AmGen Tour of California
Thursday, May 20, 2010
The AmGen Tour of California's fifth stage (Visalia to Bakersfield) passed about half a mile from our campus today, so I walked a group of 7th graders over to watch the race. It was about twenty-five minutes each way, with another thirty minutes wait once we got there, for about 20 seconds of bicycles, preceded by three minutes of police cars and followed by three minutes of team vehicles. If someone can recognize or label individual riders, I would appreciate it. I'm told Lance Armstrong is is wearing #2, but I couldn't see any numbers, and he certainly didn't stop to chat. They were about seven miles into a ride that will go about 125 today, and finish on Sunday. After the racers blurred past, my students asked, "Is that all of it?" I tried to tell them ahead of time it would be over pretty fast, but it may be one of those things you have to see to understand.
Now we've seen it.
3 comments:
slowlane
said...
May 20, 2010 at 5:29 PM
the riders were probably doing close to 30 mph when they went past you. That is actually pretty easy to do on the flats around Visalia. Especially for the guys back in the peloton. NASCAR has nothing on drafting. The riders in the middle of the pack are literally sucked along. I would have given a few body parts to stand in your position and Thursday.
Lance
said...
May 21, 2010 at 11:50 PM
Brian, Just stumbled upon your blog from Facebook. I enjoy your writing as always.
Her is a picture that Maureen captured a few miles down the road from you. I was out with my class also.
http://fotosbymeg.blogspot.com/2010/05/amgen-tour-of-california.html
Steve
Steve
said...
July 12, 2010 at 10:42 PM
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You'll have a second chance to see the 20 seconds of bicycles if you stay over until Sunday. They are riding the last leg of their journey about 100 yards from my house. You are invited, your seventh graders are not. =)