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Road
Trip!
Vaughn’s
Excellent
Adventure
at
the
Volvo-Cannondale
Training
Camp
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Saturday
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Saturday
morning
I
had
a
short
breakfast
and
met
behind
the
hotel
again
for
a
ride
with
the
team.
The
mechanics
set
up
a
Cannondale
Jekyll
900SL
for
me
and
tuned
it
for
my
weight
and
degree
of
out-of-shapeness
(actually
they
probably
didn’t
know
how
out
of
shape
I
was
–
had
a
car
accident
at
Christmas
time,
and
was
ordered
off
the
bike
until
I
could
finish
a
course
of
back
treatments).
So
I
threw
on
my
shorts,
strapped
on
my
back
brace
and
set
off
at
9:30
am.
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Scott
Montgomery
held
himself
back
in
order
to
ride
with
me
for
a
bit,
and
to
caution
me
that
he
wouldn’t
feel
right
about
my
riding
the
full
ride
without
a
helmet;
Good
advice
for
all
of
us,
but
especially
for
a
green
horn
to
Mtn
biking.
What
a
compliment
–
he
thought
I
could
finish
the
whole
ride
(damn,
I
must
look
really
good
on
this
new
bike
-
HA!!).
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I
was
dropped
in
the
first
mile.
Now
I
can
say
I
have
eaten
the
dust
of
the
best
mtn.
riders
in
the
world.....not
my
usual
boast.
I
had
a
bit
of
trouble
getting
used
to
the
mountain
bike
frame
as
I
am
not
used
to
a
bike
flexing
under
me,
I
am
used
to
the
stiff
steel
frame
of
my
Gitane
(circa
1974).
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Soon
I
adapted
to
the
Jekyl
frame
and
found
myself
enjoying
the
ride,
the
incredible
desert
vistas,
the
rocks
and
ruts
(photos).
I
was
immediately
struck,
as
I
saw
these
guys
riding
away
from
me,
what
incredible
skill
they
have
in
riding
over
rocks
and
gravel
in
the
single
track
through
the
desert.
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At
first
for
me
I
was
saying
to
myself,
"Oh
no!
Rocks!
Gravel!!!
Rut!
Oh,
Lord
have
mercy!!!"
My
first
instinct
as
a
road
rider
was
to
try
to
avoid
all
these
obstacles
that
would
normally
toss
you
to
the
asphalt.
I
am
afraid
this
tactic
was
useless
as
there
was
not
a
meter
of
asphalt
to
be
found.
I
soon
learned
that
the
fine
steed
I
was
riding
could
handle
each
obstacle
with
grace,
without
tossing
me
off
into
the
nearest
cactus
or
boulder.
It’s
definitely
something
I
want
to
do
again,
and
I
liked
that
Jekyll
so
much
that
it
might
just
be
my
mtn
bike
of
choice.
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It’s
great
to
be
out
on
a
trail,
where
your
only
worry
is
a
rock,
boulder
or
dropoff,
rather
than
automobiles.
Once
I
got
the
hang
of
it,
I
had
a
really
great
time,
and
plan
sometime
in
the
future
to
do
it
again.
Confidence
is
a
dangerous
mistress;
soon
I
was
trying
to
race
up
a
hill.
My
foot
left
the
pedal
as
I
stood
up
and
the
pedal
turned
my
shin
into
hamburger.
.
.
I
am
baptised
into
the
sport
having
drawn
first
blood.
After
that
I
calmed
down
and
had
a
great
ride
without
incident;
that
is,
no
more
blood
other
than
that
running
down
my
shin
and
soaking
into
my
socks.
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It
wasn’t
all
peachy,
though.
About
4
miles
into
the
ride,
I
realized
I
was
having
trouble
with
my
legs.
.
.
as
in,
they
didn’t
feel
like
cooperating
with
my
desire
to
continue.
I
stopped
for
a
bit,
gave
my
wife
a
call
on
the
cell
phone
(in
California)
and
asked
her
to
send
an
ambulance.
