Greetings,
Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Michael James and I am the founder and owner of Small Ring Adventures and I offer to you my fervent guarantee to do all I can to bring a new cycling adventure your way in some of the most beautiful country around.
Brief Bio:
I was born on the coast of North Carolina and from a very young age I wanted to be in the mountains. After college, I decided to move to the closest mountains I could find. I moved to Dahlonega Georgia in 1996 and began cycling the roads and trails soon after. My passion for cycling grew as I began to compete and learn more and more about the bicycle and cycling community. After many years of riding the beautiful trails and roads of North Georgia I wanted to share my passion and expertise with people who have the same interest. My love for teaching and enjoying other people grew to a desire to start a small cycle touring company. I realized as a local, that there were many great roads and trails that people had never been down, that I just wanted to share with them.
Small Ring Adventures was started out of this passion for cycling and the love of the Appalachian Mountains. While cycling the North Georgia Mountains for the past 10 years, I wanted to show other cycle enthusiasts what I had found. To give my fellow cyclists from all over, a ride that would exceed all expectations, and show them sites that only a local could know about. The Georgia Mountains are known for the popular 3 Gap and 6 Gap road rides, the famous Bull Mountain bike trail and the Tour de Georgia. Incredible as these rides are there are 100’s of miles of other great roads and trails that most people never get to experience. I find great enjoyment in guiding people on tours that they felt were impossible to do, while accomplishing their goals. In addition I love taking a casual ride to the local wineries and developing a friendship with someone I didn’t know prior to the tour. My hope and goal is to share my passion, skills and favorite roads and trails while creating memories that will last forever. Grab your bike and come ride the beautiful North Georgia Roads and Trails with me and lets create an adventure together. I promise you will be glad you did!
See you on the road,
Michael
Betty Wooley - Pro Guide and Trainer:
Betty was born and raised in Illinois before moving to Austin, TX. She graduated with honors from the University of Texas in 1999 with a Bachelors Degree in Exercise Physiology. She used this education to work as a personal training and paramedic 
for several years.
Betty first began riding bikes for fitness, but quickly realized how much she enjoyed competing. While racing her first triathlon in 2006, Betty posted the fastest bike time. In 2007 she joined Team Wooly Mammoth (TWM), a competitive amateur team based in Austin, TX.
In the beginning of her career, Betty would compete part of the road racing season for TWM and then shift her focus back to triathlons. In 2008, while training for her first IM, she sustained a stress fracture to her femur. Because of the injury, Betty was forced to take a break from running. After the 8 week recovery period, cycling became her main focus.
The transition from tri-athlete to cyclist proved successful for Betty. She has won the TX State Championships in Novice & Amateur Road and Cross, received awards in Elite for both Road and Cross, and in 2010 Betty won The Texas Bicycle Racing Association’s All-Around Rider Award.
In June, Betty moved to Georgia. She and Nate live in Gainesville and work at Baxter’s Multi-Sport. They are also currently working with friends to start a race promotion company. Betty is still racing Road and Cross for Team Wooly Mammoth.
Nathan O'Neil - Pro Guide and Trainer
Born in Queensland, Australia, Nathan O’Neill began his cycling career at an early age. At the suggestion of a friend, O’Neill attended a 16 kilometer handicap race in 1989. The race began at 6:00am before school and O’Neill won it. Within two years he was winning gold medals at the Australian Junior Championships, and in 1992 won a bronze medal in the 4,000 meters teams pursuit at the World Junior Championships.
There’s one character trait road cyclist Nathan O’Neill has in abundance: toughness.
He proved that beyond doubt in 1995 by winning a silver medal in the road time trial at the Oceania Titles while nursing a broken pelvis. Throughout his cycling O’Neill has always been a winner.
O’Neill is currently living in North Georgia. He spends time riding for pleasure, attending races, and contracting with Smallring Adventures for cycling clinics and specialized fitting sessions. One of O’Neill’s favorite quotes is “Sometimes you are the dog...and sometimes you are the tree.” 
