I found a journal from my very first trip during the iconic Tour de France. I was on a cycling tour with my son-in-law Stan in 2002. We were excited to wave the flag in support of our cycling hero, Lance Armstrong. Little did we know about all his involvement with performance enhancing drugs. I’ll share my journal. It is a bit of a novel and I hope you will have patience with me.

“THE PLAN: cycle some of the famous routes during the Tour de France with my son-in-law, Stan, and enjoy a French holiday afterwards with Marla and Stacy. REALITY: Torture, Pain, and a suffer-fest, on roads so narrow even goats would say ‘No.’

When we arrived in Ferney-Voltaire, outside of Geneva, I knew something wasn’t quite right…like where are all the fat guys? I’ve never seen as many lean and mean, fully ripped musculature outside of a Power Bar convention. And, not an unshaved leg in sight! This was not a good sign at all. I brought my bike with me, an Eddie Merckx titanium with Dura Ace groupset. It was humbled by all the Colnagos and Pinarellos. Stan asked, “Are we in the right tour group?” You could quickly see this was a very select group of guys! The brochure did say the tour was for “serious riders.” What I thought was “serious” proved to be a different thing all together.

My first spin out in the French countryside was great with small rural villages out of a postcard. When I got back to the hotel, I had to tighten the seat tube bolt…once…a little more…and “snap”…it snapped off. I was a little panicked, but I found a bike store with the part the next day. Phew! Thank goodness!

We were bussed to a very nice hotel on Lac Annecy; an incredibly beautiful lake surrounded by snowcapped alps. Stan was fitted on his rental bike (a nice Fuji aluminum frame with a triple front) in the late afternoon.

Around five PM we assembled for our first ride as a group. Stan and I both previously shaved our legs in the shower. Our guides, Xavier, a French triathlete, Mike, a superb athlete from Canada, and James, a great Canadian cyclist said we would take a little shake down spin. We hit the streets around the lake, then turned at sign pointing toward “Semnoz.” I looked at Stan with trepidation and said, “Let’s go!” It was supposed to be a voluntary ride, but we quickly learned there was no “voluntary” with our group. We immediately started climbing the steep road with 10% grades going to at least 15% in some places. Stan and I quickly separated from the group peloton. Up, up the mountain we went. I was starting to “blow up!” What happened to my 12 months of training? It was no time to feel sorry for my lack of power and youth. Finally, we made it to the summit of Semnoz, totally bonked and a little embarrassed for loosing contact with the main group. We learned later about 70% of our group had actually raced actively. Xavier said the route was an “HC” climb, or “Hors Categorie, or “beyond categorization.” Mountain routes are classed as either 3, 2, or 1, with HC as the toughest of climbs. Riding down the mountain back to the hotel I kept thinking, “Does this get worse?”

The next day was our first chance to see the Tour de France in person but first we had to climb the infamous Col de Madeleine, a HC category killer! It was a real thrill riding on the race route though gendarmes who kept telling us to get off our bikes. We walked a bit and then got back on when we were out of sight. Thousands and thousands of racing fans lined the road at places they staked out, often days in advance. They paint the names of their favorite riders on the road with large letters. There was “Ja Ja” for Jalabert, Verengue, Heras, and even one for our own “Lance.” It was an international party scene with people from France, Holland, Germany, Italy, Spain, and even a few from the U.S. Lots of beer drinking and loud cheers from the fans, waiting days only to view 5 to 10 minutes of racing! It was totally madness, and we were in the thick of it!

After watching the racers go by, we road back down the mountain to our bus. It was insane and hair raising (and a lot crazy) due to the downhill traffic jam as we were forced to ride down in the center lane! I’ve never done anything this nuts before! To be honest, I was scared shitless!

Stan and I had some fabulous rides through pretty villages, up the steep cols, speedy descents, and more knee-crunching hills, harder than anything we had ever experienced! A standing joke with our guides was about how hard a day’s ride would be. They would say something like,…”well today will be mostly flat with a few rollers.” We quickly learned “rollers” was code for at least a category 2 climb and plenty of steep hills.

