OUCH HOUSE

For the European cycling fans, I wasn’t sure if you’d understand the humor behind the title. Here in the US, we call outdoor, non-flushing commodes outhouses. On Friday, after barely making the Stage 5 start in Suwanee, Annie and I decided to go to the first KOM site.

I had really wanted to go to a feed zone to try to catch some “souvenirs” that the riders throw off but it was too hard to pinpoint its exact location so we headed for the KOM site. We didn’t exactly know where it was either but it looked easier to find and Gracie (my GPS) helped guide us. It just so happens that we literally ran right into a road block where the peloton would be turning to head up to the KOM.

There were very few people there and the peloton was about 20 minutes out. I HAD to use the bathroom and there were NO real ones to be found. Some guy says to me “There’s no modesty here, just find a tree”. OK, sure, that’s easy for you to say but I’m a girl!

There was no way around it, though, so I venture a little ways down an incline for some privacy and straight into some briar patch. That’s where the “OUCH” comes from in the title. I’ll leave the rest to eveyone’s imaginations. I was just glad that car that went by wasn’t a media car.

I really was disappointed being late for the start because I’ve been having so much fun hanging out at the bus and trying to track down different riders for pictures and autographs. But we did make it just in time to see Chechu and the boys off.

The KOM was exciting. I tried to get pictures of Chechu going up but he was in the pack and, by the time I noticed, he’d gone by. I think he saw us. He was pretty consistent about picking out those pretty Asturias flags along the route. He’d always seen me at the start and finish and this was the first he would have seen me out on the course. I sure hope he noticed as I’m sure it would have been a nice surprise to see that beautiful flag in the middle of nowhere.

After the KOM, we went on to the finish and our chance to finally meet Rebecca and her family face to face. Chechu finished the stage and came right over to her. It was nice to see them together and Chechu, of course, seemed so touched by the support and genuinely happy to see her there, giant Asturian flag in tow. He’s such a gentleman. Tomorrow is Brasstown Bald and, hopefully, the battle of a lifetime. What an exciting race this has been so far.

Amy, Georgia