For the past week they'd had signs along Highway 1 saying that the entire highway would be closed between 9am and 10:30am on Monday, February 16 for the Tour of California bike race.   It would be a crime to not go see a major event that was passing within walking distance of our home, even in the rain.

Early in the morning of Saturday, February 14 the winds picked up to gale force.  I woke up at 3am and never got back to sleep.  The rains soon followed, and by Monday morning we'd seen 2-1/2 inches of rain, with up to 10" of rain in the mountains above Santa Cruz.

We watched the progress of the cyclists on the local news shows, and drove down to Surfer's Beach after the cyclists got to Pacifica.  I wanted to get pictures with PillarPoint and the ocean in the background.

Kathy, Robby and I got to stand outside in the rain with our neighbors for about 20 to 30 minutes before the cyclists got to Surfer's beach.  CJ is in Washington, DC on his 8th grade class trip.

Shortly before the cyclists arrived one of the cameramen had his motorcycle pull over right next to us.  He stood on top of the motorcycle seat to line up his photos - he was going to get the picture I was trying for.

A car with a loudspeaker drove by announcing that the breakaway leaders had 2 minutes on the peloton.

The breakaway leaders reach Surfer's Beach 

The leaders, with Pillar Point and Surfer's Beach in the background.
The purple and orange team is Rabobank.
I held out little hope of getting a decent picture with my slow old camera, but once again I got lucky.

The peloton arrives in our lane