# Cribs: Levi Leipheimer & Odessa Gunn



## T-shirt (Aug 15, 2004)

I was just searching the web and this came up. The article is about a pro cyclist, but not about pro cycling. I'm not sure if I should post this here. I was just surprised to see an article like this.

Article link
*At home with Levi Leipheimer and Odessa Gunn*

*Champion cyclist: He spends half his year living -- and training -- in the Santa Rosa area*


Anh-Minh Le, Special to The Chronicle
Saturday, June 23, 2007


While the incline leading to his Santa Rosa home might intimidate some, cyclist Levi Leipheimer doesn't even break a sweat. 

"The hill up to our house is nothing for Levi," said his wife, Odessa Gunn. "He wouldn't even call it a hill." 
After all, he's faced some steep terrain during his 10-year professional career. To win the Tour of California earlier this year, he climbed Telegraph Hill to Coit Tower and pedaled from Mill Valley up Mount Tamalpais. 

During next month's Tour de France, he'll once again tackle the Alps and Pyrenees. His cycling resume includes three top-10 finishes in the prestigious race. This year, as one of the leaders on the Discovery Channel team, he is considered a favorite to finish on the podium in Paris. 

But on a recent spring afternoon, Leipheimer and Gunn were dealing with more mundane tasks, including unloading groceries from their SUV into the refrigerator and pantry. 

They didn't need to stock up too much, since later in the week the pair would leave Santa Rosa for a three-month stay in Europe. Because of Leipheimer's training and racing schedule, they live in Girona, Spain, about an hour northeast of Barcelona, for half the year. 

Despite the Spanish city's charming cobblestone alleys and cycling-friendly surroundings, the couple prefer spending time in Santa Rosa. Their 5-acre property boasts oak trees, a creek and a recently installed 1.5-acre dog run. "It feels like you're in the country, and it's very quiet," Leipheimer said. 
The two-story house, which was built in 1991, features a wraparound deck on each level that allows them to enjoy the landscape. 

"We had a beautiful home before this one, but it was a lot different," Gunn said. "It was in a cul-de-sac with a lot of other homes. This place is 100 percent private." 

Yet the 5,000-square-foot abode, which they purchased late last year, is just a few minutes' drive from downtown Santa Rosa and all of the conveniences available there, including shops such as the Bike Peddler and NorCal Bike Sport. 

Before back injuries sidelined her own cycling career, Gunn raced for Team Timex-Cannondale. She still rides about two hours daily, while Leipheimer is on his bike anywhere from two to seven hours every day. 

The two met in 1997 at a World Cup cycling event in Philadelphia. "I was living out of a suitcase, racing my bike," she recalled. "Levi sent me an airline ticket to come out and visit him, and I never left." In 2000, they married in his native Montana. 

When Gunn opens her front door to invite a visitor inside, the home's small canine residents -- Bandit, Smokey and Trooper -- immediately make their presence known. Even with their barking and jumping, it's hard to overlook the fact that behind Gunn the living room is nearly empty. It's occupied by a pair of rocking chairs, a small side table and a couple of large pots. 

Smokey doesn't seem to mind. Taking advantage of the open space, he scrambles around the room, chasing down a small yellow ball. The floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace, vaulted ceilings and picture windows further dwarf the Chihuahua. 

There was a time when Gunn had a plan for the room. "I was going for a Southwestern theme," she said. "But then Levi came home from a race and said he didn't really like Southwestern, so this room is at a standstill." Although the specifics are undecided, they agree that it will eventually be a sitting and reading room with no television. 

In contrast, the adjacent dining area is fully furnished. The dark wood table and upholstered chairs were purchased from Z Gallerie, one of Gunn's favorite stores. 

When asked about her decorating style, Gunn didn't hesitate: "I like country homes. I love anything farmhouse," she said. 

Sprinkled throughout the house is her growing collection of rooster figurines. In the dining room, a metal statue stands several feet tall. On the windowsill behind the kitchen sink is a row of colorful ceramic roosters. 

Aside from his objection to the Southwestern motif, Leipheimer doesn't concern himself too much with the home's decor. "I like the location; it's great for my training," he said. "And the function of a house matters to me ... hardwood floors make a lot of sense." 

When he and Gunn bought the house, there was wall-to-wall white carpeting. But it proved impractical, given their menagerie: the three dogs (rescue dogs that are "mostly Chihuahua," said Gunn), eight cats (two are foster) and a pet mouse. 

They replaced the upstairs' carpeting with hardwood, and they plan to do the same downstairs. "With 12 animals running around," said Gunn, "we clean about three pukes a day." 

Throughout the house, the artwork falls into one of two categories: animals (usually paintings) or cycling (photographs). A painting of a horse's head commands attention in the stairwell down to where the guest rooms and offices are. 

