My ride at the Tour de CA!!!!

http://photobucket.com/albums/f14/bi...A%20Stage%206/

Hi all... man, what an experience... where do I even begin???

I got to the start line at 8:30am... walked up looking for my friend and saw 4 other Mavic people... and then heard my name shouted with joy Another friend was there... working for Mavic as well! COOL! Hector was so excited that I was there and introduced me to everyone... so I was immediately accepted into the fold.

We hung out for a few and then Mark showed up... he's the guy who got me a spot. I meet two others, Chris and his wife Pascal, who is French and speaks 3 languages... a very nice woman.

We move to the start area and holy moly... we're all behind the gates with the pros... there is a media stage set up where the pros have to sign in, and then many were interviewed... as they come back, they pass us!!! I am now within arms length of many of the greats... Christian Vandevelde, Salvodelli, Chris Horner, Gordon Fraser, Levi Leipheimer, Floyd Landis, George Hincapie, Tom Danielson... and the list goes on and on... I am now so excited I'm shaking.... and Chris and Pascal KNOW EVERYONE!!!

So Hincapie is on the podium being interviewed... he's a low talker by the way so we have no clue what he said! LOL So then he comes thru and is stopped by the media. I scoot over to get a couple pics... and Hector, my friend says to go stand by him... so I inch over grinning like a fool... and Hector waves me closer... so I inch over more and he takes a picture!

So then I run back and grab my Velonews just in case I can get a signature... he is on the cover this month. Well, he jumps on his bike and rides right by... sigh... then from behind me I hear, "George! Hang on a minute... you need to sign this girl's magazine... she's your number one fan!" OMG! Chris and Pascal have stopped him... he turns and says, "Oh hi Chris, sure no problem." and he signs my magazine... then they ask if he'll take a PICTURE WITH ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I swear, that is the absolute highlight of the day... I was so completely awestruck that I didn't even hand anyone my camera... so now I have to wait for Hector to email it to me... but it's a close up of me with George Hincapie. He was SO nice about it... Hector was laughing so hard at me cause I was shaking for about 20 minutes afterwards...

So the race starts and we take off... I'm not sure how to describe how utterly fantastic it is to be following the peleton in a pro race... amazing, awe inspiring, fantastic... wondrous.

I got to see so many things that you see on TV and never dream of seeing in person... the littlest things were HUGE to me... things like the guys screaming downhill at 35mph with one hand on the bars and peeing off the bike with the other... when I'm going that fast, I have BOTH hands controlling the bike!!!

And mechanics leaning out the windows and adjusting derailleurs at 35mph... and a saddle adjustment at 40mph... unbelievable... you'll see pics of the derailleur adjustment...

We went thru an area where there were Levi signs everywhere... and one said "Levi Nation"... the mechanics were radioing back and forth wondering if he had his own cult...

So we're heading to Balcom Canyon and at the bottom there is a mass pileup... it was sheer chaos. All the team cars pile into a 4 ft square area... and car doors are thrown open, hitting other cars... and mechanics are climbing over hoods with wheels in hand to get to their racers... madness! I was so astounded that I never took a picture of the crash!

At the top of Balcom Canyon... I suddenly hear JENNIFER!!! I turn and some guy is waving at me... Found out later it was my brother's friend... the guy who owns the bike shop.... LOL... my bro called and told everyone which car I was in...

So we're cruising now and across the radio comes the words to keep an eye on the Team Discovery car... because LANCE IS THE PASSENGER! Holy moly.... I got pics of the car LOL.. but the glare on the windshield prevented any clear pics...

We came around a bend and there was my brother... grinning and hollering my name... he said everyone around him wanted to know how he knew ME! LOL... too funny...

got to the finish and thanked the guys... then met my brother... he brought his Gerolsteiner frame after I told him we might be able to get Levi Leipheimer to sign it... the guys told me where to look for him and we went and waited. Sure enough you'll see pics of Levi signing my brother's bike frame!!! AND he signed my jean jacket!

This is an experience that I will never, ever forget.. truly a once in a lifetime opportunity... it was amazing...

hope you enjoy the pictures!!! I keep looking at them over and over myself!

