Amgen Bike Tour 2011

It just worked that I was going to the church building today, right around the time that the Amgen tour was to go down East Avenue in Livermore. So I decided to hang around with some of my friends and watch the bikes go by.

There were so many cars, officials, referees, and various law enforcement (TONS of CHP) leading the race.
Finally....the bikes went by...in a flash. But I got to try out my cameras repeating photos, very cool. The actual bikes passing was a little anticlimactic after all the other vehicles passing by.

A friend, and cycling enthusiast, was following the pack. There were many other cyclists hanging around to see the race. They worked it out so they saw them leave, and then biked over to see them on one of their twists through Tesla Road in Livermore, right past the Wente Winery.

These are our two preachers, they brought chairs

Our youth preacher's wife and baby, they were prepared for the wait and the rain

More of my friends. We lined up around 11:15, the race began at 11:30 and the bikes passed by 11:45. The opposite side of the street was lined with children from the local grade school.

This is really a big deal for the city. The streets were filled with people, and volunteers to keep them on the sidewalk, all over the city. Everyone was having fun. They were pretty quick about opening the streets up after the race passed by.....for a government operation.

If you have a chance, try to catch the race pass by. They headed to San Jose today.