I
told
her
I
was
trying
to
figure
out
how
I
had
gotten
this
out
of
shape
in
just
a
few
months.
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I
stopped
to
take
some
pictures
of
the
"Ghost"
Jekyll
and
some
of
the
vistas.
Then
I
realized
that
the
Bike
and
Bean
was
only
about
a
half
mile
away,
and
that
a
double
or
triple
latte
would
probably
help.
I
mustered
my
will,
and
made
it
to
the
shop
where
I
got
another
excellent
latte
from
Dave.
Visit
the
Bike
and
Bean
website
at:
http://www.bike-bean.com/
Thus
reinforced,
I
proceeded
back
to
the
hotel.
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The
"Ghost
Rider"
on
a
Cannondale
Jekyll
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Portrait
of
the
Jekyll
and
the
Sedona
Buttes
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In
between
I
ran
into
Tinker
Juarez,
and
he
was
doing
some
videos
for
the
new
VC
website.
He
had
a
few
moments
to
chat
with
me
while
the
cameras
were
being
set
up.
I
watched
Tinker
do
in
a
few
seconds
what
it
had
taken
me
many
minutes
to
do,
which
was
fly
across
rocks,
sand
and
gravel
coming
down
a
hill,
then
blasting
up
another
hill.
I
am
assuming
when
the
new
V-C
site
is
up
you
will
be
able
to
see
this
footage.
We
will
have
to
arrange
to
let
all
the
readers
know
when
the
site
goes
live.
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|
 Tinker
flashes
by
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Tinker
and
I
chatted
for
a
bit.
I
asked
him
how
he
eats
on
these
24
hour
races
so
he
doesn’t
bonk.
Tinker
said
pasta
during
the
day,
a
protein
drink
or
two
along
the
way,
bananas,
a
protein
bar,
occasionally,
fig
bars,
and
for
breakfast
eggs
or
his
other
favorite
–
pancakes.
Sounds
good
to
me.
Tinker
said
it
is
important
to
eat
enough
to
stay
ahead
of
the
bonk
and
watch
that
you
are
eating
enough
so
you
don’t
run
down
on
energy
as
it
takes
a
long
time
to
recover
in
a
race
if
you
do
bonk.
I
asked
Tinker
if
I
could
help
as
part
of
his
crew
when
he
does
a
24
hour
race.....now
that
would
be
exciting
to
report
on....I
hope
I
get
the
opportunity
to
do
it
someday
soon.
I
asked
him
if
he
ever
considered
doing
the
Paris-Brest-Paris
race,
the
1200
km
test
which
will
next
be
run
in
2003...he
said
he
would
check
it
out.
I
believe
Tinker
would
be
in
the
top
runners
in
the
race....when
I
got
home
I
checked
the
PBP
site
and
remembered
it
is
an
amateur
race
only.
Shame,
Tinker
would
surely
do
well.
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We
met
the
team
at
2pm
at
the
Bike
&
Bean
for
the
afternoon
ride.
I
asked
the
team
if
they
would
sign
a
few
posters
for
the
Daily
Peloton
readers,
and
they
graciously
did
so.
(photo)
The
manager
and
soigneur
also
added
their
names,
and
we
will
pass
them
onto
to
you
readers
in
a
random
drawing
in
the
near
future.
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The
team
autographs
posters
at
the
Bike
and
Bean
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Lance
Trappe
was
playing
around
doing
some
fantastic
stunts
and
shows
of
bike
riding
skill.
One
was
climbing
up
a
fence
and
then
reversing
back
to
the
ground.
The
fence
resembled
a
Western
wood
corral,
the
two
trials
guys
were
doing
things
that
looked
impossible
to
me.
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I
came
back
from
the
ride,
I
hung
with
the
mechanics
and
the
soigneur,
Stephanie,
for
a
bit
and
chatted.
I
learned
that
Stephanie
coordinates
all
the
Logistics
for
the
team
–
the
hotel
reservation,
travel
arrangements,
food,
etc.
