Stage 1 - USA Pro-Cycling Challenge (Aspen/Snowmass)

I was a bit shocked to find out that from my hotel to the start/finish line was going to be over 2 hours. Enjoyed a beautiful drive as directed by the GPS until I got to what I believe is "Independence Pass" (which the riders would do on Stage 2). I was having crazy vertigo and trying to not have a panic attack. No wonder it was going to take so long going that route. Anyhoo, as I got into Aspen, the GPS was continuing with commands, but I could see the roadblocks ahead so (on the good side) I knew I was in the right place (on the not-so-good side) but how to park etc. Just like that, I see a parking garage and Tour signs indicating media etc to park there. Perfect! (I'd gone early so there was still room).

I then walked around and took in the first experience of the atmosphere around a pro-Tour. Things were still being set up and I couldn't believe that I could go anywhere and had my pick of places to set up. I went and got some food/drinks to prepare (in case I didn't get to move around later) and went back to the car to get a collapsible chair. I set up and things got more exciting as the start got closer. Oh, and a very nice younger woman (older girl? youth?) gave me a cowbell (Strava sponsor) out of the blue, which was very nice. Next thing I know, I'm looking at a Cannondale rider literally like, a foot, from me (over the barricade) thinking 'that looks like Peter Sagan' and then realizing, holy crap, it is! Me - me - *I'm* standing beside Peter freakin' Sagan! Then I see, Chris Froome is close too. THE WINNER OF THIS YEARS TOUR DE FRANCE IS THAT CLOSE, WTF?!!!!! So I end up standing pretty much at the start line and the peloton does 2 (or was it 3?) neutral laps so I get to see them not at full speed.

Then the "real" laps start, I go down to about 300m to go (near a corner cause, you know, could be action) and watch 2 laps there.  The "free swag people" (yes, that's an official term, ha) gave me some bam-bams and a sheet with all the racers and their numbers and such. I then moved to about 50m to go and set up for the third and final lap. Wow, how cool.

AND THEN... some of the riders looped back after the finish - and could it be, yes, it was, Jens Voigt (beloved by all, myself included) and he was giving side high fives to a section along the barriers - just as he got to me one of the hydration people got in the way a bit, so I got a partial - but my fingers touched Jens Voigt's fingers. I couldn't believe it. I mean honestly, if I went to a Bronco's game, would I ever get close to Peyton Manning?? Touch his hand?? I don't think so. What other sporting event could the average fan be THAT CLOSE to the action and FOR FREE. Pro-cycling is AWESOME.

Anyway, I recognized a couple of other riders and just gawked, basically. I mean what am I going to do, yell, Andy, Andy Schleck!? Or "oh my goodness, Richie Porte!" (They know who they are, they don't need me to tell them). I went over to the stage after for the presentations but I decided to leave - I was so excited I wondered if someone in my state should be driving ;) I decided there was no way I was doing Independence Pass again so I took a longer route which also meant getting stuck in traffic because a lot of roads were still closed. I got ridiculously stoked at one point though, as I was in between the Jamis-Hagens Berman team car and the Novo Nordisk team car so I felt like I was part of the race convoy :)

I may have forgotten some parts, everything's blurring together. Which stage? What day was that? But WOW, what an intro to being LIVE at a pro-cycling event. And how cool that it was a circuit. O-V-E-R-T-H-E-M-O-O-N

My Favourite Nickname

Best nickname to date: "Lawfirm" for Benjarvus Green Ellis (I'm sure there is at least one hyphen in there but as I've already misspelled a Super Bowl winning QB's name on this blog I might as well continue the trend).

Congrats to NFL Champions Green Bay Packers!

Aaron Rogers & Aaron Rodgers, this one is for you.
I recalled I said I would be more timely in congratulating AR if Green Bay won the Superbowl - and look, it happened - I'll have to be careful what I put out to the universe.

A Beef

This is pretty random... but I just have to say that it irks me when people refer to the Super Bowl winning team as "world champions". Perhaps some U.S. readers can enlighten me, but to me this seems like such a classic example of why people think of America in a negative light at times. WORLD champions???? I thought the NFL consisted purely of U.S. teams. They don't even play CFL teams or anything. And even then it would perhaps merit "N.American champions".

And I'll throw in a related Canadian beef... to British Columbia for coming up with the slogan "The Best Place on Earth" (it used to be "Beautiful B.C."). It's a lovely part of the world, but the BEST place on earth? The "world champion" of earth? I don't think so. And it's way too cocky. Must've hired the same people who came up with the Super Bowl winners being world champs to come up with that slogan ;)

Not Hating the Officiating

I was amused during the Dallas Cowboys game today when the official had to stop part way into the penalty call because it was so complicated but at least he was having a little fun with it. Good for you buddy, keep it light. I'm not sure what the rules are for the officiating team, but I would have loved it if he turned on his mic for take 2 and said, "ok, let's try this again...". To push it even more, I'm sure they'll joke about, "ok, let's just say some guy on the offense got a holding call, some guy on the defense got unneccessary roughness, those offset, there was some other call, suffice it to say the ball will be on the X yard line, 1st down Dallas."

Oh, and boy do I love it when the offense gets into rhythm with the skip button on my pvr. Makes it seem like they're moving up the field SO efficiently! Of course sometimes QB's like Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are just too quick for me to use the skip, that's cool too.

On a related note, holy *&^#, it's been nearly A YEAR since I posted?! And the last post was about football too. Huh.

P.S. Speaking of sports, a VERY late congrats to the Chicago Blackhawks for winning the Stanley Cup.

Football Forwarding Finesse

So I'm no football expert but I get the basics. On a Sunday I often put the games on to record and that way I can skip through commercials. If there are a lot of games on t.v. that I'm interested in, or if I'm just short on time or interest, I'll often watch the plays of the game without much of the commentary and so forth. The skip button on the dvr does about 30 seconds and if I can get into a good rhythm (me and the quarterback, you know how it is) I can get the timing going so well that I literally see everyone set up on the line of scrimmage, watch the play, hit skip, and see the next set up on the line of scrimmage. That's when my equivalent of the passer rating goes way up and I get a real feeling of satisfaction. When I lose the rhythm or something throws it off, I sometimes see a guy running into the end zone and have to use the back button to see the beginning of the play and as I know what happens, it kind of ruins it. It's kind of like getting sacked.