Pedal on, Wayne…Pedal on, Garth

A couple of years ago, I didn’t know anything about cycling. I knew that I used to love to ride my bike when I was growing up and my frequent destination was the horse pen near my house, where I would feed the horses “tookies” apparently I couldn’t say ‘cookies’ . Then, when I was about 12, my parents bought me the dorkiest bike helmet ever–I looked like I had a giant pink gumball on my head–and forced me to wear it. After that, my only connection to cycling was watching the opening credits to Three’s Company where the trio is merrily cycling down the boardwalk.

Later, in college, a good friend of my would invite me over for dinner and together, we would be forced to watch the Tour de France by her husband. So I picked up a couple things. I even knew enough to throw around fancy cycling jargon like “peloton’ and such.

Then I began working at Sutter Home. And they sponsored a cycling team. And I really learned. And became interested in going to races.

None of which were bigger for me than the Tour of California. And I am happy to report that Team Colavita/Sutter Home was again invited to participate in the TofCA!

It’s nine stages–nine stages people, that is a lot of pedaling!!! Team Colavita/Sutter Home (and the other guys) will travel the 750-mile course from Sacramento to Escondido on.a.bike. Impressive, to say the least.

Let me tell you, I have driven one of the stages in a car before…those are some serious roads–the backroads of Northern California? Good grief, I wouldn’t want to drive stick shift on them, let alone bike! These cyclists are in serious shape!

So this year’s Tour of California is taking place February 14-22 and I usually catch the far away stages (ie SoCal) on Versus Network, which I recommend. The TofCA is a huge event, and if I’m not mistaken, the biggest cycling event in the country and always has some of the top cyclists in the world competing…including those on our Team Colavita/Sutter Home! I get so excited when I see them on tv.

Our team is actually holding training camp in California this year so I hope that gives them an edge…they will have practiced on the routes used in the Tour of California and will know all the bends in the road and the straightaways and whatnot.

So if you’re flipping through the channels February 14-22, make sure to cheer on the team with the red, white and green. For fans in California, come on out to stages and cheer them on in person, but if you can’t make it, cozy up with a Sutter Home mini and catch the action as it happens.