feb. 21 - Seaside to San Luis Obispo
Stage 5: Friday, Feb. 22 - Solvang time trial
Stage 6: Saturday, Feb. 23 - Santa Barbara to Santa Clarita
Stage 7: Sunday, Feb. 24 - Santa Clarita to Pasadena road race, concluding with a circuit race in Pasadena

[jobob]

Heh heh, the reservation at the HI Express in Santa Rosa has already been made. :cool:

[maillotpois]

Very excited. I wonder if they go over the evil side of Mt. Hamilton on the Modesto-SJ stage... :rolleyes:

[Lifesgreat]

Stage 3 starts in my hometown! Time to arrange a visit with Mom and Dad :D

[Trek420]

Where's the route? Wonder how they leave Santa Rosa? Through Sonoma? Mom??? Maury? Can I stay over? :D :)

Oh heck, Maury will make me ride the route :)

[DrBadger]

OK, so who's places/hotel rooms am I crashing in when I come back from Houston for this?

I am seriously thinking about coming for the prologue and the first couple of stages if I can..... I would love to see all these guys ride around Stanford and the roads that I ride all the time!

A Very Excitied Badger!

[jobob]

Where's the route?

They don't seem post the actual route until a couple of months beforehand. Probably lots of municipalities to sweet-talk and pay off.

[bikerchick68]

cool! fingers crossed I can make it for the Santa Barbara stage again!

[short cut sally]

I saw the indepth and nice advertisement for this while watching the TdF, they had to show something positive yesterday. I went and marked it to be put on next years calendar so I could watch it (on versus). I was thinking I have some vacation time, maybe take off the starting day, make a little party out of it..but that's a ways off yet..time to think..

[gnat23]

If anyone is thinking of making a vacation out of this, I absolutely recommend the experience!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gnat23/sets/72157594545771467/

I had printed out route sheets from the website, had reservations at hostels everywhere, drove the entire way by myself! I'd pull over, wait for the helicopter, cheer the boys, get back in the car, and try to go around them to catch it again.

I met *so* many people along the way: some new (lots of hardcore roadtripping fans!), some familiar (Bob Roll gave me his promotional backpack when I explained that my camera batteries had died), and I even stumbled upon THE post-party at the end of the race, where I got to shake Levi Leipheimer's hand and flirt with T-Mobile.

I really want to go again for 2008, but I will likely be taking some college classes and am not sure if I can get away for the entire week. Please, someone, go so that I might live vicariously through you! :D

-- gnat!

[jobob]

GREAT pics!

( I think we were right near each other at the finish in San Luis Obispo. )

[spazzdog]

Lets rent a Winny-bago, pretend we're in France!

[teigyr]

I think I will plan my vacation around this!!! DH hasn't spent much time in California and it would be an incredible road trip.

Thanks for posting the dates :D

[Trek420]

Lets rent a Winny-bago, pretend we're in France!

You put the costume on and run along side the riders. :p ;)

Hmmmm, what's a Winny-bago cost to rent, and how many can we fit in it?

[BikeMomma]

OK, so who's places/hotel rooms am I crashing in when I come back from Houston for this?

I am seriously thinking about coming for the prologue and the first couple of stages if I can..... I would love to see all these guys ride around Stanford and the roads that I ride all the time!

A Very Excitied Badger!
Badger...look me up when you're making solid plans. If you stay long enough to see Stage 3 (Wednesday), I live about 40 minutes away from Modesto. You're welcome to stay with me. :)

Anyone else for that matter. Heck, we'll have a slumber party at BikeMomma's house, Tour de Cali style. :p

~BikeMomma

[maillotpois]

Okay that sounds like FUN!!! :D

[BikeMomma]

My kids will be happy to help us stay up all night -- never mind that it's a school night. :p

The offer is serious, but my house isn't especially huge and I don't have extra beds, unless I can convince the boys to double up. I do however, have a big comfy couch, a loveseat, and an air mattress (and could be persuaded to buy another if need be...future camping investment). So if that suits you, come a knockin'. :D We DO have TWO new Starbucks locales in Atwater...one very close to my house....and my dog (Mayah) will be delighted to make some new friends. Warning: she thinks she's a lap dog (the catch is, she's really not). :p

I think a group of us "Merced cyclists" are already talking about going up the slopes of Mt. Ham to watch that day, but I'd sortof like to hang out at the start in Modesto, too. So I'm not sure how to work that one.

I'm so jazzed about the Modesto start that I actually spent most of the evening sitting here at the computer on Google Earth doing some virtual flying over the likely route. I figure it will be (from Mo-town): Crows Landing Road, W Main, E Las Palmas, maybe a short bit on Hwy 33, Sperry Rd, Del Puerto Canyon Rd, San Antonio Valley Rd to Mt. Hamilton.... (holy moly that descent will be wild!!).....then Mt. Hamilton Rd into the San Jose area. From there, I have noooo idea. All this speculative, of course, until the actual route is announced.

I'm also thinking of heading over to Seaside for Stage 4, as well. I didn't make it over there last year because of work obligations. Any excuse to go to the coast.

~Kim

[maillotpois]

That's what we figured the route would be - del Puerto Canyon up Hamilton. I really like DPC. That's a good ride. Probably what we'll do is just ride up Hamilton from Livermore. DH hasn't done that ride before and he'd really like it. It's about 90 miles round trip as I recall. You could ride up from DPC - it'd be roughly similar I think.

[Zen]

If anyone is thinking of making a vacation out of this, I absolutely recommend the experience!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gnat23/sets/72157594545771467/
:D

-- gnat!

I saw an experience I'd like to have. Who's that in frame 13/Santa Barbara?

[gnat23]

I saw an experience I'd like to have. Who's that in frame 13/Santa Barbara?

This one?
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/144/404392662_5e3e1915c6_m.jpg

Jens Voight. :p

-- gnat!

[maillotpois]

My kids will be happy to help us stay up all night -- never mind that it's a school night. :p


Late catch on my part - don't you guys get that week off for "ski week" or is that truly a Bay Area thing?

[Zen]

Yes, Jens Voight **sigh**
http://www.cafepress.com/jensvoight.88437074

oh, this one is great
http://www.cafepress.com/jensvoight.54758104

[Pedal Wench]

Let's see how many we can get out there. I thinking about volunteering so I can tag along the whole race. Anyone want to host a east-coaster???

[jobob]

This one?
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/144/404392662_5e3e1915c6_m.jpg

Jens Voight. :p

-- gnat!

Uh, that's Bobby Julich.

This is Jens Voight:

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k186/jobob22/ToC_Solvang_23Feb2007/Jens.jpg

with crazed fan on the left, and long-suffering husband of crazed fan on the right.

[maillotpois]

That is my favorite EVER cycling picture.

Re-affirming that

1. Jens is super tall. Really! (Most of them are so dinky Liliputian short).

2. Lee rocks.

3. Oh hey - you're doing a double there soon, aren't you? :cool:

[BikeMomma]

Late catch on my part - don't you guys get that week off for "ski week" or is that truly a Bay Area thing?
Naaaa. We only get President's Day in February. Ah, the duties of public service. :)