text: Tour of California – Kelly O'Mara
  http://www.marinij.com/sports/ci_23279268/cycling-marin-local-riders-closing-gap-european-cyclists
  Yesterday, we biked up Diablo and drank beers that I had stuck in my jersey pockets and in my water bottle cage.
  I got a hot dog, which was possibly as exciting as watching the race. And then thousands of spectators in costumes, with varying degrees of ability and sobriety, all descended down the hill mixed in with racers trying to get back to their cars.
  Today, we watched the Marin stage. (I tried to attach a video, but couldn't from my phone.) It was much more low-key, possibly because drinking at 8:30 am doesn't sound that appealing.
  Steve and I are headed over to the East Bay to watch the Tour of California stage that's finishing on Mt. Diablo. (Fun fact: I can bike up Mt. Diablo in 1:03. Steve can do it in something under 50′ — I dunno 46 last time he did it a few years ago? He'll probably be mad at me now if I got that number wrong.)
  Mostly, I'm just going to cheer Nate on, hopefully get some beers and burgers and maybe a free ice cream again from people setting up tents on the side of the mountain, and meet up with Courtenay to ride up the hill. It's like a cyclist version of a parking lot pre-game rager. If you want to join, the road up the south side of the mountain closes at 2 p.m. to cars. North side stays open the whole time to the ranger station halfway up, where the two meet. The riders are supposed to hit the bottom at 3 p.m. I'll be somewhere around 3/4 of the way up?
  Sunday, the race comes through Marin for the last day's stage. I wrote all about what the general viewer needs to know (roads will be closed!) and where to watch.
  I'll be out covering the race and spectators and the scene on Sunday. So, you can also find me if you want to make it into the paper or something.
  If it was up to me, the Tour of California route through Marin would go up and down Mt. Tam, Bolinas-Fairfax, along Highway 1, up Marshall Wall. But, no one asked me. I wrote about what Marin cyclists are hoping to see.