neked chicken
03-27-04, 07:33 PM
once i found out that usps is riding i decided to go. never been to a big race. any tips on finding a good spot, parking, arrival time etc.. i'm planning to watch stage six on saturday
General Cycling Discussion - tour de georgia
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travis200
03-27-04, 09:06 PM
Personally I would want to be on one of the climbs. Maybe at the top of the 1st KOM or at the top on the finish. Have you checked out the total feet climbed for satges 5 and 6. Man that is some crazy stuff. Makes me tired thinking about it and back to back stages.
RonH
03-28-04, 07:55 AM
once i found out that usps is riding i decided to go. never been to a big race. any tips on finding a good spot, parking, arrival time etc.. i'm planning to watch stage six on saturday
I live in Atlanta and don't have a clue about where a good viewing place will be.
Parking? Get there early or take Marta (http://www.itsmarta.com).
Since USPS and LA will be riding I'll be there. Maybe I can get a few good photos to post.
If you need it, here is the link to the TdG website.
http://www.tourdegeorgia.org/
I live in Atlanta and don't have a clue about where a good viewing place will be.
Parking? Get there early or take Marta (http://www.itsmarta.com).
Since USPS and LA will be riding I'll be there. Maybe I can get a few good photos to post.
If you need it, here is the link to the TdG website.
http://www.tourdegeorgia.org/
neked chicken
03-28-04, 07:43 PM
can't wait!
ronh, i guess you answered my question on the introduction thread, thanks tho
ronh, i guess you answered my question on the introduction thread, thanks tho
DieselDan
03-29-04, 07:53 PM
TdG doesn't go to or run through Atlanta this year.
Smoothie104
03-29-04, 09:02 PM
Whats with the "Since Lance and USPS is riding, I'm going to be there" line of thinking?
Am I safe to assume that the biggest stage race in the U.S. despite the presence of 2 other Division 1 teams (CSC and Landbouwkrediet-Colnago) and 3 Divison 2 teams is not worthy enough on its own?
We had a saying when I grew up in the Northeast. There's Penquin fans, and then there's hockey fans.
There's all this talk of how Lance is making cycling more popular in the U.S. But sometimes I think Lance is just making Lance more popular in the U.S.
I know not everyone one here watched the Tour before 1999, but I hope many of you will watch it long after 2004.
Am I safe to assume that the biggest stage race in the U.S. despite the presence of 2 other Division 1 teams (CSC and Landbouwkrediet-Colnago) and 3 Divison 2 teams is not worthy enough on its own?
We had a saying when I grew up in the Northeast. There's Penquin fans, and then there's hockey fans.
There's all this talk of how Lance is making cycling more popular in the U.S. But sometimes I think Lance is just making Lance more popular in the U.S.
I know not everyone one here watched the Tour before 1999, but I hope many of you will watch it long after 2004.
TandemGeek
03-29-04, 10:57 PM
once i found out that usps is riding i decided to go. never been to a big race. any tips on finding a good spot, parking, arrival time etc.. i'm planning to watch stage six on saturday
That depends on how much time you have on your hands. The final climb up Brasstown Bald will be epic - there's a 23% grade near the top; however, bear in mind that it's a mountain top finish and there's only one road leading up to it. Therefore, you can expect the parking lots to fill-up early. However, also bear in mind that the road up the mountain will be probably be closed to traffic 30 minutes ahead of the racers arrival and that traffic leading back down the mountain will be snarled for at least an hour (or more) after the finish. Therefore, you'd want to probably pay a visit to or talk with someone from the District Ranger's office to figure out where you'll be able to park as I suspect the race organizers, media, and support caravan will consume much of the available parking at the mountain top.
http://georgiamagazine.com/outdoors/mountain/brasstown/
There is a parking lot at the top of Hogpen and it too would be a good vantage point. Again, you'd need to plan ahead to ensure you will arrive early enough to get a parking spot. Assuming you can get out of the parking lot, you should be able to escape down the mountain towards Helen where you'll no doubt encounter some congestion from the motorists who were held up behind the peloton on 138.
