Hi all, Mitch here. Things are going really well here. Per Ryan’s post we all had some success at that criterium in Staden (the next town over, which is a bit bigger than ours) as six of us tested our metal against a really fast field of competitors. It was kind of funny to be racing our bikes after a long day of walking around Bruge, as being on your feet all day is definitely not the recommended race prep, but with such an exciting racing scene it seemed that we weren’t too worried about any soreness in our legs and were just content to be a part of the action. I was really happy to be out racing and it turned out to favor my results. The course was a 1.4k loop in town that blistered through the town square where a carnival and party scene was set up for the town’s people. The race played out the same way as before—hard out Belgian racing diminishing the field size rapidly. Early in the race I went out on the attack with a rider from Team Quickstep’s developmental team and the Elite Belgian National Champion. As one would expect—these guys were rippin’ fast. Damn! It was a good breakaway. The three of us worked well together all grabbing two primes a piece before being caught again by the group. It took a while to recover from that, but about half way through the race I found myself out on the attack again. Unfortunately when things settled again I didn’t have any teammates with me, but I was lucky to have found my way into a lead group of 10 riders which proved to be the winning selection. This group worked well getting though a good chunk of the remaining laps before the attacks started again. I really began to feel my legs hurting at this point and as such missed the next winning move. I stayed in the second group on the road and finished the race in 9th place. I was extremely pleased with the results. I ended up getting a lot of nods of approval and smiles from the other lead racers and the town’s people after the race. Also, my efforts earned me $45 Euros for Trips for Kids. Sweet!!!
Yesterday we took pretty easy—a short ride and a trip to a huge Cycling Museum in Rosslare which is our nearest big city (about 12 km away). It’s so amazing being in a place that appreciates our sport so much. At home, there’s nothing even close—no offense to any of your support. ☺ We also celebrated our teammate Gavin’s 21st birthday—and my friend Judd’s arrival. We had a backyard barbeque and enjoyed a few Belgian ales (so tasty) and some great French wine for a quarter of the cost you’d pay at home.
Today we all woke up a bit late, but by 1:30 we were headed out to a Kermis in a town about 12 km to the west (I can’t remember its name). We showed up to find the same amazing race scene. Weird, but my result from Tuesday meant that I was among the horses pooled in the circle of betting going on among the town’s people. I had never even been to this town before? I found that the odds were twelve to one against me. I’m leaning more about this as we go, but it seems the whole region is really dedicated about following the racing—the gents especially pay close attention to us racers with hopes to win some extra beer money while picking a winner. We foreigners are especially interesting as the ones who figure us out first can apparently make a killing. The 110km race started at 3:30pm. This one was extremely hard as there was tons of heavy wind exposure on all but one leg of the 6km loop. There were also a few sections of cobblestones in some of the tight corners in town. Wow!
The race played out as usual, attacking, attacking, attacking and eventually a selection left the field shattered with a smaller group charging hard off the front. Ryan and I were the only two from our team to make this selection. ☺ It seems Ryan’s cold has lost its grip. ☺ We rode really strong together and contributed a great amount to our groups eventual success. This is important, as we want to make friends with as many of our competitors as possible. The less Flemish you hear being yelled in your direction the better! These guys are also known to chop your front wheel (a method used to crash you out) if they get frustrated enough. Fortunately we’re doing well enough adjusting to this racing style that none of this was a problem today. We’re actually getting a helping hand (a push from behind) from time to time. Today was a really god race. Despite being really hard I rolled in with the second group on the road for 11th. Ryan rolled in a smaller group a little ways behind mine for 13th. We were both up to as good as nine to one odds in the betting at times and both received some prize money. Another $25 Euros for Trips for Kids!!! They made me take a picture with one of local hot shots when I received my winnings. Also weird! When all was said and done—another really good day!
Tomorrow is another Kermis in the afternoon. After the race we’ll be rushing home so we can go be spectators at professional rally race (Subaru and other all-wheel drive race cars) which will be taking place on some of these crazy roads back towards the French border about 30km away. The cars will race over the Kemmelburg. This is the extremely rough up, then down hill section of cobble stone road that we went out to ride the other day (from the famous pro cycling race Ghent Wevelgum). The hill has a section with a 23 percent grade and it’s absolutely crazy. Saturday we’re off to Brussels for an off the bike tourist day. Sunday a criterium. What a life! We’ll keep you posted.