Stephanie
is
also
the
Assistant
Team
Manager.
And
I
thought
the
soigneur
only
was
around
to
provide
massages
after
races.
I
also
learned
what
the
mechanics
do
at
a
race,
and
the
soigneur’s
responsibilities.
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Later,
after
a
brief
nap,
we
drove
to
Scott
and
Georgie
Montgomery’s
home
for
dinner.
Georgie
made
us
feel
very
welcome
and
we
enjoyed
and
excellent
meal,
including
a
delicious
assortment
of
desserts
Georgie
made.
The
team
was
there
and
all
the
journalists.
Jason
from
Velonews
rode
over
with
me.
Also
present
were
Bruce
Watson
from
ridedirt.com,
Jude
and
the
Magura
team,
Maurice
Tierney
and
Tanita
from
dirtragmag.com,
(plus
a
number
others
whose
names
and/or
cards
I
didn’t
get.
I
apologize
to
you
all.
If
you
send
me
an
email
I
will
update
the
report
with
your
names),
all
the
Cannondale
team
and
the
Volvo
folks.
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During
dinner
I
had
a
chat
with
Mike
Napieralski
who
explained
to
me
the
duties
of
a
head
mechanic.
Mike
is
responsible
for
not
only
the
maintenance
of
all
the
team's
bikes
but
also
the
travel
arrangements
for
the
trucks
(which
can
be
complicated
by
crossing
many
borders
in
Europe).
This
can
be
a
headache
when
you
might
have
to
deal
with
three
national
border
crossing
in
one
day,
which
must
be
accomplished
to
have
the
bikes
at
the
race
location;
complicated
by
passing
through
three
sets
of
Customs
inspections,
each
in
a
different
foriegn
language.
He
also
has
to
make
sure
to
see
that
the
shipping
and
receiving
of
parts
is
coordinated
for
each
race.
.
.
which
is
quite
a
trick
when
you
are
changing
your
location
daily
as
you
move
from
one
race
location
to
another.
A
big
job,
but
Mike
looks
every
bit
the
guy
to
pull
it
off.
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Towards
the
end
of
the
evening
Eric
Wallace,
Cedric
Gracia,
Mike
Napieralski
and
another
mechanic
tossed
each
other
in
the
pool.
.
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As
Eric
told
me
earlier
when
I
commented
what
a
fun
bunch
the
team
was,
"They
are
a
fun
group
but
when
they
hit
the
dirt
they
are
all
business,
totally
professional."
A
few
more
hours
hanging
around
the
fireplace
and
it
was
off
to
the
Hilton
hotel
for
a
good
nights
sleep
and
a
long
drive
to
Los
Angeles.
A
good
time
was
had
by
all,
and
I
really
appreciate
the
Montgomery’s
hospitality.
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A
personal
note
to
Chad
and
Dave
at
the
Bike
and
Bean:
I
meant
to
drop
by
for
a
parting
latte,
but
I
woke
up
early
and
decided
I
better
get
on
the
road.
Sorry
I
missed
saying
good
bye.
Watch
for
the
next
report,
Sedona
the
new
Mtn
Biking
Mecca,
in
which
I
will
try
to
give
you
all
the
websites
and
details
to
plan
a
vacation
in
Sedona
to
enjoy
the
over
220
miles
of
mtn.
bike
trails.
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My
next
excellent
adventure:
the
Sea
Otter
Classic,
so
I
can
keep
you
up
to
date
on
the
latest
major
Mtn.
Bike
competitions
and
the
Volvo
Cannondale
Team.
So
stay
plugged
in
and
I
will
see
you
on
the
road,
at
the
races
or
maybe
on
some
single
track
in
the
wilderness
of
California.
Just
remember
if
you
see
me
on
a
mountain
trail
to
give
me
some
room;
I’m
new
at
this
mountain
biking
and
my
instincts
are
still
telling
me
to
avoid
the
gravel.
Vaughn
Trevisanut
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(c)
2002
Daily
Peloton.
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