Joe Martin and Fayetteville weekend

************Various Photos*********


(Right) Jose A and his cool SRAM Volvo. I worked for Jose this past weekend and for a guy that handles all the pro's bikes for mechanical problems when needed he is the most laid back guy I've ever met. Super nice and I learned a lot! Thanks Jose!
(Left) Riding behind the Toyota-United Team car. We were laughing that it looked like they were having a business meeting.


The left over after the massive pile up when the peleton hit the train tracks. We spent the rest of the afternoon getting guys to the feed zone to hook up with their teams again. I spoke Sunday morning with one of the guys we helped and he finally went to the hospital on Saturday night. No broken bones but he was really sore. At one time I reached down in my cargo shots pocket and had a fork of one of the Abercombie and Fitch team. I found the rider after the race and returned the piece. We both had a good laugh.










A shot of the mountains at Artist point on Mt Graynor.




**Toyota-United Photos**
Here are some of the bikes Toyota-United ride. They were great bunch of guys and I would have had a lot more photos of them but I messed up my camera. Actually still learning a lot of the features.


















Sean Sullivan of Australia. Yep, he has that cool Aussie accent. Fun to listen to him talk.


Ivan Stevic pedals away after watching the women's race for a moment. Stevic is from Serbia.

The Friday afternoon race and the Toyota-United Team car.












**CARVE PHOTOS***
Hunter East (?)on the time trial. Carve was tearing up the hill.












Got to cheer on the home team!


Friday Report:
Got to Fayetteville via Hwy 71 after leaving a few chalk messages for the guys. Grabbed a bite to eat at McDonalds and headed over to the Wal Mart parking lot where the men's pro race would start. I met up with Vince, busy as ever. Jose got there a few minutes later and I walked up and introduced myself. I half expected him to tell me to go get him some water but that was the opposite from his character. He was one of the nicest, most laid back guys I've ever met. Professional to a tee but in a great way. I was excited to know I would learn from this guy over the course of the weekend! We loaded the trucks with extra wheels, secured the bikes on the roof of the car, then I got busy helping all the pro's get their tires aired up. All were friendly and apprecitive. I just I was thinking they'd all have the Lance Armstrong complex but nope, they were just normal guys that enjoyed riding. The race starts!
Watching Jose change a wheel and get a man back on the road was a experience in itself. In seconds everything is done and the rider is back in the race and Jose is driving Euro style, honking and swerving and back to the front behind the peleton.
Evansville, the train track that took down a peleton... Just as we rounded the corner it looked like a tornado hit the group. Guys laying everywhere. They had to cross some train tracks and down they went. Several got up and took off only to be picked up hurting later. We picked up and shuttled guys the rest of the afternoon. We had 3 in the truck and I really felt bad for them because they were all hurt and bleeding and disappointment not to get to finish the race. A couple of them I never saw again this weekend. Got finished around 7 and went to Peguin Ed's BBQ with Ryan and Melissa to eat.

Saturday road race....
Met up with Jose, aired tires, tightened a cage then shifted over to the trucks. With over 200 riders we had a lot more trucks and wheels. With the Cat 3-5's they bring their own replacement wheels and the guy that was driving the truck I was going to work with hadn't done this before and wasn't into bikes. He just was talked into driving. There was a pile of wheels in the back and I had to get back there and get them set up and tagged. Jermey would drive the truck and I would jump out and change the wheels and get them back on the road...just as Jose had taught me the day before.

Saturday Time Trails...
Bascially just watched from the mid way point and encouraged riders. The course was just 2.5 mile time trail but it was all up hill. It was great to watch their endurance and then fun to see them ride back down the hill to their team cars. They would rocket down the hill.

Sunday: Met up with Jose and since I wasn't really scheduled for anything I just told him thanks for letting me work with him this weekend and how I had learned a lot from him. He LOADED me up with goodies as I was leaving. A true pro! He wanted me to come back and work with him next year... that comment was worth more then all the goodies. I walked around and spoke with Vince and others I knew and went to the Toyota-United tent. Cool stuff. I saw the guys come in as the women were racing and got to speak with Sean and Ivan for a moment. Then walked around to where the bus was and they had all the bikes out and I saw Frankie Andreau, the team director, and asked if I got get close up to the bikes and shot some photos. Got a couple of cool ones! Andreau was like Jose. Not what I expected! A nice guy and very fan friendly.

I watched Carve take the winnings on the Cat 3 race. They were great. The first few laps was a breakaway by Carve and he held on for several solo leads.

All in all, it was a good time had by all.