Levi Leipheimer

Levi Leipheimer (born October 24, 1973 in Butte, Montana) is an American professional bicyclist who rides with the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team. He previously rode for the German cycling team Gerolsteiner. [1].

His major results to date are 1st overall in the 2007 Tour of California (winning the Prologue and Stage 5 time trials), 1st overall in the 2006 Dauphiné Libéré, 1st overall in the 2005 Deutschland Tour, 3rd overall in the 2001 Vuelta a España, and three top-ten finishes in the Tour de France general classification. He currently resides in Santa Rosa, California, with his wife Odessa.

Early years

A competitive skier from age 12-19, Leipheimer originally began cycling in 1987 to train for downhill ski racing. He turned pro in 1997, and rode for Saturn in 1998 and 1999. He won the U.S. National Time Trial Championships in 1999, and was invited to join the U.S. Postal Service cycling team.

2001-2003

Leipheimer's breakthrough performance came in the 2001 Vuelta a España. He was riding exceptionally strong and was riding in support of his team leader Roberto Heras. Going into the last Individual Time Trial Leipheimer was in 4th overall and trailed his team leader by a few seconds. During that time trial Leipheimer showed his form was solid and improved his position over his team leader to finish 3rd overall.

Following his 2001 Vuelta a España podium finish, the Dutch team Rabobank recruited Leipheimer as a team leader. In 2002, his first year with the new team, Leipheimer finished eighth overall in his first ever Tour de France.

2004

After Lance Armstrong declined his spot, Leipheimer was selected to represent the United States in the 2004 Athens Olympics cycling road race. He did not finish.

2005

On August 23, 2005 Leipheimer won the Deutschland Tour title by 31 seconds ahead of T-Mobile's Jan Ullrich and Gerolsteiner teammate Georg Totschnig. He solidified his lead on the field by defeating Jan Ullrich in stage four on the climb of the Rettenbachferner, the highest climb in European racing that year at 8,760 feet (2,670 meters) above sea level.

2006

In 2006, Leipheimer started the season strong and was a favorite to win the Tour of California in February. Indeed, he took the golden leader's jersey on the first day by winning the time trial prologue up to San Francisco's Coit Tower, and retained it until Stage 2 when George Hincapie claimed the overall lead by earning a ten second bonus in the sprint finish in San José. Arriving in his hometown, Santa Rosa, in the lead at the end of Stage 1 was very special to him, his family, and his fans, tens of thousands of whom greeted and cheered him upon his arrival. Leipheimer remained competitive throughout the race (which was eventually won by Floyd Landis), and he won the competition for best climber.

After a several month hiatus from racing that Leipheimer spent mostly training at home in California, he emerged in June at the Dauphiné Libéré in excellent condition. Third place in the individual time trial coupled with a dominant performance on the stage that ended at Mont Ventoux, Leipheimer took the overall lead, donned the yellow jersey, and never relinquished it to become the first American since Lance Armstrong in 2003 to the overall (general classification) title at the 2006 Dauphiné Libéré.

Leipheimer faced high expectations in the 2006 Tour de France, especially when the main top contenders (including Ivan Basso and Jan Ullrich) were suspended from the Tour days before it started as a result of the Operación Puerto doping case. Because of this and Lance Armstrong's retirement, none of the top five General Classification riders from the 2005 Tour de France competed in 2006. Having placed sixth in 2005, Leipheimer was considered a top contender. However, a terrible performance in the stage 7 time trial that has been described as the worst time trial of Leipheimer's professional career put him five minutes behind the leader, squarely in the middle of the pack, and making a top 10 finish a challenge for him. Further losses in the first mountain stage hurt his chances further, and made even a top 20 finish questionable. But in the epic Stage 11, with five difficult climbs, a resurgent Leipheimer produced a strong second place finish, finishing with the same time as stage winner Denis Menchov and new race leader Floyd Landis. This result vaulted Leipheimer from 58th to 13th place, albeit still 5:39 behind Landis.

2007

Levi re-signed with his old team, Team Discovery Channel (The team name changed when US Postal ended their sponsorship of the team. A sponsorship agreement was signed with the Discovery Channel in 2005). In his first season riding with Team Discovery Channel since re-signing, Leipheimer was the team leader in the 2007 Tour of California. He repeated his Prologue win from the previous year on the same course, won the Stage 5 individual time trial, and held the race lead from start to finish, despite strong challenges from other ProTour teams. In the Paris-Nice stage race he supported teammate Alberto Contador, who won the general classification.

Santa Rosa History (The County Seat!)

Sonoma being the only town in the district, was named county seat when the legislature established counties after statehood in 1850. (Sonoma also included present-day Mendocino County until 1859.) Rivalry between Sonoma and fledgling Santa Rosa was a hot issue in 1854, when State Assemblyman James Bennett of Santa Rosa introduced a bill to let Sonoma County voters choose their county seat. Santa Rosa boosters Barney Hoen and Julio Carrillo pledged to donate land for a new courthouse. Even the Sonoma Bulletin admitted the Sonoma courthouse had it's failings, noting that officials ran "the risk of being crushed beneath a mass of mud and shingles, for we really believe it will cave in the next heavy rain".

To impress voters with the splendor of Santa Rosa, town fathers held a Fourth of July barbeque and fed everyone within voting distance, about 500 citizens. The shindig had the desired effect. In September 1854, 716 voted for Santa Rosa versus 563 for Sonoma. Santa Rosans feared Sonomans would not lightly surrender their court records. Slow moving bureaucracy was not the Santa Rosa style in those days. Following the vote, Jim Williamson hitched two mules to a wagon and in the company of county clerk N. M. Menefee, road into Sonoma, loaded up the dusty documents and took off for Santa Rosa, 22 miles away. The one-legged Memefee sat beside Williamson, occasionally prodding one of the mules with the end of his peg leg. In this fashion, the county records entered the new county seat full tilt. Williamson's charge for the 100 minute freight was $15.

