The Lake, The Lizard and Levi

This was our first easy day - the plan was to ride around Crested Butte, and watch the pro's finish at the top of the mountain. We started with a leisurely breakfast where Humphries told us about a place called Long Lake - a lake between two ridges with the most refreshing clear mountain water - it sounded way too good to pass up. Todd was charged with getting directions, and Sada, John, Todd and I headed up to find the oasis.

We rode all the way up the mountain, following our navigator, found the finish line and all the festivities - but no lake. After some discussion we learned of the extremely complicated directions ("2nd paved road on the left"), and headed back down the mountain to the turnoff that we'd missed. After another climb (which included our first introduction to cattle guards: slatted grates that go across the road apparently to keep the cows from heading into town to party at night, and just happen to have periodic gaps a hair wider than a front bicycle tire - you get used to them eventually and figure out where to cross, unfortunately that's harder to do when you're going 35mph in the middle of a peleton, as the Pros would learn the next day) we made it to a gravel road and a fence. From here you hike. The instructions said "hike until you think you've hiked for a really long time, then hike a little farther and look over the edge: you'll see the lake". Sure enough, after a hike that was just a little too long (a hike for most of us, a certain someone who hates to make forward progress on anything other than wheels, decided to ride) we found Long Lake. It was instantly one of the highlights of the trip for all of us who made the trek.You'll simply have to go there yourself to fully understand why. Like Vegas, what happens at Long Lake, stays at Long Lake (there may or may not have been a Calvin Klein underwear photo shoot).

The hike up to the lake.

Long Lake. 100x more spectacular in person.

All of us marveling over the cool clear mountain water (nothing like Alum!). You can see everyone's legs, even from where John took this picture on the shore.

Todd, swimming in the clear cool mountain water. Somewhere on the other side is a rope swing, but we were too enamored with the water to waste time looking for it.

Sada, the man who walks nowhere, on the "hike" to Long Lake.

After the lake we ride back up to the top of the mountain (if you're counting, it's the 2nd time today) to get some food and stake out our spot to watch the pros finish the 3 mile uphill battle.

Erik and Humphries, with Colorado flag and Lizard suit in tow.

As the Pros get closer, Humphries, Erik and Todd head back down to the base of the last climb to try to find a good spot to run with the racers before the barricades begin. Levi attacks PRECISELY at the base of the climb and wins the stage - clearly inspired by a green Humphries-sized Lizard and a crazed Buckeye fan (if you DVR'd this go watch Levi's attack one more time and play Where's Waldo with a Lizard and a striped OSU jersey - I promise you won't be disappointed!).

Levi, about 200yds from his win at Crested Butte, clearly inspired by the green Lizard.

Our view of the winners podium. Sorry we didn't get a good pic of the podium girls - they are as beautiful in person as you would imagine.

We spend the rest of the afternoon riding around Crested Butte, checking out various bike and outdoor stores (all of which are mysteriously manned by Brad Pitt look-a-likes, just a little tidbit for my single girlfriends), properties for sale, and fireplugs that start 3 feet off the ground and have 4 foot orange poles with flags at the top (think about it for a minute, you'll figure it out).

At dinner we hear more wonderful stories about Crested Butte (one of the guys had lived there for several years), including the sad day when naked bachelorette parties were banned in local pubs. We also go over the plan for the next day: The Queen Stage - up to Cottonwood Pass (14 miles of dirt with lethal drop offs), followed by an even bigger climb up Independence Pass and down into Aspen. We'll ride out ahead of the Pros, dodge road closures, and at some unknown-until-it-happens point, have to pull off the road to let the Pros pass before we continue on with our own ride. I do the math with the paces and the miles. Then redo the math. And still can't figure out how it's going to work. After giving myself (and the guys unfortunate enough to sit next to me at the table) a major headache, I give up and go to bed with a sketchy plan B in my head, stressed out and petrified, and try to brainwash myself to sleep (it doesn't work). In a sick and twisted way, I was comforted to hear the next morning that a few other folks didn't sleep well either.

Before we head out in the morning we meet up with a freelance radio news reporter and producer, Elise Thatcher, who is covering the race and is intrigued by the side story of the Lizard Head Cycling Tour: mere mortals following the same routes as the Pros. She interviews a few of us to get our famous last words ... er, I mean, our thoughts on Colorado, the Pro Tour, and the experience so far. We see Elise a few more times along the way and learn quite a few interesting things from her about Colorado inhabitants (why some people call it Menver, instead of Denver) and high-tech tools of the radio news trade (such as how to get the best sound on location by sitting in car completely covered with a blanket).

Elise, hard at work editing the day's piece.