Did you see us on tv??

Caught the 2010 Tour of Philadelphia yesterday live and in person, I have the sunburn to prove it!! Incredible to see a Pro race for the first time (for me) in person! And it was broadcast live on Versus, so if you spotted a girl in a white shirt, bright red hat and matching bright red skin ringing a cowbell like mad and screaming at the top of her lungs, that would probably be me! We arrived just after the pro race started and caught the beginning of the women's race (seen above). Many free Lara Bars and "swag bags" later (and pumped full of one too many free chocolate soymilks) we staked out our viewing position near the finish/start line where the riders rode by almost every 30 minutes in their multiple loops around the course (which included a killer hill called the Manayunk wall). Our view to the right as the riders rode by:

and to the left, minus riders, but a great view of downtown Philadelphia, a fountain the riders looped around and came back by from, and a giant screen projecting the parts of the race we couldn't see:

Coming back from around the 'fountain loop' (below):

Also loved watching all the motorcycles, mini coopers, and brightly colored cars go by, including the Mavic neutral service car (which also got cowbell rings from Tom and I- woot woot!):

Was amazed at how human the riders were, after watching pro cycling on tv for so long where they're built up to be gods of superhuman proportion, I couldn't believe how small they were nor how close and how much time you had to interact with hem as they went by, you could say or do anything and they could see/hear you! What a revelation! They're people too! WhoA!

The Winner: from team HTC Columbia Matt Goss
After standing in the sun for 6 hours straight, blisters on my fingers from ringing cowbells and a sunburn as bright as a lobster I felt like I had rode (and won) a race too.