TOC stage 2

Quoted message said:

These events are a blast. The positive energy absorbed from even a
few seconds of near-proximity to the race at its climax is hard to
describe, and at best only weakly imitated by watching on television
live, or God forbid, delayed. It's the real deal -- here are human
bodies operating at their highest (or beyond highest 🙂) capacity.
Really cool.

If it ain't on TV, then it didn't happen. I've been watching
bobsledding.

Dan Connelly wrote:
<a nice summary of his Stage 2 experience>

Dan, Was there a JumboTron-like TV at the finish? How big approximately? I
ask because I'm still trying to decide how to watch the stage that comes to
Santa Barbara. The climb up San Marcos pass is nowhere near as significant
as Sierra Rd., despite it having the same categorization, but it might be a
good spot. They'll be big-ringing it for sure and it won't shatter the field
like Sierra did, plus there would be no way to reach the finish in time. So,
another option is hanging out in the party atmosphere at the finish and
watching the live-action big screen until the end, ...if there is a big
screen.

Quoted message said:

P.S. If you're in the San Jose area, check out Sierra Road.

....and then Calaveras Rd., one of the most scenic roads in the bay area.

Dan Connelly said:

Stage 2 I rode to the top of Sierra Road (a real grunt of a climb,
although never sicko-steep. Still, carrying my laptop and other stuff
in a courier bag, I dipped into my 39/27 near the top). looking down
we saw six (6!!) helicopters flying over the race. I'm not sure what
they were all doing....

The final short grade to the KOM was jammed, and the view from there
was quite restricted, so I went down to the still packed section
leading to a micro-descent maybe 200 meters from the KOM. Levi, Kohl,
and Floyd came by in a small group in that order, w/ Kohl winning the
eventual sprint (out of my sight). Then came a second group, then
Hincapie's group.

After the broom wagon finally followed the last misery-laden Mexico
national rider past, we descended back down the climb, reaching the
pack coming past at the end of the one-lap Sierra Rd circuit, missing
only the lead 3. As everyone knows, the leaders were eventually
caught, with Hincapie holding off Horner in the sprint.

Riding back to the finish, the roads for most of the distance still
closed, we were cheered by kids on the route apparently not worrying
about the clear differentiation between us (me in khaki pants w/ a
courier bag and a 1988 bike) and those who had preceded us. At the
finish area, after just catching the award ceremony, I ate my share of
the multitude of Clif samples (the Nectar bars, a clear rip-off of a
similar bar who's name I don't recall at the moment, are really good,
although the new solid-gel balls seem the most race-compatible), and
adding my email address to no doubt a new exponentially-increasing
population of spam lists for a perhaps fictitious chance to win one of
various bike frames (Cervelo, Giant) or pedals (Speedplay).

These events are a blast. The positive energy absorbed from even a
few seconds of near-proximity to the race at its climax is hard to
describe, and at best only weakly imitated by watching on television
live, or God forbid, delayed. It's the real deal -- here are human
bodies operating at their highest (or beyond highest 🙂) capacity.
Really cool.

No stage 3 time trial for me, though -- I need to get back to work...

Work is overrated. More race reports.

Maybe you could leave an issue of Soldier of Fortune magazine lying on
your desk in a conspicuous place, have this on the computer
http://atlanticfirearms.com/index.html when you ask the boss for a
couple of days off. It helps to not blink and develop a believable tic
if you can.

R

Dan Connelly said:

Stage 2 I rode to the top of Sierra Road (a real grunt of a climb,
although never sicko-steep. Still, carrying my laptop and other stuff
in a courier bag, I dipped into my 39/27 near the top). looking down
we saw six (6!!) helicopters flying over the race. I'm not sure what
they were all doing....

<snip>

Dumbass -

That's a lotta helicopters.

The Olympic RR in 1996 had 8. The Heaven's Gate suicide had 7.

Six is a lot for an inaugural race. Does the goddamm TdF or
Paris-Roubaix even have that many?

thanks,

K. Gringioni.

In article <[email hidden]>,

Callistus Valerius said:

Quoted message said:

These events are a blast. The positive energy absorbed from even a
few seconds of near-proximity to the race at its climax is hard to
describe, and at best only weakly imitated by watching on television
live, or God forbid, delayed. It's the real deal -- here are human
bodies operating at their highest (or beyond highest 🙂) capacity.
Really cool.

