Meeting some of the local guests I came to the conclusion that the majority were local real-estate agents, who were joining in on the fun mostly for the benefits of the advertising. In sponsoring the AMGEN race, businesses therefore get a printed ad in all the advertisements for the Paso Robles stage of the event.
Held at the Kennedy Club Fitness Center, I came expecting a very mellow scene, of which i was correct. Although upon leaving, I felt the venue was a perfect pick for this type of thing. Walking through the gym and past a full aerobics class on the way to the main gym, set the mood. The athletic atmosphere seemed to fit the event perfectly and have people geared up for watching the high intensity bike race.
As many stood around and chatted I enjoyed a glass of local Vina Robles Chardonnay and listened to the old school rock band that was playing. Needless to say this was nothing of a party scene, but I'm sure a few more hours and a couple more glasses of wine and I would have seen many of the uptight-looking business people let loose and share in the enormity of this event. Sadly I was only able to stay for an hour or so but felt I at least got to experience the shared sense of pride along with many other Armstrong supporters.
The AMGEN tour was considered a huge boost for the local economy. That is why such a big deal was made that Paso "won" over San Luis Obispo to be a stage stop. The event drew thousands of visitors from around the world, and I was genuinely impressed by the enthusiasm exhibited by these travelers.
ReplyDeleteI was hired by the California Business Journal as a roving reporter. My job was to feed information to their online editor about some of the effects on local business. Because Stage 5 marked the first of a two-nigh stay in Central Coast wine country, I pushed the wine industry angle. But through the course of the day, I learned that wine was not the subject of keen interest among visitors. Rather it was the opportunity for recreation and sports that intrigued them. They wanted to know about other Central Coast cycling and triathlon events. Thanks in part to AMGEN, this area is poised to position itself as a destination for outdoor and athletic events. That is something the Kennedy Fitness people would be very interested in.