Thursday, March 22, 2007

The Time Trial

I ended up hanging around the GO center on James Mtn Road. I really wanted to watch how these guys went down this hill. I had some time to kill so I talked to some volunteers, a couple cops, and I even had a nap. At the stroke of 9:30 the volunteers were dragging the barricades into place all along this hill. Within moments there were the officials driving the course to clear it and then the Police Motorcycle Gang came through to really open the course for the riders. A couple junior guys followed a few minutes later I think they started at the college because some time after them a big group of pros came through. I found it odd that this was an UIC event that requires helmets in races, but there were not many helmets in the practice time.

I took my bike towards the Start finish line and I found where everyone was locking their bikes, a railing along a ramp in front of City Hall. Now I can cruise without worrying about the bike. I found the Food area and finally had breakfast, a hamburger, fries and a Gatorade. They had a nice area set up of manufactures and shops. The souvenir stand was picked over already!! The shirt I wanted sold out earlier in the day. The booth had only been opened the day before I heard. I found a nice shirt and was planning to come back for the one they said there’s going to be more tomorrow. I stood there trying to decide if I wanted a Jersey for $150. I finally said no.

I finally claimed my Seat for the start of the ITT, I was unimpressed with the view I would have I watched the first of Three groups finish there two laps. I was getting annoyed that I was watching the Jumbotron for most of the time. So I went walking I went to the GO center again to watch them before they completed there laps and they were working even when they were coming down a hill.

David Millar Ekimov Victor Hugo Penia

Well I had been at this area for long enough so I hiked across the way to the Beckett climb. I had missed a fare # of riders but I got to the course again when the big guys were starting their second lap. I think I got much better photos here because a few were standing on the pedals and were going slower than the 80Kph down James Rd. Then I saw David Millar go by, he was climb in an aero position where others were up on the hoods trying to climb! His mouth wasn’t open gasping for air like others had. The man is a machine!! As soon as the last rider went by everyone was hiking for the finish line. I went to claim my seat again, this time I was randomly picked to open my bag for security. I got to the viewing area just in time to see David come across the line. Well my photos of him are after he crossed the line because the crowd was in the way and I couldn’t see the line so I lined up to catch the celebration after crossing. David had caught his 1:30 man and his 3min man it was amazing.

The medal podium could have been set up better I thought. Unless you were VIP you couldn’t see the stage they had set up so you had to watch the jumbotron if you were still in the seating area. Today’s excitement was finally over now I had to find out where I was staying.

So I phoned Dave & Tracey and the phone kept ringing and ringing. I was getting worried, worst case I bike towards Stoney Creek and find a place to hang out while I wait. The answering machine kicked in and I said who I was and then Tracey picked up and gave me directions. I was quite relieved. On the way I ended up going past the battle tower that was something to see because of it’s height. I found the house, I actually forgot the house number and I stopped just as the neighbor was taking out the trash. As I unfolded my map Dave appeared, he had seen me biking by as he came home from work.

Dave and I went to get the Pizza and he showed me a back road up the escarpment to a winery the view was incredible. Our waitress was a young lady from Calgary she was getting homesick and rubbed my arm when she found out I was from Calgary. She was Hot! I thought about not washing my arm for a while J

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