Kongo watched his first professional bicycle race today, the Amgen Tour of California.  This was stage three of an 8-stage race all over the state.  Fortunately, the path of this race passed just a few blocks from Kongo’s home.

The monkey would’t make it in one of these.  For one thing it is very crowded in the pack and another, the race stages are looonnng.  Stage 3 is 167.5 kilometers and winds its way from Thousand Oaks, over the Santa Monica mountains, up the coast road, and on to Santa Barbara.

Kongo watched the race from two vantage points.  The first, only a short distance from home, was a few miles into the race.  After the group passed, the monkey took a short cut over the mountains and caught the group again as they came through the flat Oxnard plain after leaving the coast highway.

By the time the tour caught up, the leader group of seven riders was over three minutes ahead of the pack.  Here they give the monkey the eye as he kneels in a bean field to get a good perspective.  They’re probably wondering what in the heck is that monkey doing in a bean field?

When the main pack came along, Kongo crossed the road to get some close shots of the racers.

There are several more stages and if you are in Central or Northern California you may wish to check out the race near you.

Travel Safe.  Have fun.