The excitement just Sceams through your post! I'm sorry I was off-line for awhile so I didn't get to congrats you earlier on your awesome opp! But I'm back and picked the perfect day to return! Sounds like a very fine day hun!! Congrats!

Very cool! Great pics! You've earned your good fortune!!! Thanks for sharing and letting us live vicariously through your adventure!!! :)

wow! very cool - thanks for sharing. And please do post the other pictures once you get them.....

BikerChick- Well of course, we're all as jealous as can be! I met the Mavic guys in Martinez (Stage 2) and since there were Scott Bikes on the roof, I HAD to say something!

Way cool that you got to follow the race. AND your description was Fab!!!!

Thanks so much for sharing. Look forward to the rest of the pics!

This was one of the most exciting posts to read. I printed it out (easier for me to read that way) and I felt like I was at the end of a great novel.

I am sure you will always remember this wonderful opportunity. I will have to look at the pics later as work is calling my name. Thanks for sharing

~ JoAnn

OMG, I'm just grinning like a fool while reading your post! That is just awesome bikerchick! Of course Adventure Girl may never speak to you again - she too is a #1 George fan!

What an awsome experience!!! Your pics are wonderful. I've already printed out several of them. Thank you so much for sharing.

Nina

Wow - that is just the coolest thing EVER. I can't wait to see your pics - going to open the link right now!!!

I am in awe! You are SO lucky! The pics are fabulous AND you have to post your picture w/George the NANOsecond you get it!!!! You are in a pic posted on bikeforum too! Caligurl caught that one right away!

Congrats on your once in a lifetime event and thank you for doing such a great job passing the excitement on for us to enjoy too!!!!!

tracy

Sweet! What a great day. :)

thank you ALL for sharing in my excitement! It's cool to have somewhere to come where people understand why I'm acting nuts over this... :D

corsair... how was your time with your dad? hope it was great...:)

cindysue and tprevost... oh believe me... I will DEFINITELY post the other Hincapie pic... I'm hoping it turned out well enough to bow up and have framed :D

BikeGoddess... ya know... the Mavic guys really get a kick out of how excited people are about their cars etc... Hector kept taking pictures of people taking pictures of 'em! LOL

snapdragen... no, I'M his number 1 fan... LOL... ok, Adventure Girl and I will share the honor... :D I tried to find ACG as well... she was out there on the course with a sign as well... but at times we were flying and RIGHT on the tail of the Comm 1 and medic cars... I missed her... I really wanted to get a pic of her in the crowd to share!:o

BikeGoddess... ya know... the Mavic guys really get a kick out of how excited people are about their cars etc...

I'll get a picture of that car on here. Just won't have you in it.....yet!:p :p :p :p :p

BC - omigod, omigod, omigod!! Those pictures are great. What an absolutely amazing day - and what great fun for you. Here's hoping this will become an annual event for you!

Karen and son Conor have fainted...we are groggy but awake.....






karen

...are amazing. What a fun time you must have had. Way to go!
Jeni

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bikerchick68

thank you ALL for sharing in my excitement! It's cool to have somewhere to come where people understand why I'm acting nuts over this... :D

corsair... how was your time with your dad? hope it was great...:)

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Thanks for asking! We had a great time even though some days we didn't do anything but sit around the house. Of course, now that he's gone back home the highs this week are supposed to be in the upper 60 to lower 70s (he lives in Indiana!) LOL

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bikerchick68

ya know... the Mavic guys really get a kick out of how excited people are about their cars etc... Hector kept taking pictures of people taking pictures of 'em! LOL

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that's just TOO funny! sounds like you had a TERRIFIC time! i like the part about the people around littleK asking how he knew you! :D :D :D :D

I've got an adrenaline rush just from reading your post :D ! What a great experience!

What more can I say...your experience rocked! Thanks for sharing the photos and write up. The photo of you with George is definitely poster worthy! I think I'm shaky now with your excitment. I had noticed from scanning the TE thread headlines that there was this tour going on in distant, far away California, but I haven't had time to read the posts until today. Now I understand the full scope of it!

-Stacy