My Own Tour De Georgia

My parents came to pick Jubal up on Friday. They were keeping him until Sunday. Hmmm what should we do? Just me and Rhonda. How about some Tour de Georgia? Sounds good. We got up at 7am on Saturday. Left the house by 7:30am. I was a little sad because I was not taking my bike. But, Rhonda and I would have some quality together time.

We arrived in Blairsville around 9:30am. Blairsville was the start of stage 6. It is a special day, a stage that most of the pro cyclists look forward to. One of the BMC guys told me this when I offered to ride in his place.

We got to walk around the parking lot, looking at $10,000 bikes, listening to the laughter and chatter of the teams getting their supplies and gear ready for the day. As we were walking, we saw a man and a woman walking and carrying a load of food, water and ice. Obviously struggling, we offered to help out. They gladly accepted and I was quickly loaded with ice. At the team vans, we were rewarded for our efforts with a pair of cycling caps. Sweet!!!

Rock Racing: the new guys on the block.

Rhonda and some bikes.

Levi Leipheimer: He was walking away and I said " Smile Levi"!!

This is Tyler Hamilton. My friend Kurt Begemann knows him. He walked over to sign some autographs. I said" Kurt Begeman says hello", ( even though Kurt had not said hello, I figured he would have wanted me to say hello if he had known that I was going to be where I was at that given moment). Tyler looked at me and said " Well, tell him I said hello"!!!

Later on, I would push Tyler up a small portion of the huge climb on Brasstown Bald.

After watching the start of the race, we jumped in the car and took off with 2000 other spectators, to go intercept the race at a different place. Our destination was the feed zone, about 60 miles into th 88 mile stage. We got there, had a little picnic lunch and relaxed. We then walked down to the team cars to chat and pass the time. We chatted with the folks from Astana. Alejandro, who is from Spain, would not give me an Astana hat. But the dudes from Team High Road did. Sweet, two more hats.

Finally the tour cars, marshalls, police started coming. Then we heard over the radio that the riders were two minutes out. Then there was utter controlled chaos. The peleton came by, grabbed their musset bags ( lightweight cotton bags that are filled with food and water bottles. The guys sling these over their torso, take what they want and discard the rest on the roadside). People start running, scrambling for free water bottles and other souvenirs.

We then jump in the car again and head to Brasstown Bald. We have to park 1 mile back down the hill from the spur that leads up to the top. We hook up with Mike Keeley and friends. Mike's brother Scott is pushing us up the hill because he has tickets to the VIP area. I don't have tickets, and so Rhonda and I opt to stop at 2 miles to go.

Again we wait. People walk by, some ride by, a couple pulls up next to us. The woman has asthma and it looks like she might die. To our relief, she recovered. Then come the train of lead cars. Then the lead group goes by. Now the fun begins. I run next to the cyclists, ask if they want a push and if they say yes, I push. I know that I helped the following: Dave Zbriskie, Tyler Hamilton, "Fast" Freddie. They were all very appreciative. After pushing Zabriskie, I turn to walk back down the hill, and this dude with an Aussie accent says" Ay mate, don't be thinking that your job is through," I told him that if his job is not done, then my job is not done.

Every time I pushed someone, I asked them for their jersey. No one obliged.

After all they cyclists passed, followed by the broom wagon, and the ambulances, we headed back to the car.

Now what? How about Athens, we could watch some more racing at the Twighlight Criterium.

Cool, we hop in the car and take off. Upon getting to Athens we find that they are charging $10 to park. We pass a fire station where the firemen are playing some form of baseball, using a tennis ball and a stick. They direct us to a parking lot that is free.

We head up into town and catch some more racing action. Wandering around, we get hot dogs for dinner, and run into some friends. We end up watching the very exciting men's race under the Bianchi-BMW women's tent. ( thanks Cara).

With the race finishing at 10:45 pm and no other races going on, we head out. What to do? Camp? nah, too late and we'd like a shower and a bed. Hotel? Nah, I don't want to spend $70. Home? OK, 3 hour drive, I can do it, and if I get tired, I'll give in and get a hotel. Just past Spartanburg, I stop for a Red Bull. We get home around 2 am!!! 19 hours on the road, two big races, one Red Bull!!! Fun weekend.

More Pictures here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/Ashevillejanes/TourDeGeorgia08?authkey=pUbf2ZAvzn0