Harder Than It Looks, Wish You Were Here

Since returning from the Amgen Tour of California, my health has been dodgy at best. As a result, it’s been rather difficult to recount the events of the week with any clarity. But as the fog in my head has lifted, it has all come back into focus.

If there is one thing that can be said from my experience in California its that I have a healthier respect for those who cover such an event, whether writer, photographer, or videographer.

Admittedly, I felt greatly out of sorts for the first few days. Although being credentialed for our first major race was quite an achievement, the logistics of covering such an event proved to be a completely different animal than doing likewise for a trade show like Interbike.

Right out of the gate, I felt as if I was at a severe disadvantage from the other media outlets present, as I attempted to cover the event solo. My passion for cycling, my fandom, and my jack-of-all-trades mentality left me scatter-brained wanting to take it ALL in. I was literally like that kid in a candy store, but one who was allowed to get on the other side of the glass.

There were many times that I had to remind that little kid in me that though some of these riders were presently or would someday go down as giants of the sport, they were nonetheless people, and as my friend Liz might point out people who “ride a bike for a living.”

Not knowing exactly where to be or exactly what I wanted to do, I headed for the finish line of the Prologue. Through a bit of happenstance I was able to secure a photographer’s vest, which let me inside the barricades and left me [and a select few] on the actual course one-on-one with the riders bearing down on the finish line. It was precarious at times, especially with those riders who rode that side of the course and had to quickly veer off to miss the lot of us.

After the Prologue, I found myself walking next to the winner, Fabian Cancellara [he on bike], and a host of CSC personnel, among them Director Sportif, Bjarne Riis, as they headed to the press conference room. For a brief moment, I was Riis’ personal photographer as fans would kindly ask me to take their photo with the former Tour de France winner.

In the recounting, if it all seems a little surreal, it was. But not how you would imagine.

The remainder of the Tour of California was a blur of similar occurrences; running into the likes of Tom Boonen, Mario Cipollini, Levi Leipheimer, George Hincapie, Jonathan Vaughters, and Vladislav Ekimov, to name a few.

But as a media type, and one who admires those who write or visually capture these riders and events, it was equally fantastic being in the same press room as a Cathy Mehl [currently writing for Astana; top], Neal Rogers [Velonews], Bonnie Ford [Desimone], and Kirsten Robbins [Cyclingnews], or in the same photographers’ pen as a Graham Watson [inset], Jonathan Devich, and Kurt Jambretz, to name a few.

Observing those individuals work their craft day-in and day-out was mind numbing and inspiring as the press room was at times as active a hornets’ nest as the peloton it was there to cover.

Kirsten Robbins chatting with Rock Racing owner Michael Ball

Ironically, once I finally felt like I somewhat belonged in their ranks, I was on a plane back to the Midwest. C'est la vie, oui? Another day [week] in the life of a blogger.