I'm sorry for the quality of the photo. It was taken with a phone. It makes me think of one of those old Sasquatch photos. Grainy, yet you know exactly what is going on there (man in a furry suit). Kidding, we all know that is real.The New Embrocation Cycling Journal is here. And shipping. And looking amazing! Any of the back-orders that people have been waiting on. Well, they're going out the door today and tomorrow. Rather, they went out today and more of them will be going out tomorrow. You get the idea.
Yesterdays News Today!
Ira and Graeme have been in France lately for the CCC, otherwise known as the Cent Col Challenge. Initially I thought to myself. Well that sounds pretty friggin hard. I do not know if I could do that. How would Ira be able to train for something like this? Would he up his mileage? Start sleeping on the cold hard floor of his new house? Smash his knees and elbows into oblivion in preparation for the shattering climbs? What indeed would he do?
I went on a ride with him once before he left. We got to mile 45 and were so loopy climbing up through the trees that he mentioned "maybe the tree's have got it all figured out, we (humans) just keep racing around trying to get away from everything and they just stay rooted (pun intended) to the ground. Looking, watching (judging-bastards)." We had a good laugh and then continued on our merry way.
Then I reminded him that in a few short weeks he would be doing ten climbs a day that were ten times harder than what we were doing currently. He got that stone-faced look on and started plugging away at the miles. Jeesus, sorry.
Then, today, I get this in my inbox with the attached message.
Hey Jeremy, Ira asked me to send these your way, here he's sporting Embro socks on the Col de Madeleine, and below are my legs all-'Belgique' if you will at the end of the ride. filth and waffles. We're having a whale of a time here, wish you were here -a bien tot mon amies, Graeme
This is what I get? I try to help you train for the big miles. The largest hills that you've ever faced, and I'm left to wonder "are they even riding anything at all?" They could be just puttering around for all I know, from Waffle stand to Waffle stand. Eating tasty Belgian treats and slatering goo all over their legs. Graeme! Ira! this is not what we trained for. Back to work.
Ira, I like your socks. But something tells me we might have something new coming along in the next couple of weeks.
Rapha's response to this has been equally astonishing. Here these gentlemen are pouring out their hearts (stomachs) and souls (again, stomachs) and all our counterparts can do is make a mockery of their trials and tribulations by making it into some kind of a joke. (Actually I'm rather liking the editing of the videos - and Joe - have you been losing weight?) Feel free to get back to me whenever you wish on that one, because I'm sure you haven't been sleeping after that little bout with espresso.
More after the jump...
