Dan and Shannon Morgan
Photo #1 Dan, his wife Elaine and their son Shannon came over to join me again this summer only with a new twist. Last year we did all alpine climbing, but this year Shannon , who still loves climbing, has also become impassioned by cycling and bike racing. So we planned to do some mountain riding and ride a stage of the Tour de France as well as a little climbing. The first few days were spent riding around my home town in Villars , Switzerland . The Tour de France came through there in 1997 on the way up the Col de la Croix. So, we rode a few days in the area, visiting the World Cycling Center which houses a brand new velodrome, an extensive cycling library, the UCI world headquarters, and hosts young cyclists from around the world in training camps. There is a great restaurant there too. We raced an uphill time trial at Grone where Shannon and I got to test ourselves again two Tour de France riders, Phonak’s Alex Moos and Johann Tschopp. Check out our results on www.swiss-trophy.ch and click on Grone.On the last day in Switzerland we rode the famous Col de La Croix and Col de Pillon on the way to Lenk.
Photo #2 As you can see, it was a little rainy. On the way up you could still see paint on the rode from the ’97 Tour. That was the year Jan Ullrich won and his name was still visible.
Photo #3 We made it to the top. Time to bundle up and head down to Les Diablerets before our second col.
Photo #4 Climbing up the Col de Pillon was a little colder.
Photo #5 But we were welcomed at the top to hot chocolate. There is a rustic log restaurant up there in the mist.
Photo #7 Then we arrived in Lenk where we visited and old college friend of Dan’s who started a school there called The Winter Term and Hohliebi Educational Programs. Check it out on the internet.
Photo #8 Then we headed to Chamonix and had some nice weather for climbing.
Photo #9 Back to the bikes on the last few days to watch the Tour de France. We rode up the Courchevel finish on Stage 10 to watch Lance Armstrong and the boys in blue. Here is a long lasting break about to get gobbled up on this uphill finish to Courchevel.
Photo #10 The blue train doing their work at the bottom of the climb. This stage was pivotal for Lance as he and his team had a textbook day and although he didn’t win the stage he put major hurt on his rivals. Thanks to the Morgan’s for these great photos.