Best Bet: Come early, pack chairs and a cooler, and make a party out of it.
We watched the Tour come through Woody's Gap last year and tied the event in with a 3 Gap ride that started and ended at the top of Woody's Gap. Thus, we got the best of everything from the day, e.g., a great parking spot, a good ride, and front row seats at the summit. However, unless the major players are attacking, you may find the climbs to be anti-climatic vs. what you've seen on OLN. Personally, I think the Hogpen & Brasstown Bald climbs will be epic; perhaps more so if the lead riders are still close on time coming out of Stage 5 with climbs in Ellijay, at Neels & then Wolfpen Gaps. Personally, I think the climbs up Neels and Wolfpen will be fantastic visuals since there are places where you can look down through the esses near key points on both climbs. We also watched the Crit in Atlanta on the final day of the tour and while it was more of a party atmosphere, it was a flat crit where mechanicals and crashes determined your fate. Not sure what they have in mind at the Northpoint Mall.
Oh yea. And if for some reason Lance doesn't make an appearance, holds back, or drops out, you still owe it to yourself to watch the tour. IMHO, with perhaps the exception of the Redlands Classic and the USPRO Championship in Philadelphia, there's no other classic road race in the US that can compare to this event.
That depends on how much time you have on your hands. The final climb up Brasstown Bald will be epic - there's a 23% grade near the top; however, bear in mind that it's a mountain top finish and there's only one road leading up to it. Therefore, you can expect the parking lots to fill-up early. However, also bear in mind that the road up the mountain will be probably be closed to traffic 30 minutes ahead of the racers arrival and that traffic leading back down the mountain will be snarled for at least an hour (or more) after the finish. Therefore, you'd want to probably pay a visit to or talk with someone from the District Ranger's office to figure out where you'll be able to park as I suspect the race organizers, media, and support caravan will consume much of the available parking at the mountain top.
http://georgiamagazine.com/outdoors/mountain/brasstown/
There is a parking lot at the top of Hogpen and it too would be a good vantage point. Again, you'd need to plan ahead to ensure you will arrive early enough to get a parking spot. Assuming you can get out of the parking lot, you should be able to escape down the mountain towards Helen where you'll no doubt encounter some congestion from the motorists who were held up behind the peloton on 138.
Best Bet: Come early, pack chairs and a cooler, and make a party out of it.
We watched the Tour come through Woody's Gap last year and tied the event in with a 3 Gap ride that started and ended at the top of Woody's Gap. Thus, we got the best of everything from the day, e.g., a great parking spot, a good ride, and front row seats at the summit. However, unless the major players are attacking, you may find the climbs to be anti-climatic vs. what you've seen on OLN. Personally, I think the Hogpen & Brasstown Bald climbs will be epic; perhaps more so if the lead riders are still close on time coming out of Stage 5 with climbs in Ellijay, at Neels & then Wolfpen Gaps. Personally, I think the climbs up Neels and Wolfpen will be fantastic visuals since there are places where you can look down through the esses near key points on both climbs. We also watched the Crit in Atlanta on the final day of the tour and while it was more of a party atmosphere, it was a flat crit where mechanicals and crashes determined your fate. Not sure what they have in mind at the Northpoint Mall.
Oh yea. And if for some reason Lance doesn't make an appearance, holds back, or drops out, you still owe it to yourself to watch the tour. IMHO, with perhaps the exception of the Redlands Classic and the USPRO Championship in Philadelphia, there's no other classic road race in the US that can compare to this event.
neked chicken
03-30-04, 01:21 AM
smoothie,
oh, i'll be watching cycling long after lance, but missing an opportunity to see one of the worlds greatest athletes, close to my home i would regret.
oh, i'll be watching cycling long after lance, but missing an opportunity to see one of the worlds greatest athletes, close to my home i would regret.