DiabloScott

AMGEN Tour of California :: Host Cities

Well, I just picked the stage I'll be watching.

Santa Rosa and Coleman Valley Road! Anyone want to join me?

It's not Diablo, but it's a worthy climb.

bikingshearer 

Ooo, that could be fun.

gpelpel

Spectacular climb at a spectacular location.
I might join the fun.

The circuit goes through Occidental before heading north and then back after the climb, that makes it twice the fun.
Also noticed that the women race will tackle the same climb earlier in the day with two runs through Occidental as well.

Lanceoldstrong

The Davis Double Century is on the same day, I am now officially torn between two lovers.
https://youtu.be/w1F5BLLFAeM?t=74

gpelpel

Ménage à trois?

Lanceoldstrong

cccorlew

I'm more shocked by the public posting of a Mary MacGregor video than I am by the suggestion of a Ménage à trois. But that's just me.

I wonder if I'll be up for either one... I hope so. I know I want to be at the finish in Sacramento on Sunday.

Leinster

It looks like the CVR is the only KOM of the day, and it's about 25 miles from the finish, which includes 3 circuits in the city. I don't think they're anticipating big splits on this stage.

Which is a shame, as it means the Santa Barbara summit finish on Tuesday and Folsom TT on Friday will have made the difference, and be followed by 2 sprint stages. Unless the top positions happen to be close enough for sprint bonuses to change things.

Still, should be a spectacular stage to look at. If I were to ride to the foot of CVR it'd be a century+ there and back, probably returning over Trinity Road so as to avoid the traffic on 12/121 through Carneros. Damn I wish I was in better shape.

bikingshearer 

And your wife is okay with this?

(Go to the bike race. You can still ride 200 miles that day if you are really committed to the whole self-abuse thing, after all.)

caloso

I just did Coleman Valley Road for the first time two weekends ago. It does not mess around.

Darth Lefty 

I'm sort of disappointed the Folsom TT course is the same as it was last time and will go past the fairly ugly spillway construction site. But I'll still ride out to watch again. Those guys go up the bridge faster than I can go down it.

As usual it overlaps with the Giro d'Italia. How do the top level riders decide who to grace with their presence?

RushFan2112

+1 I rode it last year, and that climb is no joke. Should be a great place to watch the race.

DXchulo

I'll be at the Tahoe stage for sure. I was there back in 2011 when Stage 1 was cancelled and I've been waiting for them to come back ever since. Then, of course, this winter it started snowing a lot. I hope they have a better backup plan this time.

I'll probably end up watching on 88 somewhere before Carson Pass. There are a ton of little uphill sections out there that will be away from the big crowds. Then I'll probably go to Sacramento on the final day to see the start of the stage. They always have a nice setup there and it's fairly easy to see the riders you want to see.

diphthong

wish i weren't old enuff to catch the reference but, unfortunately, i am.

bikingshearer 

I was able to blip over cccorlew's remark without incident, content to pretend that Mary McGregor was the track cyclist from a few years ago who looked like a more masculine version of Paul McCartney on steroids. (As it turned out, that's pretty much what she was.)

Unfortunately, ooga-booga's reminder was the tipping point, bringing back the horrible memories of that Gawd-awful piece of alleged music blaring out of the speaker of a radio I could not reach or smash. Between that and Howard Walowitz singing "Having My Baby" on "Big Bang Theory," I'm having terrible 1970s flashbacks - and not the fun kind. All that's missing is Neil Sadaka's POS remake of his POS original "Breaking Up is Hard to Do" with a side of Captain and Tenille. All of which/whom should be

diphthong

^ i think i can surmise your feelings on "muskrat love..."

Lanceoldstrong

I just noticed the OP titled this thread: 2016 Touf of California.

Urban Dictionary defines Touf as: "Touf. Hypochondriac, paranoid, likes to wear helmets." Urban Dictionary: Touf
Was this meant to be an under the radar, stealth commentary on the helmet/no helmet debate?

bikingshearer 

I suspect so . . . .

DiabloScott

1. Tammy Thomas. Been a while, but this photo was everywhere for a while.



2. Please add "Midnight On The Oasis" to the hurl play-list.

bikingshearer 

1. Yeah, that's her, five o'clock shadow and all.

2. Okay, but only after you send your camel to bed.

DiabloScott

Correction - Diablo Wife got me a VIP pass to the Santa Rosa stage for my birthday - so instead of Coleman Valley Road, I'll be downtown at the finish line, hobnobbing with podium girls, slamming down Michelob Ultras, and trying to get my mug on TV.

cthenn

That's what I want to do, but I worry about parking. I don't know what the CHP will allow in terms of roadside parking. I'd love to park at Carson Pass (and climb up to Round Top first!), but there is very limited parking there, and I'm sure it will be full very early on. I guess if there was nothing we could continue down to Hope Valley and park along the road there, or 89 on the way to Luther Pass. We'll see...

caloso

The final turn of the finishing circuit is right in front of our church. In prior years, they've allowed folks to ride the blocked off streets ahead of the race, so if the timing works out with the start of the women's circuit race I'll be leading a ride of Sunday school kids and their parents.

DXchulo

Another thing to try is Blue Lakes Rd. For some reason there's no street view, but there's a lot of wide shoulder that would be easy to park on.

From my experience going to the race over the years, the CHP is pretty lenient with where they let people park. I've seen some people do some questionable-looking stuff, but as long as they aren't sticking out in the road they're left alone. They'll let you park in those little pullouts for sure. Honestly, I'd feel fairly comfortable just driving around looking for a pullout somewhere, keeping Blue Lakes Rd in the back of my mind as a backup plan. That's probably what I'll end up doing. As long as you have your bike you can be pretty flexible.

DiabloScott

UPDATE: Last night I get an AMGEN e-mail offering to upgrade my VIP pass to a VIP pass plus JENS VOIGT EXPERIENCE to include a semi-private presentation, commemorative photo with himself, and autograph item of my choice. My first thought was ... meh... then I slept on it and decided it would be too cool to miss and I went on-line to buy it and it's already sold out.