Traveling with the Amgen Tour of California is a small army of course marshals, those charged with the ever important duty of keeping the roads closed while corralling thousands of photo hungry fans to a safe vantage point. After the police roll through to shut down the roads, the marshals roll up in a van, and are dropped off quicker than you can say “stop.” Marshalls make multiple “drops” each day, as their van comes back to pick them up and sweep them up the road to the next area in need of their expertise.

In order to transport all these marshalls, there is a convoy within its self that rolls out at the beginning of each stage. Marshalls must be able to quickly identify which of these identical vans are theirs, so the team leaders have taken to some interesting tactics in setting themselves apart in a sea of cargo vans.

http://www.youtube.com/v/JPgS5asoZCQ&hl=en&fs=1

Also assisting the tour is an entire group of motorcycles, over twenty in all. The do all the technical things that cars just arent practical for. Some carry photographers and television cameras, others act as “regulators” in the caravan, keeping us rowdy cars in order. There are also officials, timers, and mechanics, among others, out on the roads with the tour at all times. The motos lined up and ready to roll:

And finally, the tour would be impossible without the help of law enforcement across the state, cities, counties, and the wonderful California Highway Patrol. Who, each year, picks their best officers for this coveted detail spending a week with the Amgen Tour of California. If the first few motorcycles don’t move you off the road, certainly one of the ominous CHP Dodge Chargers will do the trick. CHP lined up and ready to roll:
Our mobile PA car has the freedom to slide in and out of positions in the convoy, but we have certain vehicles which shoudl NEVER be in front or behind us. If they are, we are about to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.