Friday several hundred people rolled through our sleepy little town, some in cars, some on motorcycles, but it was those on bicycles that people came to see. For the second year in a row, we watched as the Tour of Utah raced down Main Street.
Like most kids, I grew up on a bike. We had the Schwinns and the ten-speeds. That was about it. I was a pre-BMX kid, but the Schwinns and ten-speeds seemed to satisfy all our needs. And like a lot of us, I watched the movie, Breaking Away and ABC's Wide World of Sports and realized people can actually make a living riding a bicycle. I also followed the sport as Americans made strides in the Tour de France, before all the doping scandals hit. I admit, all that bad press has soured me a little on competitive biking.
I don't know if the Tour of Utah bike race is a big deal. It sure looked like a big deal as the participants rode past with their support vehicles and major sponsors. And when the motorcycle cops blared their sirens an people began clanking their cowbells, it didn't matter how big or how little the event was--it was cool to see these elite athletes fly by, powered only by the strength of their own muscles.
Like last year, I was fortunate enough to have the off work when they came through. Thanks Tour of Utah organizers for that. I hope that I can enjoy the sport next year, and for many years to come.
No comments:
Post a Comment