Tour de Crawford & Peloton One

A read-out from Trent Duffy on the president's bike ride with Lance Armstrong at the ranch this morning:

POOL REPORT #1, 8/20/05:

Armstrong arrived at the ranch about 9:20 a.m., was greeted by the president, then went to the guest house, to the right of the president's house, and changed into his biking gear. The president, Armstrong and maybe 8 others (Trent was vague on the actual number) began biking at 9:30 a.m., for 17 miles. Halfway through they stopped at a waterfall, got off the bikes, and looked around.

The break lasted about 10 minutes; the president talked to Armstrong about recent rainfall in Texas. The two walked back from the waterfall, with the president telling Armstrong to be careful because Armstrong was walking down rocks.

The ride finished at 11:30 a.m. At the end, the president gave everybody commemorative red, white and blue riding shirts with Tour de Crawford on the front and Peleton One on the back. Bush also gave everybody red, white and blue riding socks with the presidential seal on the inner ankle. Then he said, "Okay, let's go swimming.'' The group apparently then jumped into the pool before lunch.

The president was dressed in his Pearl Izumi riding shirt, the same as last week. Armstrong wore his regular biking gear, and was in blue and white and shirt. Both Bush and Armstrong rode Trek bikes, type not known.

There will be a photo release from the White House of the ride. As the picture was taken, Bush said, "He's a good rider.'' There were no reporters present, although the Discovery Channel shot footage of the ride for a three-hour special on Lance Armstrong to air Aug. 26 or 27 or both.

Trent says Bush was in the lead on the ride. Others in the group included the Secret Service and Paul Morse, the White House photographer. Joe Hagin took the picture.

Armstrong and Bush have ridden together before, but Trent says he doesn't know when. They have not ridden together on the ranch. They've been friends for a while; Trent didn't know how long.

Now they're eating lunch, no menu provided.

Elisabeth Bumiller
NYT


I wonder if Lance Armstrong rode his US$10,000 Trek Madone SSLx bicycle (that's a boron-reinforced carbon fiber frame) used in the 2005 Tour de France.