I have been with the TDG all week!! Yee Haw!!! I am writing this at the Lake Lanier Islands, nice, across the hall are the CSC team and Slipstream, don't see much of the guys though, I reckon after the race they is restin and gettin their massage on as I did see a massage table set up in one of the CSC rooms. In fact all the teams are here, sometime they will put the riders up and a 2nd tier motel but for last night and tonight they are all here. On my birthday I rode in the VIP car #2, they announced on race radio that I wuz in the car and it was my 50th so everyone wished me a happky one. And yes I brought Hilllbilly flavor to the VIP car, a few hoots and hollers out to the crowd and me and the driver took a natural out in the Ga red clay. It was a pretty wild ride, we would go back to within about 200 meters off the front of the peleton, and when the one rider got a 2 min gap we were allowed to go back between him and the peleton and ride just behind him, coool. I took some video and will put something together, the driver was Darrah from Ireland and he asked if I was gonna make him famous, you know it. I have been handing out some stickers to some of the mechanics, rock racings guy got a hoot out of it and asked for a couple more, and Darrah got hillbillized too. I have tons of pictures but I forgot my password for photobucket and my blog is a little difficult to post pictures but I have one or two I'll stick on there.We didn't bring our bikes with us, we are carrying too many hands and don't have the room so I will probably gain 10 lbs this week although I have been running in the morning, the food is too good to pass up.It has been a blast, best birthday ever, driving the truck throwing out the KOM hands is a hoot, we travel bout 30 min ahead of the race and stir up the crowds in the UCBI Avalanche, and two HHR's, so when you see those Fri, and Sat holler at the hillbilly, in fact Isomebody ought make a sign...... Hillbilly STOP HERE!!

1st stage TDG

Bobby Julich after the race


His crazy rotor rings

Georgie
After the race




Toyota United



Suckers

1st report TDG 4/20

Met with the other team members this morning in Helen to drive to Tybee Island for Mondays start, Stan, Star, Matthew, Joe, Ron and myself. We arrived around 4:00 picked up another UCBI van and checked in the the Ho Jo.
First thing of course is seafood, so off to the Crab House, too much food , bad thing we couldn't bring our bikes to I'm gonna havta get out and run so I don't gain 10 lbs this week.
We gave out a few hands, but not much going on, some drunk kid thought we were sombody and kept asking us cycling related questions about fit and knee pain, wheels and such, we just went along with him and gave him some hillbilly advice.
It may be easier to do this with pictures so here goes.
Hillbilly and Stan the Man

One of the stand ups

El capitan

Well were at the beach

Sweep wagon

Waitin on the crabs

Rock Racin

Tour De Georgie

I will be attending the TDG beginning Sunday April 20th, will be meeting my Team Captain on the UCBI cycling team in Blairsville and driving down to Tybee Island for the start, I think Star was saying that the bank wanted the team to ride in some sort of parade before the start of the race, so that should be cool.

Well I guess before I go any further I will say I have not been a very good blogger in that I haven't blogged at all and have not directed anyone to my blog, but I figured that attending the TDG should be interesting for people that won't be able to attend the entire race.

My involvement began last fall when I ran into one of the guys on the UCBI (United Community Bank Incorporated) cycling team at a cross race, I asked about the team and asked how I could join, Star later contacted me and put me on the team, mainly for CX.

Now the deal with the TDG is since UCBI is one of the sponsors they hand out a lot of promotional items, the big hands, and we ( the team) volunteered to do all that work instead of the bank having their people so this. So, the team has all expenses paid, motels, food, transportation, VIP passes, rides in VIP cars and get to stay in the same quarters as the teams.

So I figure to take a lap top with me and blog the whole week about the tour, pictures, video, just what goes on behind the scenes or whatever I get to experience. If everything goes as plans start looking for reports on the Tour starting with my departure on Sunday.

Driving down to Duluth for CX # 3

Driving down to Farmer G's crib and then on down t0 the Cross course in Monroe to pre-ride the course for Sunday's race.

Go Colts!

The Masters 45+ podium
Day Coy 2nd
Brad Harper 3rd