winners of Tour of California cycling race 2017
Pasadena / Sports around Los Angeles

Hotter than hot at Amgen Cycling Tour and Pasadena LitFest

by carollightwood
Jacaranda trees along Del Mar in Pasadena
On my way I stopped to capture the image of the amazingly beautiful Jacaranda trees in full bloom along Del Mar in Pasadena. That thin green line near the bottom of the photo marks the bicycle lane along Marengo.  I think the green marking, which only goes for a very few blocks, is a test of some kind.

I had ambitious plans for this last weekend but the early summer weather with temps reaching the mid-90sF curtailed things. I did manage to attend one session, entitled ‘Sunshine Noir’, at the Pasadena LitFest.  The LitFest is a relatively new event held in public open spaces in the Playhouse District in Pasadena and focuses more on successful local authors than does the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, which was held last month on the campus of USC. There were over 150 authors participating in more than 30 panels and readings.

I have photographed the Amgen Tour of California on several previous occasions, so after the Sunshine Noir panel ended I rushed over to the finish line of this annual cycling event which was not far away. And then stood in the sun…and stood…and became very very overheated and as soon as the racers cross the finish line I went home and spent the rest of the weekend recovering from heat exhaustion.

So here are a few photographs from this shortened weekend.

The courtyard behind Vroman’s Books in Pasadena was set iu with rows of white chairs for the audience. Everyone wanted to sit in the shade, but by the end of the panel discussion sunshine bathed most of the seating. And it was hot, hot hot!
Sunshine Noir panel LitFest
Three of the six authors on the Sunshine Noir panel. Steph Cha had a good definition of Noir: a story where bad things happen to damaged, marginal people. Living happily ever after does not come into it.
Amgen Tour of California on big screen
The Amgen Tour of California streamed live on TV and also on a huge screen near the finish of the race. Crowds watched from under the shade of the huge old ficus trees that line Green Street in Pasadena.
Finish Amgen Tour of California
At the finish it was a sea of waving arms with smart phones.
Finishers Amgen Cycling tour
Cycling side by side after the finish of the race were Daniel Jaramillo (145) and Evan Huffman (84) who placed first and second in the King of the Mountain category.
Lexus support cars Amgen
Police motorcyclist escorts a convoy of Amgen Tour support vehicles carrying the bicycles away from the race just minutes after it wrapped up.

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