Back in the early to mid 90s my company, (Dialogic) a hi-tech communications company, purchased a smaller less known company called GammaLink. I was asked to be a part of the team to integrate this new acquisition into our company. On my visit to the Santa Clara based company I had the opportunity to meet several of the employees. Since I was heavy into mountain biking at that time I also asked the locals if there was a good bike shop around where I could rent a bike to take on the famous Marin trails. Later that day I was taken to the product certifications department where I was told there was someone who could help me find a bike. I was introduced to a gentleman named George Mount. Now I was a MTB person who had ridden some road bikes but knew nothing of their history or of the sport. I was into my balloon, Sting Ray and antique period and pretty much ignored road bikes. This guy George asked me what kind of riding I wanted to do. I told him that I wanted to ride mountain trails. He said that he could fix me up with one of his bikes and would bring it in the next day.
That next day George arrived with a top of the line Richey MTB fully decked out and a beautiful red, white and blue paint job. I told him that I was reluctant to take his ride because I might damage such a fine bike on the trails. My ride at home was worth about an eighth of what this bike must cost. George laughed and said it would be okay because he has a lot of bikes that he gets for free. It seems he was writing reviews for Velo News a paper I have heard of but never really bought a copy. I really gave it no more thought and accepted the bike and took it out on the trails including Mt Tam, at Georges recommendation, and had a blast. I pretty much wore myself out on that trip and was amazed how much more reliable and comfortable this bike was compared to mine. After a week of abuse I took the bike to my hotel room and cleaned, polished and lubed it to make it respectable before I returned it.
The day I gave the bike back to George he asked how I liked the bike and I gave it my praises. He then took the bike and threw it in the back of his pick up truck and I gasped. It was like someone just kicked my best friend. I wanted to seek the authorities to punish this person for assault on this fine machine. I soon overcame that feeling and offered to buy him dinner for his loan of the bike and he accepted. We drove to his place, somewhere in the Palo Alto area to drop off the bike and pick up his wife. We dined in some local micro brew and enjoyed a fine meal, good conversation and some pretty great brews as I recall. All the time he never mentioned to me his biking accomplishments and I was too stupid to know of it on my own. I did know that he had legs like tree trunks that obviously came from miles in the saddle but that was the extent of my knowing anything of his history. We kept in touch for a little while and he eventually left the company to seek greener pastures. I wish I had a second chance at that point in time. I am sure that he probably enjoyed a person who could ride a bike and not dwell on his past but just have a great night out on the town. Funny how things like this can happen in life. In a small way after I found out who he was I started to read more about him and began to get more involved with road bikes. This event combined with the fact that I found a good friend at about that same time who was a roadie shop owner/mechanic helped. After he heard my GM story he asked if I could get him an autograph. I declined, after all the time we had together was not as a fan but as a friend and I wanted to keep it that way.
Ray Homiski
Elizabeth, NJ