Lance made another great appearance to support The Tour of Courage, and was in Calgary and Ottawa. You can follow the link on the Postiefans site to read a report on PezCycling News. Theme for the dinner was Teamwork, and Lance had some major players on this team along with him. Lance has so many appearances booked after his racing schedule ends that I don’t see how the guy does it. He is always going in ten directions at once, it seems like. Sure wish I had his frequent flyer miles, except that he flies usually on a private jet. OK, then, I sure wish I had his private jet! I pay for all my own expenses when I cover all the races here and at the Tour. Maybe I should start a Donate Your Air Miles to Velogal Fund.

I got a note from Chris Brewer, Lance’s website guru, this morning. He used a pic of George Hincapie that I took during the sign-in at Stage 2 of the Tour of Georgia. It is now a freebie wallpaper download in the Photos and Downloads section of thepaceline.com. When I saw it, I thought, “Wow, Did I do that? I like it!” I’m telling you, I love my Nikon D2H with a passion! I know there is a new version coming out, but man, this one is a beauty. Speaking of photos, Graham Watson has a Lance calendar for 2005 that is just gone up on www.grahamwatson.com And don’t forget that you can buy my shots on www.velogal.smugmug.com.

It’s the time of the year when the rumor mills are working overtime, with transfer names flying all over the place. For the 2005 Discovery Pro Team, I think that Yaroslav Popovych and Paolo Salvodelli are the only two officially confirmed names in press releases from Dan Osipow. We’ve heard that Sean Yates will be with the team as an assistant DS. In the unconfirmed rumors department, the names of Roger Hammond, Leif Hoste, and Hayden Roulston have been in the speculation news for a while. Recent names in the rumor mill are Tom Danielson (who is quoted as saying that he has signed a letter of intent) and now Jason McCartney’s name is being associated with a signing for the DisCo Pro team.

Departures from the team are also being bandied about in the news: That Victor Hugo Pena and Floyd Landis are leaving and that Robbie is retiring. Newest rumor is that Dave Z may go to another team. Seems like Phonak is right in there recruiting Posties all they can. Official word on arrivals and departures is usually not announced until after the Vuelta, and the teams are introduced late in the year. Usually team introductions are at the training camp in past years for the Posties - we’ll have to wait and see what the 2005 DisCo Pro Team does.

Just saw this morning that Michael Barry and Floyd have abandoned at the Vuelta Stage 18. Our guys have really ridden so well at the Vuelta and can really be proud of their efforts. Floyd has said how pleased he was with the support that he received from the team while he was wearing the Gold Jersey.

Funny story about Sheryl working with the TLC Overhaulin’ guys to get an extreme make-over for the 1970 Pontiac GTO that she gave to Lance. Guess she had him thinking it was stolen while the Overhaul guys were working on it. Any coincidence that the TLC is owned by Discovery Channel? I think the program is supposed to air in January. Also, the DisCo Channel will show the Live Strong Chopper and how it was created on the next two American Chopper shows Mon the 27th and Mon Oct 4th. Look for a Lotta Lance on the DisCo Channel from now on...

Well, it has been a week since the T-Mobile race in SF happened. It was a great event and the slightly changed racecourse was just great, in my opinion. Every time I stand on top of Fillmore and see the guys coming up to the top, I am just blown away that they can do that horrendous climb so many times. The photos just do not adequately show how grueling and cruel that climb is. I saw Trent Klasna come over the top near the end with a big grin - what a guy. He is one of my favorite riders. Actually, I don’t think I have put his pic up yet in my photo gallery - I will try to add some tonight. I have a few more shots, including a few quick shots of Lance and his kids before the Ryan Pfau Kiddie’s race. (Sorry if I have misspelled the name).

I was standing on the corner of Bay and Fillmore, right at the corner of Marina Middle School where the volunteers checked in. I was waiting for my race vehicle to be returned to me (which never happened), and I was astonished to see Lance driving a big old SUV/truck (nope, I’m not gonna say the make of the truck) with two car seats in the back for his girls. Luke and Lance’s mother, Linda, were inside. Of course, I was waving like mad. And then they went on down Fillmore and did a U-turn on Chestnut and parked. So, I headed down there at full speed ahead. A crowd of delighted and surprised parents of the tiny kids who were racing immediately surrounded Lance. As usual, everyone was in his face, so I stood back, and my shots were not the best for composition. Unless you elbow and push your way right in his face, you always have some people’s arms, heads and hats in the corner (or middle) of your photos.

