The atmosphere around the course in the early morning was electric. Not so much because people here are necessarily so "into" bicycle racing, but because the race put a very public focus on what people here are very "into" and that is cycling itself. You could just feel the number of folks who came out to ride and to ride proudly and safely. It gave me just an inkling of what it is going to be like on BikePhilly day in September when 40 miles of streets are going to be closed to traffic.
The atmosphere later in the day was genuinely festive. I couldn't get up to Manayunk, where I expect the most festive part of the crowd could be found, but around the part of the course I could see,Lemon Hill and the Parkway (both pictured below taken from the Daily News video; sorry for the unclarity) people were just enjoying the day. I must say that I didn't find the vendors to be up to the occasion. I saw one souvenir Jersey but it was too expensive; and I thought of buying a Bike Club of Philadelphia jersey, but they only had long sleeve jerseys with them. Huh?
The last photo is J.J. Haedo crossing the finish line. He has impressed me since he came to the fore in the Tour of California and could be a great star of the future. It is a thrill to have seen him.
Oh yeah: Annie and I rode in a refreshing drizzle for 13 miles this morning, both of us feeling stronger and stronger each day. I've met my minimum donations for the Hazon ride and she is very close. Thank you all! But anyone who is so moved is still invited to support this worthy cause.
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