After the hijacking, A. J. Cox, the wry voice of the Sonoma Bulleton remarked, We are only sorry they did not take the adobe courthouse along. Not because it would be an ornament to Santa Rosa, but because its removal would have embellished our plaza. Alas old casa de adobe. No more do we see county lawyers and loafers in general, lazily engaged in the laudable effort of whittling asunder the veranda posts, which by the way, require but little more cutting to bring the whole dilapidated fabric to the ground.

Howarth Park!

Santa Rosa has some of the very best community parks in the bay area. Howarth Park is a Santa Rosa Treasure!

Howarth Park is a 152-acre community park located at 630 Summerfield Road in eastern Santa Rosa. The park includes a lake for fishing and boating, a softball field, 6 lighted tennis courts, single and group picnic areas, miles of hiking and jogging trails which connect to the Bay Area Ridge Trail, and an amusement area with a miniature train ride, carousel, animal farm and pony rides.

The beautiful canopy of oak and redwood trees makes Howarth Park an ideal place for picnics. Barbecues and picnic tables are conveniently located throughout the park. Most picnic areas are available on a first-come, first-serve basis, however, select areas are available for reservations. For larger group gatherings there is a gazebo picnic area, which can be reserved for groups of 50 people or more. This location is ideal for picnics, featuring a large barbecue, eight picnic tables, two ten-foot tables, a covered gazebo, electricity, and accessible restrooms. In addition to its many amenities, the gazebo is located adjacent to a large lawn area and playground.

Three Lower Oak picnic areas are also available for reservation. These smaller group picnic areas are shaded by large oak trees and are the perfect place for family picnics.

You can also resreve a space for that special birthday party.

Reservations may be made at either the Steele Lane Community Center, 415 Steele Lane, (543-3282) or the Finley Community Center, 2060 W. College Ave (543-3737), at least ten days prior to the party date. There is a minimum of 10 children required to reserve the area. If additional children are added after the contract has been processed, the charge will be $10.00 per child. These additions must be made at least 7 days prior to the party date.

Fire Season Is Here!

It is that time of year once again! It is Wild Fire season! Look at what's going on in Lake Tahoe if you don't believe me!

We live in a very dangerous area as far as wild land firefighting is concerned. Our topography alone creates an almost wildland fire inevitability! We have dry hills in our parks and tons of fuel. Just one spark at the wrong time of day could be devestating!

There are some things that we can do to help prevent wildland fires in our area.

It kills me to see people throwing their cigarettes out of the car as they are driving down the street! First of all that's illegal. You can't throw stuff out of a moving vehicle. (Where's a cop when you need one!) Second, that just uglies up our city! I don't have a problem with someone who smokes, just don't subject others to your smoke or smoking waste! It is way cooler to have a clean city than it is to flick a cigarette but across 2 lanes of road.

Third, and most important, it can be a fire hazzard. If you flick your cigarette butt out of your window on Petaluma Hill Road near Yoland, you could start a grass fire that could be devestating. The same can be said about parts of highway 12 or Mark West Springs Road or Fountaingrove. If these areas catch fire because of a cigarette butt, we could have a conflagration that devistates our city!

Did I mention that I am a fireman? I know what I'm talking about!

I actually saw a man comming off of a trail at Spring Lake with a lit cigarette in his mouth. He flicked his nasty ol' butt hoping to make it into the lake. If that isn't bad enough, the butt didn't make it to the water. It landed in some dry grass and smoldered!

I picked up the butt and gave it back to surprised man and told him not to do that again! (I don't suggest that you do the same unless you are 6ft 5in and 235 pounds like me!)

As home owners, there is alot that we can do to help keep our homes safe in the event of a wild land fire.

Maintain a Survivable Space
"Things you can do today"

Clean roof surfaces and gutters of pine needs, leaves, branches, etc., regularly to avoid accumulation of flammable materials.

Remove portions of any tree extending within 10 feet of the flue opening of any stove or chimney.

Maintain a screen constructed of non-flammable material over the flue opening of every chimney or stovepipe. Mesh openings of the screen should not exceed 1/2 inch.

Landscape vegetation should be spaced so that fire can not be carried to the structure or surrounding vegetation.

Remove branches from trees to height of 15 feet.

A fuel break should be maintained around all structures.

Dispose of stove or fireplace ashes and charcoal briquettes only after soaking them in a metal pail of water.

Store gasoline in an approved safety can away from occupied buildings.

Propane tanks should be far enough away from buildings for valves to be shut off in case of fire. Keep area clear of flammable vegetation.

All combustibles such as firewood, picnic tables, boats, etc. should be kept away from the property

Addressing should be indicated at all intersections and on structures.

All roads and driveways should be at least 16 feet in width.

Have fire tools handy such as: ladder long enough to reach the roof, shovel, rake and bucket for water.

Each home should have at least two different entrance and exit routes.

If you are camping at Lake Sonoma or hosting a bar-b-Q at spring lake, make sure those coals are extinguished befor you leave!

Drench them with water and cover them with dirt!

Let's stay safe this summer!

Santa Rosa Thrives!

This blog and forum is for those who love Santa Rosa and want to see our city THRIVE!
Check back often as we will be updating this blog and forum weekly!

Welcome!