Mavic Carpet Ride

With no books to sell, what's a guy at a world class bicycle race to do? How about hitch a ride in the peloton? Mavic wheels were kind enough to let me sit in one of their neutral support vehicles for the final stage of the 2005 Tour de Georgia. It was funny to hear the mechanics complain that the cyclists hadn't gotten nearly enough flat tires. The perfect roads and incredible infrastructure apparently make a mechanics job, at least during the stage, about as enjoyable a the Maytag repairman's. Fortunately for these guys, there's a lot of work to do at the end of each stage. One look at all the mechanics laboring into the late hours in the hotel parking lots is proof of that.

The mechanic's were right, though. The roads were perfect. The crowds were too and so was the race organization. This is my second time at this event and I leave with an impression of Georgia even better than my first time around. I didn't have the slightest idea what this state had to offer before last year's Tour de Georgia. To say that I'm blown away is an understatement. This year they had lousy weather (in addition to the snow, hail, rain, wind, sleet and other obstacles, the cold this morning bit right through me) but still pulled off a spectacular event. Three cheers for the Tour de Georgia!