In the Burgundy region near Bourg-en-Bresse and Macon we watched Lance Armstrong win the time trial with thousands of race fans. Each town near the start or finish of a race featured many exhibits showing what the area was known for. Stan fell in love with a baby calf in Macon!

“Ah…finally in Paris!” We took the TGV from Macon and checked into our hotel around nine. There was a note in our room from Marla and Stacy telling us to hurry up and meet them for dinner in a restaurant in the 16th arrondissement. The Sainz family, our good friends from Bouzy, had driven all the way to meet us for dinner. It was a wonderful evening and even greater to finally see Marla and Stacy! Francoise and Pierre even brought us a half case of their Champagne!

The next morning, we got up early for our first ride around Paris and even on the race route on the Champs-Élysées. We rode some extremely fast laps around the Bois de Bologne with a number of extremely avid cyclists! At one point I hit over 32 mph and this was on a flat surface. Stan grabbed my wheel and swung off to kick my butt. I was toasted! Riding back to our hotel Xavier swerved in front of me on a path inadvertently causing me to fall. “Ouch!” My knee was a bloody mess!

We showered and got ready for some V.I.P. treatment. Our tour company reserved two suites with balconies right in front of the race route on the Place de la Concorde. What an amazing experience! We all drank Taittinger Champagne (They owned the Crillon Hotel at the time) and watched Lance and his team ride around Paris on the final day. Lance now had his fourth victory! Our badges provided fabulous access to all the team vans and the finish. Even in the madness after the race Marla squeezed through the chaotic throng to get an autograph form U.S. Postal rider George Hincapie! This was such a great thrill for this velo fan! Marla and I along with Stacy and Stan dined that evening at Restaurant Paul in the Ile de la Cite. We were so happy and tired from the week cycling in France!

Our France adventure would continue with a stay at the fabulous “Le Prieve” in Villeneuve les Avignon. Our friends from Paris, Kathy and Philippe Auzas, along with his mother, drove down from Paris to join us. Dinner was magical at the Michelin one star restaurant with a symphony of cicadas serenading us at our garden table. It was a true delight! Next up is Cannes!

Cannes was glitzier than our last visit with all the Ferraris and Lamborghinis! One day we drove up to the hilltop village of Eze to celebrate Stan’s birthday at Chateau Eze. We had a dazzling view of the Cote d’Azur! At dinner Marla and Stacy regaled us with stories of their trip in Spain’s Costa del Sol. They were having a great time while Stan ad I were killing ourselves on the bike. They reluctantly shared a story about riding on the back of their hotel waiter’s motorbikes from a village fair at 1:30 in the morning! Well, Marla is grounded!

I want to give a special hug to Marla for all her support, push, and patience! Stan deserves a special award for what he went through to get ready! He was great! Stacy was a huge part of the equation for her coaching and total support!

Next year? What shall the next adventure be? I should concentrate on my flower garden…I wouldn’t count on it though!

For now…au revoir!”

Stan at beautiful Lac Annecy.

I’m at the summit of Semnoz.

The steep climb up to Semnoz offers great views of Lac Annecy. (Do you believe this was a warm up ride???)

Ready for a fast descent into Annecy.

Lunch break in the French Alps.

On the way to the Col de la Colombier.

Lance Armstrong before beginning his time trial in Macon.

The Sainz family drove to Paris from their home in Bouzy to have dinner with us! They even brought a half-case of their wonderful Champagne.

Taking a break while cycling in Paris.

Marla and I watch the final day of the Tour de France from our cycling company suite in the Crillon Hotel.

With our special passes we could get super access to the team buses.

Stacy and Stan wave Texas flags to support Lance at the finish.

I am sad Lance resorted to using performance enhancing drugs. I still loved the experience of being up close and personal with the excitement of the tour and being in the wonderful French countryside! It was an amazing experience!

Photos: Dick Gentry. Not to be used without permission.