Texas - Tour d'Italia June 19th

Is anyone here doing this one? Any feedback would be appreciated. I've heard very mixed reviews from friends.

http://www.tourditalia.com/

If you wanna read other reviews of this ride go here:

http://www.bicycle-stuff.com/main/01/10_rides/06_jun_10.htm#Italia

i have done Italy quite a few times (15 maybe) and have enjoyed most of them. There is nothing tough about it except there isn't much shade on the ride and it can get hot quick. It finishes to the north so a south wind makes the last 10 miles nice. Rest stops are always nice with lots of goodies. It is a well put together ride. I have missed the last 2 years and will miss this year due to work. The wife and her sister will be there.

Thanks! I posted my question after reading the bicyclestuff reviews (such a great website!) There were so many negative reviews that it surprised me since a lot of the people I know who have done the ride liked it. Many of the complaints are about the chip seal. I heard/read the same thing about the Collin Classic and when I rode it found the chip seal to be no more or less annoying than on any other ride. Maybe Italy is the same?

Italy will be the same. Some of the roads are maintained by the state, some by the county, so some good, some not so good. I went back and read some of the reviews. I remember the 2006 ride. It rained on us all the way from fort worth. As we got to Italy, it cleared off, clouds broke up, and the radar showed just showers to the south. Great, we can ride. At about 6 miles out it started to sprinkle, then a slow drizzle. By the first rest stop, it was an all out rain. People were bailing right and left, turning around and heading back north. I had started in a rain jacket, so I thought "what the heck, I can't get much wetter that I was". Can you spell "WRONG"? By the time I hit Blooming Grove, the thunder has deaffend me, I was hurting from the huge rain drops, couldn't see because my glasses kept fogging up and I was running through 6 inches of water on the roads. But, I was on my bike and upright, and if I kept rolling, I was a least a moving target for the lightening. At the next rest stop, there was a guy standing in the middle of the road for traffic control. I mentioned to him that he was brave to stand in the road like that, he mentioned to me that I was crazy to be on a bike. I did cut it from 50 to 40, but I did finish. The hot shower at the finish was reaaly appreciated that day. It was another great day to ride in Texas.

Was any one taking photos at this ride?

http://www.bicycle-stuff.com/main/mainmenu.htm

John does a great job with his web site.

Yea thats an awesome site. Thanks. Was there a professional photographer there? I didnt get a registration packet so i dont know who was taking photos.