If it ain't on TV, then it didn't happen. I've been watching
bobsledding.

One of the local TV stations has posted the raw video feed taken from
their helicopter of the full climb up Sierra Rd. Since it is raw
footage there are some breakups in the video but you get to see the
full climb. You can find the video at.
http://cbs5.com/seenon/local_story_051225422.html

The only audio is of the helicopter pilot talking to the other pilots
in area.

Mark Fennell said:

Dan, Was there a JumboTron-like TV at the finish? How big approximately?

Mark, I wasn't at the finish in San Jose, but they did have a big
screen near the start house for the prologue. It was about 25 feet
diagonal (or so)...at any rate, it was viewable from 150meters or so...

As for the helicopters, they were a mix of local news stations and at
least one fan (according to the CN live coverage, a local shop owner
hired one for the stage).

Have fun,

Jim

Mark Fennell said:

Dan Connelly wrote:
<a nice summary of his Stage 2 experience>

Dan, Was there a JumboTron-like TV at the finish? How big approximately? I
ask because I'm still trying to decide how to watch the stage that comes to
Santa Barbara. The climb up San Marcos pass is nowhere near as significant
as Sierra Rd., despite it having the same categorization, but it might be a
good spot. They'll be big-ringing it for sure and it won't shatter the field
like Sierra did, plus there would be no way to reach the finish in time. So,
another option is hanging out in the party atmosphere at the finish and
watching the live-action big screen until the end, ...if there is a big
screen.

the Jumbotron is quite, err, jumbo. No problem seeing it. But the atmosphere
on the climb is quite lost watching the screen. If I was in Santa Barbara, I'd go
to the climb.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

P.S. If you're in the San Jose area, check out Sierra Road.

...and then Calaveras Rd., one of the most scenic roads in the bay area.

Agreed -- Calaveras is wonderful.

Dan

RicodJour said:

Work is overrated. More race reports.

Maybe you could leave an issue of Soldier of Fortune magazine lying on
your desk in a conspicuous place, have this on the computer
http://atlanticfirearms.com/index.html when you ask the boss for a
couple of days off. It helps to not blink and develop a believable tic
if you can.

R

The tick might work, but the SoF and the web site -- they'd just assume
the guy next to me had borrowed my desk.

Dan

Quoted message said:

That's a lotta helicopters.

The Olympic RR in 1996 had 8. The Heaven's Gate suicide had 7.

Six is a lot for an inaugural race. Does the goddamm TdF or
Paris-Roubaix even have that many?

The TdF typically uses 4; one very high, that's basically used as a
re-transmitter from the motorcycle feeds, and then three that follow the
riders. Six helicopters was quite a surprise; could be that you had
different media (TV stations) involved. At the TdF, such access is strictly
controlled; a news outlet etc isn't allowed to have their own helicopter in
the air.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

In article <[email hidden]>,

Dan Connelly d_j_c_o_n_n_e_l@i_e_e_e.o_r_g said:

Stage 2 I rode to the top of Sierra Road (a real grunt of a climb,
although never sicko-steep. Still, carrying my laptop and other stuff
in a courier bag, I dipped into my 39/27 near the top). looking down
we saw six (6!!) helicopters flying over the race. I'm not sure what
they were all doing....

Mix of local news and live video signal relay.

To keep the live feed of the race on BIG MO at the finish and send it to
the production truck where Bobke and Sherwen are assembling their
coverage. They uplink the video from the camera bikes to a helicopter,
and then beam that either to a stationary antenna somewhere or to
another helicopter or light airplane over the finish with the downlink
to the finish area on board.

I find it entertaining that when you are listening to the ESPN2
coverage, you know they are making their comments live - you can hear
the PA announcer at the finish (Jeff Roake?) in the background
describing the race action for the BIG MO viewers.

The http://www.Cbs5.com live webcast from the event is also fun to
watch, but it's raw feed can drive you crazy as the newscaster tries to
find someone interesting to interview and we only get to see whatever
the cameraman is pointing at that time.

Mike G.
-

Mark just go hang in the VIP tent. They had free beer and about 20
plasma tvs.

RVD

Dan Connelly d_j_c_o_n_n_e_l@i_e_e_e.o_r_g said:

Riding back to the finish, the roads for most of the distance still
closed, we were cheered by kids on the route apparently not worrying
about the clear differentiation between us (me in khaki pants w/ a
courier bag and a 1988 bike) and those who had preceded us.

