“Hullo from South Africa”, this guy said to me as I was clicking away with my Nikon. It was early Saturday morning on Stage Road during the 2006 Pescadero Coastal Classic. I parked in an isolated spot near the top of a long climb out of the canyon. The sun was just burning through the early morning fog. It was cool, quiet and peaceful in my spot.

I could look across the canyon, and in the hazy distance, see groups of riders descending the hair-pin turn. I could faintly hear the warning yells and swearing as they hit the newly laid-down chip seal, with gravel and sticky black asphalt loosely covering ancient potholes. The quick repair work will wash away in the first hard rain of winter, but for now, it was a patching attempt done way too close to race day by some unknowing county road crew.

The road side was covered with blooming yellow flowers/weeds/bushes, the air was fragrant and the sound of nearby birds was pure and sweet. Low murmurs from horses in a near-by field, and sounds of cyclists panting and gasping their way up the hill. A group of riders went by, then a few stragglers, and then blissful, peaceful silence until the next group came up the hill. I heard them before I saw them, picked up my camera and got ready to shoot.

I was going to head for the Finish on Haskins Hill, but it was too sweet and precious where I was. I just couldn’t trade the moment for rubbing elbows with spectators and other photogs at the finish line. I was enchanted in my spot from 8 in the morning till mid-afternoon, with some stale water in a bottle (left from my last ride) and a box of Ritz Crackers. I didn’t care - I was experiencing a bit of Cycling Heaven. Then, rewarding myself, down to Duarte’s in Pescadero to eat great food at the bar and watch World Soccer.

This was the pure joy of cycling - far away from all the sensationalism and yellow journalism, name-calling and allegations, gossip and lies. The serenity and honesty of the partnership of human and bike, in the best of Nature’s offering, was a time to capture for the riders and for myself.

Hullo, South Africa, welcome to the real cycling America world... We’re glad you’re here....

And if you did ride on Saturday, I have five huge galleries of shots - from the first riders to go by, each lap and then last riders.... Also the 2006 Deaf Cycling Championships racers in a separate Featured Gallery. Follow the Link to my galleries and check ‘em out. If you know somebody who rode, send them the link...