The Anti-Tour: The Lighter Side Of Cycling
Okay, so we have some degree of drama in the Tour (finally) as Cadel Evans struggles to hang on to his presumed superiority in the race, and yes, we’ve had the obligatory doping arrests which have, thankfully, become mostly non-news. So far, so good.
Beginning tomorrow and following on Wednesday we can expect some continued fireworks among the Tour GC contenders when we find out once and for all if Cadel can be just good enough in the mountains to make the race his to win in the upcoming time trial.
As fun as that sounds, I’m bailing out minutes after the Stage 16 completes on Tuesday and heading for greener pastures — quite literally.
Recently I wrote about an event (http://www.bicycle.net/2008/cyclists-woodstock-weeks-away) that could either be best understood as the “Woodstock” of cycling, or, maybe even more descriptively, as the Anti-Tour.
Why? you ask.
Well, let’s contrast the Tour, to the Anti-Tour me and fifteen thousand friends know lovingly as RAGBRAI.
Tour: Two hundred riders cheered on by countless number of drunken fans lining the roads.
Anti-Tour: Countless riders of varying sobriety cheered on by hundreds of food and drink vendors lining the roads.
Tour: Riders tested daily for use of prohibited drugs.
Anti-Tour: Riders carded occasionally.
Tour: Goal is to win by having the lowest total time, winning sprints, and climbing to the top of mountains.
Anti-Tour: Goal is to complete your ride, preferably without falling down.
Tour: Crowds are known to start drinking before noon, awaiting brief passage of riders.
Anti-Tour: Riders are known to start drinking before noon, often taking breaks along the way to further imbibe.
Tour: Riders compete for colored jerseys.
Anti-Tour: Riders often don costumes, cross-dress, or doff pieces of clothing deemed non-essential.
It’s a virtually endless stream of cyclists of all ages, shapes, sizes, and fitness levels, flowing sunrise to sunset from one small Iowa town to another, then forming camp-cities each night where bars, taverns, restaurants and food vendors of all sorts get a once-a-year shot at lining their pockets. It’s a veritable rolling circus where you play the clown, and it can’t be understood unless you come see it for yourself.
So, it’s probably too late for you to do it this year, but think about it for 2009. As the website says, there’s only 323 days till it all starts again. Get your sneak peek at: www.ragbrai.org.
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I think you passed me. I was that full bodied guy that had a stereo system on his bent and was going very slowly!