Just because everyone is out in Richmond, does not mean that things are not happening on the homefront. Ever wondered what Portland Bicycle Studio was all about? How about wanting to have Molly Cameron autograph the latest copy of CX Magazine? All of this can be yours and more next Monday night. And I am really hoping to get a one on one demo of the new winter helmet cover by Lazer. That thing looks sah-weet. I think.
There will also be some Ridley bikes on hand. Including, I'm told my Embrocation Racing Ridley X-Fire (however you want to say that is fine.) Take a look here if you are wondering what I am talking about.
Went riding with Molly last weekend and captured a few photos of this wild beast out of her normal PBS kit, but rest assured, it is still her. Josh Creem is responsible for the CycloSportif kit, but unfortunately the Waffle Coming out of the pocket (my favorite) is no longer available. Only the classy Belgian inspired one. If you have not seen Josh before, or smelled his delicious waffles wafting over the cross courses around the NW keep an eye out for him this summer. He is also a pretty damn good spinter and what one might call a "crit monster." And then, as soon as the weather starts to bite again he will be back behind the waffle maker.
Now, I know that what you were expecting today was the start of some NAHBS coverage and that is all well and good. But you will have to wait until tomorrow when I go under cover to get some of the set up of all the glorious booths. Now sleep.
I hesitated for a moment before putting this video up. I had not watched it for a few weeks and I thought, well, maybe the time to talk about Cross Vegas has passed. Then I watched it again and I thought, you know, maybe there are some timeless messages that should come from this. And getting this video out there into the world is the best way to do just that.
Good things that could come from this:
1) Peter Tachelet, the man in the video could become a world famous Belgian bike builder*. He already holds the record for the fastest complete build in the Ridley factory. This is no joke. I will be looking back through my notes to find this exact number, but I know that it is mind-blowingly fast. It does not include cutting the steerer tube though. Please, that is personal.
2) That Mr. Tachelet will welcome me back into his home. Remember last year when I was phoning in updates from the heart of Belgium? Well, I was doing it from the cozy couch of this man and none other. I cross my fingers and pray every night thinking of the many nights that he forced me to eat those delicious frites (read that because it alludes to Molly's Greatness*) and drink every alchoholic beverage under the sun. Ha! You should have seen us sprint the half mile from the (only?) bar in town to his house on New Years Eve (we got lost).
Wow, I'm getting a little...what is the word? Verklempt? Over here. And while we are reminiscing I thought I should show you this image, which was actually the first ever place holder for the Embrocation Website a couple years ago. I then made these into flyers and handed them out at the N.A.H.B.S. a couple years ago here in sunny Portland. I think that it is safe to say that Embro was just a twinkle* in my eye at that point.
Not quite sure who that is? Well, I took the liberty of updating it for you....
Better? And if you are still not sure, then this should jog your memory. Molly, you're like Samson (not the gorilla, the biblical figure that was Sampson) you cannot cut that hair. Samson and Dellilah was sort of like a "David and Goliath" type story, with shears of some sort.
Moving on (is anyone still with me?)
3) Portland Bicycle Studio will not be able to keep up with the demand for those hot T-shirts and Belgium and Holland will quickly run out of Speculoos. Not quite sure what Speculoos is? Well, me either. Although Steven Hunter did this post last year(featuring Peter, or "P" as he's more affectionately known - but when they say it, it sounds like "Peh"). Hopefully that helps, but somehow I am sure that it will not.
4) This last one is important. Maybe, just maybe Cross Vegas will heed the words of Tachelet and A) Crown he and Gino Vervecken (no relation) Co-Mayors of Cross Vegas and then they could promptly B) add more beer dispensing options. Possibly our good pal Brian Worthy could be the Secretary of Awesome? Check out his van over at this post on the Freeman Transport blog. I want that Van.
So, the way I see it, only good can come from having this video out there in the world. People will get famous, crowds will have their beer, Belgians will be happy. And from the looks of the Euro-Pro scene going on over there. Do whatever you can to make those guys happy.
*ps- did anyone read Brendan Quirk's What's New this week? Calling for an end to PRO?
Excuse me?
Seriously man, I am not as attached to it as you might think, but for gods (or Sampson's) sake...Do not do this to your people. It is not something you or anyone can just go adding to your banned list of goods. It is not a word to be bought or sold on the pages of the web.
It is however, something to be sought after, something to suffer (and strive for?) in the trenches for years for just one fleeting glimpse. A flash of sunlight through the trees, slight downy soft hairs on the tanned leg of your parking lot princess? A hot cup of sugary sweet tea at the end of a long day in the saddle? Whatever PRO may be - PRO is out there. And then, sort of like that original Saquatch video, it is gone and all you are left with is a memory, or was it a dream?
Which is when you pick yourself up and start the search all over again. Hoping, wishing, dreaming for just another glimpse.
So, I implore you. Don't Do this. I am calling you to rescind Banned Word #4 and I'll leave you with two very important reasons as to why you should not ban this word PRO. One of them is more important than the other. I can't decide which though.
1. People will listen to you and give up on their quest for PRO, whatever that may be. And that is very bad. In fact I'm hoping that I got to you soon enough that we have not lost too many already...
2. Mark my words Radio Freddy will be back. I believe. Come on Buddy, you can do it!
(Look at above photo while you read this next part. Maybe print and hold it above your computer for desired effect.)
Humanity versus Humility. Who wins? The robots. That is who wins. Haven't you seen Terminator Salvation? Shit people, the robots always win. Know why? No emotion.
That is part of a larger debate than I'm willing to go into at this moment. Instead I'm forced to just slog on ahead, doing only what I know to be true. But, why is that always the hardest?
We do this because we like to ride bikes right? And I absolutely love to ride this bike. It has my name on the top tube. Which really means I love it. There are others out there that look like it, but none of them are mine.
Volume 4 should be to you shortly. I'm counting down the days at this point. Can't wait to see what it looks like. The humanity. Can't wait to see where I can improve. The humility. Is there in fact anything else happening in the world at the moment? Besides a buildup to cross that is.
Went and helped out Molly* and Russell with their weekly Cyclocross Skills Clinic. It was nice. I even put some new white bar tape on my Igleheart Cyclocross bike. Don't look too too closely at the photos though, because I suspect you'll see some dirt from last year's Ice Weasel Cometh race that Crossresults.com put on. And that was last year.
Also, here's a nice shot of the "Cross" Fire by Ridley. After Steven's little pronounciation blunder (you people don't let us get away with anything do you?) it was a much debated subject. After I told Steven that the masses were decidedly upset at his calling the bike an "X" Fire instead of "Cross" Fire he pointed out "well, if Ridley wanted it to be called "Cross" wouldn't they have rotated it a bit, made that symbol, well, more like a Cross than an X? Just a thought." And these, friends are the hotly contested items of the day.
*this blog post contains no mention of Steven Beardsley.
