Philadelphia International Cycling Championship, Sat. 6/7

[Kalidurga]

Well, I dragged my non-cycling friend Leo up the Manayunk Wall today to catch about four laps of the race. It was hot, it was crowded, but she really got into it, turning to me after the peloton went by on one lap to say, "Wow, it really is exciting when they go by!" I saw Floyd Landis pass at one point, near the front of the peloton at the top of the Wall. Then we got hungry and worked our way back down through the crowd to Main St and got some lunch at Manayunk's best pizza place, The Couch Tomato

Race results from cyclingnews.com, and a few of my own photos (more here):

[Possegal]

My sister, b-i-l and I rode our bikes down from their house into Manayunk. We watched at a number of locations there, walked our bikes up the wall (that alone exhausted me ) the rode down into the city, rode around and caught them at a few places, then back to Manayunk to eat before riding home. It was hot and crazy (the wall really is the crazy place, drunken party!). Were you on the wall when the women's peloton went by and ahead of them a guy on the back of the moto was holding up a dry erase board that said "We passed the men!". I heard on the radio driving back home that it was the first time that has ever happened. I didn't notice Floyd but my brother-in-law did. I needed to spend less time looking through my camera.

I'll upload my photos in a bit, I'm having to resize them and I can't get to them right now.

[Kalidurga]

I needed to spend less time looking through my camera.

I thought that a few times, myself. Watching this was so different than the CSC crit race in Clarendon, which is only a mile-long course. Hanging out for 40 minutes between laps and then having them go by in 30 seconds made for a tough choice-- watch or shoot?

We didn't get to Manayunk until 11:15 or so, I think the women's race had passed by then. Velonews mentions the men's peloton being held up for the women to pass, as does Philly.com. Some good photos here, too (including the Caped Lemonader in his cape, Zen).