143: A Call to Arms, Of Sorts.

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!

128: What the Pros Do.

So, it should be known that I'm always on the quest for PRO. Is that not why we do this anyway?

I pester Molly Cameron about it all the time. What are you doing? How is your training going? Who is going to be the fastest this year? How can an average Joe like myself get to that next level?

These are just a few examples of the kinds of questions I have been known to ask.

So, I decided to ask Molly what she was doing on Saturday (small lie) to prepare for the first Cross Crusade Race on Sunday.

This was Molly's response:

I typically spend a few hours the evening before a big race in transcendental meditation. Connecting spiritually, as well as physically, with my machines and the pain I am about to experience the next day. This is followed by an olive oil bath, in the style of the ancient Romans.

After which I have 13 virgins scrape my body clean with small sticks they have found in the forest. While consuming my dinner (a tablespoon of lemon juice with a splash of tabasco), I'll intently study mixed martial arts videos for a couple hours, brush my teeth, then do 100 crunches before laying in bed. I'll call my coach (Adam Myerson) before I doze off and make sure my power is going to be good. Once he quells my pre-race nerves, I can rest. So yeah um, I've got a lot going on Saturday night, but I'll try to make it!

I guess one could say you heard it here first? But I am going to spend Saturday prepping for all of this. I was not aware that being a PRO was going to be this hard. Sigh. I guess they do have it hard, all the free bikes and electronic equipment must be justified.

Speaking of which, who's coming out to this?
See you soon.

067: Will Wolverine Ever Stop Screaming?

It has rained nearly every day that I've been here in Portland.

I kind of like it. It stops after about 15-20 minutes and has apparently been harder than usual. But that doesn't concern me as the weather has generally been pleasant.

Molly and I are back to hanging out. Somehow, and it didn't think that this would be possible, but it feels like we are back in Belgium. In fact right now, at this moment, we are sitting next to each other on her couch. Surfing the internet, looking at bike racing, talking about cyclocross (and Wolverine, Colossus, and Kitty Pride.)

Plotting. Scheming.

And the in between times are filled with bicycle riding...

Went to a City-Club of Portland meeting the other day. The dignitaries there talked about bicycles and their relation to this city. Local frame builders showed up to display their creations. Don't touch the food, just stand there.


The talk of an upcoming cyclocross season tends to filter into our everyday conversation. We then head to a bar-b-q with a local bike related company and play some vicious games of Ping-Pong with the local street-tuffs. I got stomped I admit it.

All in all, I've got no complaints...

So, I leave you with a few interesting links from the heart of the Interwebs:

1) Mr. Quirk put up an interesting Post on the What's New section of Competitive Cyclist. Gosh, sir, you're making me blush. See the last few sections of the post. Wait until you see what I've got cooked up for the Giro. It starts with an IRA and ends with a RYAN. Might happen. Might not. We shall see...

2) R. Vandermark is at it as well. Full on blush fest. Only this time I snorted out loud. A comparison with Eddy Merckx. Thanks Rob. I do have to say that I'll miss stopping by and chatting over at Seven. The bike that they made is for...

3) Rapha Continental and we're at it again. Check back frequently on this Road Journal. Some of the best dudes I've ever ridden with are out there slugging their way from Te-has...Keep at it Greg, Ryan, Rubi and the rest of the gang... I'll be seeing you shortly.

064: Belgium (and France) — end of the road...

"No Comment." Again.

Standing on the edge of the Velodrome...

It was a rare moment. I haven't been at a spot near such an excruciating race finale. For most of the riders their emotions preceded them. One step off the track and the rider Silence-Lotto's Johan Vansummeren started balling his eyes out and blubbering to his girlfriend in his native tongue (of German?) Seemingly unaware that we stood nearby offering our private console.



The Two Cofidis riders that came through (Florent Brard and Sebastian Minard) had to be my favorite. Sublime and a part of everything that was happening around him. Possibly the gravity of what had just been accomplished still sinking in to ones gut. Not to mention Minard's interesting tape job on the arms. Apparently this was simply to keep the jiggling and shaking of the muscles down. Some riders had taped their wrists and even their fingers as well.


Roger Hammond didn't even get off his bike until he did this sweet cyclocross manuever into the shower building. Way to go Rog'. Is everyone with me in thinking that this guy is an amazing hardman?

The comparision for myself comes from this past weekend and the Battenkill course there. I stood at the finish line wholely pleased with myself. Despite the conditions and mechanicals I was pleased with myself. However, my preference at this point was to wander off alone and smile at what had just been done.

These riders are faced with the lot of us standing and pointing cameras into their faces.

Which is better?