Gunn's office reveals her main passions: "I'm all about arts and crafts and animals," she said. A sewing machine -- which she uses to make dog accessories and to alter her own clothing -- sits on her table. In the corner is an oversize cat tree that nearly touches the ceiling. The wall is decorated with six cat paintings, the work of artist and fellow Santa Rosa resident Sheryl Chapman. 

In Leipheimer's office, the walls are lined with framed brightly colored jerseys. They are mementos from some of his major cycling successes: the 2005 Tour of Germany, the 2004 Olympics in Athens (signed by his teammates), the 2006 Dauphiné Libéré, the 2002 Route de Sud and February's Tour of California. 
Gunn would like to turn one of the three guest bedrooms into a mudroom. She routinely uses the room's sliding-glass door to access the expansive yard. Plus, she reasons, three guest rooms may be excessive. "We don't want three rooms full of guests at one time -- ever," she joked. 

Back upstairs, in the master suite, there are four beds: Gunn and Leipheimer's, as well as three small green beds underneath a window. These are for the dogs. "It's an example of how spoiled they are," he said. 

The Ikea doll beds, which are covered in pink blankets, sock monkeys and other plush toys, were a gift from a friend. Gunn has since purchased additional ones for their home in Spain. The dogs travel with her at all times, while a house sitter watches the cats when she and Leipheimer are out of town. 

Three framed dog photos hang above the couple's headboard. Carpeted pet steps allow Bandit, Trooper and Smokey easy access to the couple's bed, where a smattering of their toys lies on a faux fur blanket. 

With its oversize couch and black leather massaging chair -- a gift from Discovery -- the open kitchen and family-room area is all about relaxation. A large flat-panel TV is next to the brick fireplace. Nearby, on the breakfast nook table, are two laptops. "This is where we are all the time," Gunn said. 

That is, when they're not preparing for a race. The couple's bikes are kept in the three-car garage, along with two SUVs and a red scooter. During their motor-pacing sessions, she rides the scooter while he follows on his bike. 

Oh, and the pet mouse is also in the garage. 

Their combined eight bikes are neatly lined up on a far wall. Hers are easy to spot; they're pink. His fleet includes two race bikes, a time-trial bike, a road bike that's equipped with fenders for the rain and a mountain bike. 

Although today he's a world-class cyclist, Leipheimer started out as a competitive skier. Growing up, his parents owned a ski-and-bike shop in Butte, Mont. In the winter, he skied; in the summer, he cycled to keep his legs strong. Eventually, he found himself doing more of the latter. 

It's now been 11 years since he hit the slopes. "I'm cycling year-round," he said. "There will be time for other things when I retire." 

Although it was cycling that brought him to Santa Rosa a decade ago, Leipheimer can see himself staying in the Sonoma County city even when he's no longer competing. And Gunn certainly has enough ideas for the house to keep herself busy for years to come. Next winter, she hopes to start construction on a barn to house horses and goats. 

"Our home doesn't fully reflect us yet," she said, "but I've been working hard on it since we moved in a few months ago. It takes time, money and years. And we don't want to rush; we want to do it right." 
In the meantime, there's a certain race in France to focus on. By the end of July, perhaps there will be another yellow jersey to add to the wall in Leipheimer's office. 

_Anh-Minh Le is a frequent contributor to Home&Garden._


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## Mosovich (Feb 3, 2004)

*That's interesting...*

it's cool to get to see a little personal action by our stars..


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## Guest (Aug 22, 2007)

"1.5 acre dog run" - now those dogs are living the high life! 

Thanks for the post


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## OldEndicottHiway (Jul 16, 2007)

Hey, fun post. 

You couldn't pay me to live in Ca. and yes, been thru it and stayed there many times, but it sure looks like nice digs they've got.


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## I am The Edge (Jul 27, 2004)

OldEndicottHiway said:


> Hey, fun post.
> 
> You couldn't pay me to live in Ca. and yes, been thru it and stayed there many times, but it sure looks like nice digs they've got.



yeah, it sucks here. please continue to visit and then leave immediately.

k, thx.


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## OldEndicottHiway (Jul 16, 2007)

Oh there there now, Mr. Edge. I'm glad you are in a place you like to be, and at the rate everyone is fleeing California, you'll soon have it all to yourself.


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## bas (Jul 30, 2004)

Mosovich said:


> it's cool to get to see a little personal action by our stars..


odessa baby!!

will she leave him ?


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*looks like he lives*

just North of Santa Rosa proper on the hills looking west


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## smokey422 (Feb 22, 2004)

I think it's cool that Levi and Odessa love pets and have several. I'm going to watch Levi in the Tour of Missouri in a few weeks.


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## Dr_John (Oct 11, 2005)

What's funny is Levi got more coverage in the Home and Garden section of the SF Chronicle than in its sports section on his way to a podium finish for the Tour.


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