Yesterday's Day 1 of the Amgen Tour of California was so so so fun. Thank the heavens (literally), we were spared from nasty rain. It was bitterly cold, but we stayed dry.
The morning started out with the VSP cycling team gathering around their mobile eye unit (a customized RV). I must thank my wonderful Paula (the buddy I met on the XC08 cross-country tour last May) for inviting me to join the VSP team. The jerseys were cool as were the sweet gift bag containing new Nike sunglasses - super fine for cycling.
Here's me and Paula, gathering with our fellow VSP bike team folks. To ensure a uniform team look, we were told the wear our jerseys on the outside with black arm warmers for those of us who needed them. And we all needed them. Paula and I had several base layers under those jerseys. It was bitter cold as we waited for an hour to get going...
Our favorite bike shop manager and most excellent bike mechanic, Steve, joined team VSP. 
Team VSP waiting some more. Do we look cold??
From the vantage point of the starting area, we get to see the Versus TV announcers: Craig Hummer , Phil Liggett, and Paul Sherwen. Prior to lining up at the start, we saw the Astana team ride by with a warm-up loop. Yes - the 1st Lance sighting. I didn't have my camera ready, so no photo. :(The VSP bike team had the honor of riding the first loop around the course. It was very fun, but oh so cold riding in the wind. It was fun to take note of the turns and the elements of the pavement. These are downtown city streets with potholes and such. On one corner, Steve's tire hit one of those "Bott's Dots" type of reflectors. We knew these pros would need to avoid those, especially on the turns.
After the VSP loop, there was a "community ride" with all sorts of folks, including children, riding. My next-door neighbors, Chris and Leah, found me. They are the cutest couple - both firefighters. We baby-sit their dog, Buddy, sometimes. And their garage is the hiding place for the bikes I gave Mary Ann on Christmas and Valentine's Day. But Mary Ann wants to know why they are not wearing helmets!
After the community ride, but before the race, Steve and I cruised around some of the festival area. Here's my favorite cycling logo - bad ass Rock Racing, the Harley Davidson of cycling.Here's a Rock Racing t-shirt. It pretty much says it all...
And Lance love is everywhere. LANCE IS BACK!
Here's one of Lance's super-souped up Trek bikes. Lance's bikes are painted in his LIVESTRONG colors: black and yellow.
Some interesting cyclists/fans. These are the "Chi-wee-wees."
Steve and I find Jeffrie and the rest of our cycling buddies! Here's Steve, Jeffrie, Kim, Mark, Carol, Debbie, Dave, and ? (don't think I ever met the guy on the right - oops).
Here is me, Steve, and Jeffrie at the Orbea vendor booth. Orbea is the preferred bike among my Sacramento cycling buddies. Some day I shall have an Orbea...
After Jeffrie went off to find the group, Steve scored a VIP pass from his Orbea rep. I got to tag along. Here's Steve enjoying his free brew. Besides the free food and drinks, the viewing area from the VIP section was relatively uncrowded. Lots of space along the fencing to have "front row" seats (even though we were standing). The very best thing, however, was they had real (if portable) bathrooms. A huge plus compared to the icky kybos with very long lines they had for everyone else. I'm ashamed to say when it was time to go (those passes were lent to us on a temporary basis), I handed Steve my pass and said I would stay put. Yes, I abandoned my friends for a good view and a handy bathroom! Am I a bad person?
I was about 250' from the finish. My camera skills were very poor when it came to capturing these guys flying by. Here's a Rock Racing guy. Was it Tyler Hamilton?
This is Floyd Landis' butt. (I shall never have a career as a photo-journalist.)
We also had the vantage point were we could see the live TV coverage. Here's Lance getting ready to roll out. The crowd went crazy the second they saw Lance was about to enter the course.
Here's Lance, heading for the finish. He came in 10th. Pretty good for an older guy coming out of a 3-year retirement.
This guy was going super fast - I thought it was Levi, but the kit looks wrong? It was all a blur...
At then end of the day, the capital looked lovely with a bit of sun lighting it up. I rode my bike home, completely and totally exhausted. I sorely missed having MAD there to enjoy it all with me. Today the race runs from Davis to Santa Rosa. 108 miles in the cold, windy rain. I could ride my bike out there to check it out. Or stay home, do homework, clean house, take a nap. If MAD weren't working, it would be fun to go with her. But the cold and wind would do me in on my own today. Oh well! I shall watch the ToC from home the rest of the week.
Next cycling adventure: Cycling in Hawaii! I'll be there with MAD, Paula, and our other XC08 buddy, Janie!
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