OMG.
The parties in the Pyrenees at the Tour de France rock hard. The Basques put on a show, the cross dressing is top notch, the road side bars are well stocked and the passion runneth so far over you can’t help but get soaked.
We’ve been to the last two Tour de Frances and Tour of Californias and we’ll just say right now, the crazies at the summit of Swan Mountain, ten kilometers from the finish in Breckenridge, put on the best bike rave, disco-inferno, roadside lollapolooza we have ever seen.
Andy Schleck made a bold attack and Italian Elia Viviani sprinted to the win but really, the story was up on Swan Mountain. This race will be back next year because the crowds on Independence Pass, in Crested Butte and Aspen and Vail and Swan Mountain were beyond anyone’s expectation. Madness deluxe, Hors Categorie Party.
You want a summation of a race: how many hundreds of thousands of people had a good time and already can’t wait to come back. This was Burning Man on two wheels. Race organizers are slapping themselves silly with jot tonight. They were hi-fiving the crowds on the way up, grins on their faces. Only the race judge kept his sourpuss.
Just 100 meters down from the summit of Swan Mountain, a DJ who calls himself Good Steve had a fourteen hundred watt, six speaker system pumping everything from Rick James to Black Eyed Peas with techno thrown in just to keep everybody sweaty.
The inspiration for this party was those whacked Belgians in the Tour. “We had friends who came back from the Tour de France in 2004 and and they talked about the Belgian corner and how you can hear the thump-thump-thump from miles away,” said Good Steve. “That’s what we wanted.”
That’s what they got. When we told the Colorado highway patrolman that this shindig rivaled anything in the Pyrenees, he said, “please, don’t tell them that.”
While the groove was fairly spontaneous, there was a plan of sorts. “When they get up here we thought we’d play some AC/DC for Cadel because he’s from Australian. I’m also gonna play some Foghat, like “Slow Ride” for the grupetto.
Elia Viviani of Liquigas may have won the stage but it’s a shame he couldn’t stop and enjoy the party.
And I thought Indy Pass was a zoo….
Swan Mountain was ten zoos and no zoo keeper. Hot damn! Matt
That was one of the best days of my life, period. Freekin DJ rocked the house!
Elgee http://addictedtobicycles.blogspot.com/
That was a rockin' good time and I enjoyed it every minute. Matt
Pretty surreal, dancing on a mountain pass with disco ball and lights a blaze! Definitely one of the most fun parties of my life! Good job DJ see you next year!
Jason, that was the best time I've had on a mountainside ever, perhaps only rivaled by the Basque cross-dresser show and open bar in the Pyrenees. Matt
Thanks for the great writeup Matt. I've been sharing your story with family and friends… otherwise they wouldn't believe me! We now know how to do this for next year. No mountaintop will be safe! We even sent some thank-yous to the State Troopers and Summit County sheriff. Those guys were great… letting the party roll on!
See you next year! Good Steve
Steve, look for Cyclesport magazine in the next 4-6 weeks for their Colorado coverage. I'll be focusing on your party on Swan for the Breckenridge stage. Matt
'Twas a blast hanging with all of you atop Swan Mt! Thanks for the great times and music!
That was the funnest party I've ever seen at a bike race. If I cover the race again next year, I'll make sure I contact the DJ first to find out where the party will be. Matt
Our goal is set up on 2 or 3 KOM's and we will have a facebook page and/or twitter to provide feed where we are gonig to be…see you next August!
Cowboy JJ
Cowboy JJ, good news. I wrote up Good Steve and the party as THE story for the stage to Breckenridge. Look for the next issue of Cyclesport in 3-4 weeks. You guys will be in there and maybe even your picture. Thanks for a fab time and be sure to relay that news to Good Steve. He is THE MAN. Matt
It's Dutch Corner…
Their quite was Belgian but they stand corrected. Matt
We can show those Dutch how to party…I have been on the Dutch corner on the Alpe d'Huez and their sound system was nothing compared to Good Steve's, nor was the dancing and number of great looking girls!
Cowboy JJ