Tour Down Under - A hot weekend

Friday January 22, 2006

Work and then prepared for my weekend out reporting for the Tour Down Under.
Headed down to mum's to stay for the night, took another load of things I'd sorted from Nadia's... so the car was full again. Didn't get away until late, there's always more to do than you expect.

Saturday Jan 21, 2006 – Tour Down Under (Willunga to Willunga)

Spent the day driving between Willunga and Aldinga covering the Tour Down Under for the Team UniSA-Australia website. For a 42 degree day, all I can say was that I was grateful to be able to stop into mums and jump in the shower in between Willunga and Aldinga.

Despite the sweltering heat, where the tar on the road melted to my shoes at one point, it was a fabulous leg to cover. Two of our riders absolutely blitzed it and took out the stage (coming first and second), along with Most Aggressive Rider and the Sprint jersey. They were absolutely stoked, and their ride meant the team was in front of the entire field. (http://www.unisa.edu.au/tdu/press/2006/2101stage4.asp)

While such sweltering heat may fray tempers (especially in the media photographers pit), it also brings people together. I bonded with a couple of photographers that day as we stood in the searing sun, pouring with sweat, waiting for the team presentations.

A swim in the ocean after the team presentations was well in order – boy, it was pure heaven!

Sunday Jan 22 – Tour Down Under (City circuit)

Again, I covered the event for UniSA. Yet another boiling day, but all my hard work over the last month certainly trained my body well and I seemed to cope with it a lot better than many others. It was a relief for the cool change to come in by the end of the race.

I got some fabulous photos as well - nothing better than gaining access all areas and getting some great shots. The new digital SLR camera really came through for me – and I felt just like a professional as I rubbed shoulders with the international media contigent and sports photographers with their massive lens cameras.
http://www.unisa.edu.au/tdu/press/2006/2201stage5.asp)

Went back to the office after the race presentation, filed my story and headed straight up to Sasha’s to catch up with her and Frank, who had flown into Adelaide from London the day before. I was dreaming of a swim, but by the time I arrived the weather had really turned cool, so I gave that idea a big miss. It was nice just to be able to sit down!

After a few knock-off drinks and some dinner with the school gang (including Nadia, Mel, Sally and Jason), headed back to Nadia’s where despite feeling exhausted, didn’t get to bed till really late.