This was nice to see. Some good company, too.Monday, August 23, 2010
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Getting Ready To Race
The Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah presented by Zions Bank has got to be the longest name around for a race. (I'll only be using that mouthful on first reference.) It's a terrific race that I last enjoyed in 2008 when I was with Rock Racing. (Last year, I was at the Tour of Ireland at this time.) One of the great things is the central headquarters for all stages (Salt Lake City). This means not having to pack and unpack your suitcase every day.
When I'm on-site for a race, it's a flurry of picture-taking, coordination of media interviews and opportunities, a bit of crisis management and just generally not getting in the way of the riders and staff.
Sunday night consisted of a delicious team dinner at an old firehouse. It was also the 24th birthday of Chad Beyer, so we arranged for a cake (with four candles, not 24) for dessert.
I also learned that Blackberry has a new version of its popular messenger system. Bailee Holt and Larry Warbasse alerted me to this, so I spent the next 15 minutes downloading it and getting my new profile photo loaded in, etc. This tool single-handedly makes my job easier, as I can typically "pin" a rider after a race to get comments. It also saves the team money by eliminating costly international phone calls.
Monday was a two-hour training ride for the team and a lot of work for me at the hotel. However, I did get some sunbathing in at the same time and enjoyed another nice dinner with the team at an Italian restaurant downtown. The evening was capped off with a quick stop to the race's sponsor reception, where I met all the top race staff and ran into many old friends (including Michael Aisner, Todd Gogulski, Dr. Eric Heiden, Burke Swindlehurst, Gord Fraser). My only regret was not seeing the M&M cookies until I was halfway out the door.
Finally, much has been made of how little sleep I get when I'm on-site at a race. Yes, that is certainly the case. I got five hours Sunday night and four on Monday. Four hours is about all I need. It's always fun to be up when no one else is because it gives you the sense that you're seeing and experiencing things others are missing out on (even if it is only what you're watching on cable TV). Tuesday night promises to be another late night, since the prologue doesn't begin until 6.
Jeff Louder (center) made three TV appearances in two hours.
The pre-race reception was held at an architectural firm.On the Road Again
So it's been forever (actually March) since I blogged. With the convenience of Facebook, it seems much easier to post pictures and quips than to take the time to write complete stories and include photos.
But in looking back to past trips and blog entries from 2008 and 2009, I realize they are a great travelogue and "virtual diary" that will prove enjoyable to read (especially for my daughters) down the road. So here goes…
My first road trip since early June (for the TD Bank Philadelphia International Championships) took me to Chicago Friday for the USA Cycling men's professional criterium championships. Typically, this has meant going to Downers Grove, Ill. But the race moved to Glencoe (for this year only) and I was fortunate enough to have the help of veteran photographer Casey Gibson in getting around.
My flight in Friday morning got me to O'Hare International where my timing was terrific in catching the shuttle to the Quality Inn in Elk Grove. I had to cover a race in France (which I did in the lobby) and even managed to snag some breakfast before it closed up. The only disappointment of my day was discovering the hotel didn't have a swimming pool. It was nearly 100 degrees so a pool would have been great.
The highlight of the day was having dinner with Casey, who recently shot his 11th Tour de France. You can learn a lot from talking to cycling photographers. We enjoyed a meal at a quaint Mexican restaurant (Casey has a knack for finding good eats in every corner of the globe) and left wondering if the rain that was falling would continue into the next day.
Saturday was another morning of covering a race before driving over to Glencoe. The course was challenging (10 turns and an uphill stretch) and scenic (circling through some nice residential neighborhoods). In the first two hours of being there, I learned more about what was going on on the domestic pro circuit than I had learned the past two months. It was great catching up with people, particularly locals Marco Colbert and Elle Ullum – who both got me into VIP tents along the finish line.
The race itself was pretty darned exciting – particularly the last 10 laps. I'd venture to guess that since they had to do two podium ceremonies – one for the top three and another for the Americans (who weren't in the top three) – that this might be the last time foreigners compete in the pro men's criterium championships. Of course, they've been saying that for the past five years but this year's result might be the impetus that changes things up.
Casey and I got some of our post race duties out of the way before trying to find something to eat. But at 11:30 p.m., everything short of the local Wendy's had closed up. Judging by the amount of food we ordered between the two of us (nearly $20 worth), we were pretty hungry.
Sunday was church, another race and out the door to the airport for a flight to Salt Lake City. On the flight from Omaha to Chicago, a man sitting in front of me coughed the entire trip. That flight was only an hour. This time, two toddlers screamed nearly the entire three-and-a-half flight to Utah. But I have earplugs (first and last 20 minutes) and an ipod (rest of the flight) to drown it all out. Plus, I was seated in an exit row, so leg room was at a premium.
Friday, August 6, 2010
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