Tour of California

Apologies in advance for anyone who isn't totally insane about cycling. Check back tomorrow for another post.

My honey and I went down to Long Beach last week to catch the final stage of the Tour of California. It was so cool! Even cooler than last year!

We took the train down; despite rumors to the contrary, Los Angeles does have public transport. In fact, walking around Union Station (one of the nicest train stations in the world, I'm convinced), it becomes obvious what a stellar public transport system it was meant to be before the car and tire companies started throwing money at the politicians of the 1940s to turn LA into a car town. Union Station is enormous, a hub meant to handle throngs of people with easy and located so as to efficiently connect people to both the local stops and other towns throughout Southern California. If only the connecting lines and subways (there are some subway lines, just not what had originally been programmed) had been built. Instead it's overkill, long hallways that echo with the footsteps of the few people walking them.

But the train was pretty awesome and convenient. We went past the Watts Towers and decided that we would take another day trip to the towers sometime in the future. Only a few weirdoes, too. The man with too much mucous behind us who snorted and swallowed, snorted and swallowed. The racist black dude who wouldn't make room for the wheelchair-bound black dude ("I ain't moving, coz!") because he thought Mr. Wheelie was Mexican; Mr. W responded by stretching out his leg (not sure why the wheelchair) and putting his foot right on the handhold that RBD was using. Once RBD figured out Mr. W was, in fact, not Mexican, he fled the train in embarrassment. At which point Snotty (a white dude) got up and apologized to Mr. W and they bonded over being displaced New Yorkers.

When we got to Long Beach, we sort of ambled our way toward the race route, stopping at a kickass bookstore and at a Bucky's, you know, taking our time. As we walked by one of the big hotels, we noticed the team cars lined up outside and decided we should cruise the hotel. Who walks by us in the parking lot? World Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist Paolo Bettini, that's who! Holy crap the guy's legs are bigger around than he is tall, I swear. In the lobby Stewie O'Grady chatted with Thor Hushovd, Fast Freddie Rodriguez and Chris Horner sported their pregnancy test-sponsored kits, the T-Mobile guys (with German mullets) strolled to their efficiently lined up bikes, and a few Liquigas Italians (no doubt rock star huge in Italy) walked around, confused in their anonymity.

The race was great. More star spottings on the bikes: Bobby Julich, Ivan Basso, Levi Leipheimer. I stood in shock, hearing that my All-Time Favorite US Rider, George Hincapie, broke his wrist (in mile 5 of a 100+ stage that he not only finished, but dominated as the super-domestique he is) and was out of the T of C and the Spring Classics. I waved to Johan in the car and he waved back. And in possibly my best moment, while everyone was watching the huge TV screen as the Peter Gunn theme played at the start of the race, Floyd Landis walked right past me, no more than a foot away and under supervision of an entourage of besuited and beshaded guys (lawyers, no doubt). No one except me noticed. I said, "Alright Floyd!" (eloquent, I know), and he totally gave me an appreciative smile and nod, and all the heads around me snapped as they figured out why this one little lady was cheering for Floyd. Plus we talked to Levi's mom (the whole family comes out in Levi T-Shirts; no wonder he's the best of the best or else he'd be the kid that got beat up and made fun of on the playground). She was so nice! Plus, she expressed her motherly nervousness at each of the moments that made the race so incredibly good this year - the first time trial, the massive attack by Jens Voight and his amazing time trial (followed by Levi's even more amazing time trial), the ingenious tactics of Riis when he sent O'Grady out and the Discos perfect counter-domination - and her whole demeanor reminded me that these guys really are guys, guys with moms who feel the intricacies of the sport like moms and not like fans.