I had a similar experience. I did some riding near the beginning of stage 2
in Moraga, and as I was cooling down I saw four helicopters and realized I
was finishing my ride just in time to see the race go by. I got to the
intersection of Moraga Way (AKA San Pablo Dam rd) & Canyon rd just in time
to see the blue Gerolsteiner team driving the peloton, I guess in search of
Mike Creed. Took some camera phone pics:

http://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/toc_stage2/Picture329_21Feb06

After the last car in the caravan went by I got on with my ride, following
the same road as the race went. There were a thousand people lining Canyon
Rd, it was terrific! There were kids out of school, families, old folks in
wheelchairs from the rest home along the route, just the whole gamut. And I
got those same cheers. It was really funny.

http://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/toc_stage2/Picture339_21Feb06
http://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/toc_stage2/Picture342_21Feb06
http://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/toc_stage2/Picture343_21Feb06

I went over Pinehurst Rd up the hill towards the ridge on my way home and
it was THRONGED with people on bikes and on foot, signs painted on the
road, it was a rush. Picked up my kids from school and we made it to San
Jose in time to see the finish.

http://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/toc_stage2/IMG_0501

What an excellent day. And today, man Floyd just stomped. I'd like to see
that powertap file.

Morgan
--
Morgan Fletcher, [email hidden] Oakland, CA, USA

Mark Fennell said:

Was there a JumboTron-like TV at the finish? How big approximately?

There was:

http://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/toc_stage2/IMG_0480

I'd guess 30' x 20'.

Morgan
--
Morgan Fletcher, [email hidden] Oakland, CA, USA

Mike Jacoubowsky said:

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

Was that you in the garrish diver booties?

Quoted message said:

Was that you in the garrish diver booties?

You mean the severely-faded ancient Nike aqua socks? I've worn worse. At
least I wasn't wearing my half-knee-high baggy socks at the same time!

I'm looking for something similar to replace those, but haven't found
anything quite so light and compact. Seems like someone ought to make
something like that, specifically for cyclists wearing road shoes on tours
etc.

--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA

They had a big screen at the finish. It was easy to see. Best place was
the VIP tent. LCD TVs and beer

"Mark Fennell" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:mz%Kf.877$kp3.847@fed1read03...

Quoted message said:

Dan Connelly wrote:
<a nice summary of his Stage 2 experience>

Dan, Was there a JumboTron-like TV at the finish? How big approximately? I
ask because I'm still trying to decide how to watch the stage that comes
to Santa Barbara. The climb up San Marcos pass is nowhere near as
significant as Sierra Rd., despite it having the same categorization, but
it might be a good spot. They'll be big-ringing it for sure and it won't
shatter the field like Sierra did, plus there would be no way to reach the
finish in time. So, another option is hanging out in the party atmosphere
at the finish and watching the live-action big screen until the end, ...if
there is a big screen.

Quoted message said:

P.S. If you're in the San Jose area, check out Sierra Road.

...and then Calaveras Rd., one of the most scenic roads in the bay area.

Didn't work for me. I had to resort to the sneezing in his face several
times. That got his attention and he suggested I go home.

Dan Connelly said:

(the Nectar bars, a clear rip-off of a
similar bar who's name I don't recall at the moment, are really good,

possibly larabars? i eat about 2 or 3 of those a week. since you say the
nectar bars are good, i'll start buying both (gotta support those
cycling sponsors 😉

Quoted message said:

No stage 3 time trial for me, though -- I need to get back to work...

can't you work at night or something? okok, i know, that's a little
unreasonably demanding of me.

h

Quoted message said:

Mark just go hang in the VIP tent. They had free beer and about 20
plasma tvs.

Yes RVD, that was the right call. Good food, free beer, live-coverage TV on
one side of me and an unobstructed view of the finishing straight inside
100m-to-go on the other.

The crowd size and energy at the finish was incredible and I'm hoping it
will persuade Santa Barbara to support the race next year. The rumor is that
SB has been the most difficult city ToC has worked with. Because of the
race's success this year, ToC will be taking bids from cities for stages
next year. SB better pay up.

BTW, it needs to be said that occasional-rbr-poster Dave Towle is damn good
at his job!

Mark
(ToC fan)