Gracia-Orlova Part 1

This country is hard to describe. Andrew compares it to Mexico.  We’re in the way way Eastern part of the Czech Republic, so I’m not assuming that it’s ALL like this (especially since everyone tells me Prague is one of their favorite cities in Europe).  Czech out these pictures.  I’ve fallen behind on my picture taking, so I went a little wild in the car on the way home from the prologue today.  The coffee may have had a hand in that (and my 8th place!).  Ugh, more proof that leads me consider becoming a regular coffee drinker. 

Andrew driving us into town.

A block away from the prologue course.  
The nicest buildings around.

I’m rich!  Actually, not really. One dollar 
equals roughly 16 Czech koruna.

Pre-Prologue coffee run with the team.  Ally Stacher from HTC-Highroad has joined us for this race!

Out on a post-prologue ride to take a picture of  

the following sign we spied down the road:

And here come the car ride pictures:

Example of the average building.

Weird above-ground pipes with coal plant in background.

A coal truck.  So exciting!

One of the prettier buildings around.

Gas prices.  Sorry, sorry…there’s very limited things to take 

pictures of from the car.

Tomorrow is the first stage.  I’ve gotta run ’cause I’ve been sitting on the ground in the lobby (only place I get internet) for a good hour, and that’s definitely not the best thing for recovery.  It’s actually a bit of a miracle that even get internet here; it keeps crashing because the Russians and Belgians are staying in this tiny hotel too and we’re all scrambling for share of internet like it’s crack. This poor hotel probably hasn’t seen this many laptops in its history.  Every time it goes down we end up exclaiming, “those damn Russians” while we wonder who they could be Skyping that’s so important.  Right now they’re probably cursing me for uploading all these pictures 🙂  Goodnight!