I did get a chance to exchange a quick hug and kiss on the cheek with Lance, and a warm hello with Linda. Lance was holding both the little gals and they were really an armful. Serge, Och and Dan Osipow were there to try to run interference for Lance and the kids. They all walked on down Chestnut for the kiddie’s race, but I had to go back to the volunteer check-in area.

I did get to spend some time with our Posties guys during the weekend. I was invited to a dinner on Friday night with Lance and the team - it was really fine! I sat with my favorite soigneurs, Amy and Dave, and our super cool wrench, Vince. I was asked to be the official photographer for the evening, so I moved around from table to table with my super Nikon and Speedlight flash, and met a lot of really nice folks. Plus, big bonus, I hung out with my Posties! I saw Pavel tasting a gin and tonic and rejecting it immediately with a look on his face like he was tasting some bad medicine. Of course, Chechu was there with his dazzling smile and so was Eki. When Eki smiles and laughs, his whole face lights up.

So, now we have the last week of the Vuelta to follow. Our guys have just done an outstanding job there! Johan and Dirk are just brilliant - they are just the best DS team in the world. Then we are kinda in a long dry spell for racing. Be sure and check out your local scene for cycling races and go out to support the local guys who work hard, too. And they really appreciate some cheering and applause. And don’t forget to register for the Tour of Hope and The Ride for the Roses.

Well, I am heading up to SF this morning to work in race headquarters and help to get this massive project underway. The Expo will run on Saturday this year, so that is really cool. It's hard to tear yourself away from the race to see the Expo on Sunday.

Look for some of my great collectible original SFGP posters in the LAF booth - buy one and donate at the same time! Remember the posters? Bright orange with Lance predominately featured - they look great in a black frame.

Well, I am having the usual round of spoof/fraud emails from the haters - they sign some fake name @lancearmstrongfanclub.com, or even sign velogal, and attempt to send the latest virus to me. Maybe to others, too - I don't know. But they are so dumb - it doesn't work because Earthlink filters out and deletes all viruses before they even get into my mailbox. And by now, all of you know that I never send out mass mailings, and never, never any attachments. So if you get something purportedly from me with an attachment, delete it.

And to the haters, Get A Life. Lance never even knows about your crap, and it doesn't bother him one iota. If your hate spreads to me as just a fan club person, then you are pretty sicko...

How great are these Posties? Stage 2 of the Vuelta has Posties in the first seven spots in the GC, Max is in the leader's jersey and Floyd had it yesterday. Tony sprinted in like gangbusters in the group with Petacchi for a seventh spot in the stage. The Posties were out in front setting the pace and pushing it. Tour of Britain has Postie Blue everywhere: Chechu had a second spot in Stage two by only one second, with Jose A and Pavel only 10 seconds back Then Chechu took a fourth in Stage 4.

Our guys are really the Dream Team this year! HA - who were those folks who said that the team was weak for the Tour? And that without Lance in the Vuelta, they would be nothing. Eat your words!

I think that the T-Mobile in SF will be really outrageous - I can't wait to see Ace and Chechu chew up Fillmore. While the race has been shortened to leave out the original Marina and Presidio portions, they have added one more lap of Fillmore. That means 14 times up Taylor, which is a killer climb, make no mistake about that. Then there will be nine times up Fillmore, not eight as in past years. Nine!! If you have to arrive at 3 am, be sure to get your viewing spot on Fillmore!

I will be coordinating the course marshals on the far half of the course, which means I get the Fillmore part. Of course, everybody wants to marshal on Fillmore, but we are using only about 10 course marshals there this year. Last year, there were so many course marshals on the hill that they practically fell all over each other, and we really need folks in other areas to keep the riders safe from folks who walk out in front of them. Or, even worse, drive out onto the course. That happened at the Tour of Georgia with horrible consequences to the rider - he was laid up with injuries for a long time.

I'll be heading up to SF on Wednesday - lots to do to get the race together. I don't know if anyone really knows the humungeous planning and coordination it takes to put on a race like SF or Philly. It is like finely coordinating an army of different folks with different logistics. From travel and lodging arrangements for all the teams and officials and staff, to meals, to barricades and signing, to rider registration, numbers, and timing and results, to announcers scripts and live television coverage, media arrangements and transportation for reporters and photographers, a myriad of sponsors, expo and hospitality areas, unbelievable amounts of food and water, dozens and dozens of race vehicles, motorcycles and trucks, coordination with SF police, fire and emergency services, coordination and placement of hundreds of volunteers and the distribution of tee shirts, lunches and water to them all, not to mention parking for all these hundreds of vehicles - just to mention some of the "details" in putting on a cycling race. Plus never-ending problem-solving for all of the above.
Whew! No wonder we all work our butts off on these races. Hope to see you there!