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16 May 2013

If nobody else is going to come up with a theme for Photo Phriday, I have some fresh pics from when the Tour of California passed in front of my home, so let's say "Tour" or maybe "Cycle"...
All apologies, but my cameras are old and hinky, I'm old and got to show off a mild shake while holding the one camera, and the other, a Flip Video set up to get a view looking up the road, got frequently blocked by neighbors jumping around a cheering on the cyclists. But here's what I got...

Pre-race, the road approaching The Wittlair...
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Zoom in on the one piece of evidence that something was going to happen today...
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One of the first of MANY official vehicles (at least twice as many gas-propelled vehicles than human-propelled in the competition)...
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Casual bike riders were coming up the road all day (many to get to the end of the route before the competitors to see the finish); here is the last - and one of the happiest - groups only a few minutes before the racers...
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AND HERE COME THE LEADERS!
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...and about a minute later, a second, twice-as-large pack...
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After them, a few more official vehicles and an ambulance, so we assumed the show was over and returned to our habitats. But, surprisingly, over 15 minutes later, a third wave, as big as the second, passed through (followed by two more ambulances). I couldn't get any pictures, but gave a yell of support. It was interesting how they were all bunched together - no scragglers in the long time between pack #2 and #3.
posted by oneswellfoop 16 May | 21:35
For the Cycle option,

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A quadricycle which, for reasons unknown, was tooling along the route of the Illinois Marathon a few years back.
posted by Kronos_to_Earth 16 May | 23:01
foop, if it was a hilly / climbing stage then that third group you saw is what is jokingly referred to as "the laughing group" or more formally, "the autobus". It's a group comprised of sprinters, domestiques, and anyone else having a bad day who are all in agreement to ride just...hard...enough to BARELY make the time limit on the day. The "padrone" of the autobus is an important role, as he / she is the one who dictates the pace and can do the mental algebra required to determine exactly how slow or fast they need to ride to make the cut.

That lead group was being driven by Jens Voigt [video link, please listen to the audio it's hilarious (NSFW; he's a bit sweary)]. Jens is an international treasure and one of the Universe's gifts to the sport. I think he's over 40 now, and shows no signs of retirement or even slowing down, which is simply insane in the world of pro racing. I'll let Jens be Jens here, he is by far THE most quotable cyclist in pro road racing. He's become the Chuck Norris of bike racing; as the joke goes "When Jens Voigt crashes, the road gets Jens rash..." and so forth.
posted by lonefrontranger 17 May | 14:48
so, as someone who--to put it charitably--could get a better handle on his life || So...I'm having two teeth replaced and I have a question...

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