For Brody ♥

Brody has been so excited about going up to Pasadena, to the Rose Bowl to watch the end of Stage 7 of The Tour of California for a while now! Sadly he got a pretty fierce cold/flu (that started to hit him hard on Friday), and decided he wouldn't be able to go---now, you KNOW he is really sick if he is going to pass up this opportunity! I felt so bad that he was going to miss something that he was really looking forward to---I decided I had to do something for him, so I went up myself to take lot's of photos, videos, update him by phone and just be his on site reporter to investigate anything he would like to know...and try to get fun souvenirs and such!

Before I left I made sure he had everything he needed--remotes, phone, plenty of liquids, hot soup, his pillow and so on! =) And I set off to the races to try to make him feel a little closer to it all! =)
It took me forever to get to the parking lot! My GPS only guided me to streets that had been closed for the race. After trying to find a way in myself, I finally came across a cop and asked him how to get in. He sent me to the perfect place! I went through a neighborhood and along a back road (where I almost hit a suicidal squirrel) and came right into the Rose Bowl, after about 30mins of wondering (and race time quickly running out) I was SO happy to see the parking lot (for a minute I thought I was going to miss everything)!! I parked in what turned out to be the Aqueducts Center (for free), and just in time too, as I was walking away security was turning all the cars around and back up the road! I am so glad I didn't get turned away, I got to park so close!! (I took this photo, mainly to remind myself of where I parked) =)

As I was walking toward the Rose Bowl, I was not sure where to go until I heard the cheering crowds and cow bells! =) I walked toward the crowds and saw this to my left going up what looked like a residential street.

They had these big screen TV's all over so you could watch the race when it was not right by you...however these people where watching what was going on right next to them! So I continued walking right in front of this screen on my way to find the real action! =)

Surprisingly I was able to get up pretty close and get what I thought was a good view for getting there with 2 laps to go (I hung around the house on the off chance Brody would jump in the car with me)! Coming here I really didn't know what to expect, or if I would get to see anything---so I was pretty happy with the view I was able to get! AND, I was right by the finish line!! Not too bad huh? =)

After a little bit (well after Lance & Levi had gone by) I was able to sneak up to the front!

Here are....well....some teams going by! =) I am a pretty new cycling fan, so I don't know who everyone is, or who the teams are yet...but here they are!

Oh! After everyone had gone by and they where starting the awards ceremony, some of the fans, who I guess felt too 'fenced in' started opening the gates in front of them and just walking (some ran, which freaked out security and they ran at us with whistles) up to the stage! Someone next to me did the same thing, so I joined the mob and headed to the stage---Hey, I had a sick hubby at home, I had to do my best at getting in the thick of things for him! =)

Here we all are headed up to the stage!

This is where being a little taller would have come in handy, since that wasn't going to happen---I just moved my way up a little more!

Here is Luke Wilson---Who I am pretty sure was later at the 'Herbalife' both and had a HUGH crowd & photographers around him, and I didn't even realize it was him until later that night...I was on a mission to collect fun stuff to bring back to Brody! =)

What a crowd!

The winners!! One of them tossed there roses to the crowd and this lady near me got them! Lucky lady huh?

Go Lance!

The winners board

And here is a photo of what it would have looked like if Brody was able to come with me! =)

Here are some of short videos I took. I didn't edit them because I didn't want to cut someone out that was important with out knowing it! =) I did my best from where I was at, at this point I still had a bunch of people in front of me...

I am glad I was able to go for Brody, it was really fun! But of course I wish he was able to come with me! He is getting better slowly, and I can't wait---the thing I miss the most is his laugh! He hasn't really laughed in about 2 days because it makes him cough & coughing hurts! Love you!! It was so much fun being your personal reporter! =)