My Tour of Utah Bike Race Brush with Greatness

I live in a small town. Small as in I can hop in my car and be anywhere in town within five minutes. Small as in the newspaper comes out once a week. Small as in there are only two drive-through food establishments in town. And no stop lights.

So when I heard that the world-famous Tour of Utah bike racers would be coming through town last Thursday, I headed to Main Street for the event. People were lined on both sides of the street, waiting for the bikers to cycle through. We knew they were coming because of the long line of police vehicles, media personnel,  and roadies that came through first.

I had my camera at the ready. I waited. And waited. And kept stepping out into the street to see if they were coming. Finally someone yelled "Here they come!"

I raised camera to eye only to discover that in all that waiting the camera had powered down. By the time I got it powered on, they had whizzed past me at a speed that no car had ever attempted. Seriously, doesn't the speed limit apply to bicycles too?  Why do they get to whiz down Main Street at 60 m.p.h.? In a school zone no less? Granted, school hadn't started yet, but I'm trying to make a point since I have to find some sort of excuse as to why I MISSED THE TOUR OF UTAH WHILE I WAS TRYING TO POWER UP MY CAMERA!

So yeah. The event I waited for sped by me in less than seven seconds. But I did get a parting shot.

Yeah, they look like they are pedaling leisurely by, but I assure you that if they were cars they would have gotten a big fat dorktown Utah speeding ticket, the fines of which would probably make it so our town could afford a policeman. (Did I mention our town is so small that we have no police force?)

By the way, this race is supposedly one of the most difficult stage races in America because of the desert heat and the ascension through the mountains.