060: Belgium (and France) — Part Two: Paris Roubaix

This is the third spot that we set up our cameras. Sorry for the jerking around at the beginning of the clip. See the dirt rut at the side of the road? I don't know why I did not think that the riders would be utilizing that path. Only two days earlier, I was utilizing that path. Now, I was trying to stay out of the way of the riders.


I like the sound that the cars make over the cobbles. It doesn't come through entirely on the video, but they rumbled the hell out of that place. Well, I guess they didn't rumble the hell out of it, because it still looks like hell to me. I like this photo below because the Rabobank rider looks so off kilter and about to tumble over. He didn't.

Nothing to exciting happened over this section. Nothing exciting besides a bunch of badass PROfessional cyclists ripping over cobbles that is. However, the huge 15 person motorcycle crash was right at the end of this section of cobbles. It was a pretty gruesome scene, blood everywhere and people running around like madmen. The scariest part about it, and I have no idea how they got it all cleared out of the way in time, was that the rest of the field was bearing down on us as we slowed for the crash. I looked out the back window at one point and could see the roiling crowd of dust that was the peleton rounding the curve behind us.

Also included a little snippet of whats to come as far as actually driving on the cobbles. From here on out the crowd 'participation' stared to get a little hairy. As you can see in the video, they were lined up and ready to go...

013: Americans in Belgium.

I was surprised by the number of Americans, or North American's if you prefer, that were racing their bicycles over in Belgium. I tried to capture them the best I could with me little camera, but some of these bike racers are so damn elusive. Especially the women. For some reason not every race has a woman's race, or it goes off hours before the men. Strange?

In any case, here they are....and yes, I'm fully aware that I didn't capture everyone. I'm sorry, I'm only one guy here.

From Left to Right in a Clockwise Fashion:

Jonathan "the Hammer" Page: I don't think that's his nickname, since I gave it to him, but after watching him race over there it seems fitting. Plus he's kind of the "working man's" racer who's been over there doing it the longest.

Gavin Manion: Only got to see him race once, but he did pretty well. Pucci would be proud, yes he would. I bet Toby would too. I half expected to see Toby lurking at any corner, but alas...no go.

Jamey "stache" Driscoll: Was kind of disappointed that the 'stache went away during the course of the few weeks that I saw him race. This must be the penance you pay for not being in one of these cycling camps and having to take care of yourself.

Molly "the MC" Cameron: Of Course. Third year in Belgium. No big deal. Schooling everyone on the ice at Turvuren, no big deal. Doing it bigger and better next year. Big deal.

Ryan "Treefarm" Trebon: Haven't really had that much interaction with this guy. But he sure remains calm and cool in the start box. He even took the time to joke around with me before he got crashed out at the first race we were attended.

Georgia Gould: This woman is on fire. I saw her handily put away fields that not only included Wendy Simms (my heart skips a beat every time I type that) but Marrianne Vos (and Molly's skips a beat there.)

So, this is Yash and his lovely friend (or can we say finace now?) Meg. They're from the New World as well. In fact they live right down the street from me. That's what I call superfans, coming all the way across the pond to watch a few dudes get dirty. Yes Please.

Matt Shriver: Ok, don't really know much about this guy. Or anything. I'm sure he's nice though. Molly says so.

Jeremy Powers: He let me listen to his ipod once. I wasn't the same. I was a changed man after that. Jeremy had a few really great rides over there. Killing it. Kiiiiiling it. I'm psyched to see how he does at Worlds. And, as I do, he has a thing for Speculoos. Good man.

Totally Jazzy!

Local Pro, as in PRO, Adam Myerson decided that he hadn't had enough racing this past weekend and decided to drop by the Boldsprints the other night. Not only that, but I'm sure the crowd was "jazzed" when he shed a few layers to do so.

Now I'm just saying...racing elite cyclocross is a daunting task, but racing two days of elite cyclocross and then jumping on someone else's track bike to compete in front of a crowd. Not only was Adam psyched to do it, but he took his pants off for it as well...

You'll see that Adam is sporting only the finest threads. Starting it off right with his nod to the Euro scene with his navy blue Cyclo Cross beanie. Followed by a sporty pink Veloshop T-shirt and with a final touch of his x-small bannanna yellow undies which were stretched to the very limit of their moral fibers as he thrashed away.

Right before the start I asked Adam if he had done this before (implying that there might be a certain level of pain involved.) His response...

"No, but I've ridden at Trexlertown."

Hmm...The jury is still out on if that helps or not, but if you take a look at the above photos you'll see that Adam brought his elite level pain face.
Complete with lightning bolts shooting from his mouth.

What is interesting to note is that, while he may not have won the race between he and defending champion Tristan, he did win over the hearts of more than a few young ladies in the crowd, and something tells me were going to see him back for a rematch.