Now some good links for you all...
The link for results posted here in Belgium...
http://www.wielerbondwestvlaanderen.be/
And a couple links for Photos loaded onto teammate Elliot's facebook...
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2070348&l=54e1d&id=1111072
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2070346&l=43ec7&id=1111072
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Sorry no photos yet...
...We're working with somewhat limited resources when it comes to internet and computer usage over here, so it's been difficult as of yet to upload pictures. But rest assured, we've been doing some serious photo journalism and we think you'll all enjoy some of what we've captured as soon as we sort things out and get everything up and running. Stay tuned!!!
Ryan's First Race
Damn. These Belgians are tough as nails.
I had my first race yesterday in the small town of Staden, only a few K from Westrozebeke. The race didn't start til 6:45 in the evening so everyone could get off work and enjoy it. It was more like an American criterium than the first race the guys did, and they all assured me this was easier. I don't know how thats possible, as I was about ready to die during the whole thing. Belgian racing is just different. People just attack like its the end of the world and keep going. The whole race is basically an attack every minute until sometime after a hundred serious attacks or so a group finally materializes. I don't know how you ever learn to pick the winning move out of all the hundreds, but I guess the really gooe people just know.
Sign in took place in a bar in a soccer complex so people could use the locker rooms and all. Its quite a sight. There are maybe 6 officials sitting at a table, all in uniform, and the whole thing looks terribly legit. The course was 50 laps of a 1.4 K loop that went right through the downtown square. There were booths selling treats of all kinds, the bars were hopping and there was even a carnival ride. As the race went past residential areas every house was barbequeing and I saw more than one garage with a keg in it.
The race itself was just brutal. People had told me that everyone goes balls to the wall until the field is pulverized and I didn't want to end up on the wrong end of that, so I was slaying myself early on. Turns out that these Crit style races are a bit different, so when things finally went I was too blitzed to go. Oh well. This race was an invitational and a step up from the first one, so the field was pretty strong. We have a picture we'll ahve to post of Mitch railing through a corner between a Quick-Step development rider and the Elite Champion of Belgium. Pretty insane. I'll let Mitch give his own account of the madness, but all I know is when the dust settled he was up the road with 8 other guys and I was dying trying to stay with the group. I made it to the finish and got a chance at what might be my only field sprint this whole month... but alas! I was so fired up to be sprinting instead of just suffering that I jumped with 400 meters and after an initial gap I got thouroughly swarmed. Oh well. I'm happy to have finished, and even happier to report that I've won my first contribution to Trips For Kids!
Thats right! The hardest 27th place I've ever gotten was good enough for 10 Euro, and thats going to the kids! With any luck thats just hte first of much more to come.
After finally hopping into a race I truly realize what a gift it is to be over here. There is no question that this is the heart of cycling and its something that I absolutely had to do to call myself a real cyclist. Thank you all so, so much!
I had my first race yesterday in the small town of Staden, only a few K from Westrozebeke. The race didn't start til 6:45 in the evening so everyone could get off work and enjoy it. It was more like an American criterium than the first race the guys did, and they all assured me this was easier. I don't know how thats possible, as I was about ready to die during the whole thing. Belgian racing is just different. People just attack like its the end of the world and keep going. The whole race is basically an attack every minute until sometime after a hundred serious attacks or so a group finally materializes. I don't know how you ever learn to pick the winning move out of all the hundreds, but I guess the really gooe people just know.
Sign in took place in a bar in a soccer complex so people could use the locker rooms and all. Its quite a sight. There are maybe 6 officials sitting at a table, all in uniform, and the whole thing looks terribly legit. The course was 50 laps of a 1.4 K loop that went right through the downtown square. There were booths selling treats of all kinds, the bars were hopping and there was even a carnival ride. As the race went past residential areas every house was barbequeing and I saw more than one garage with a keg in it.
The race itself was just brutal. People had told me that everyone goes balls to the wall until the field is pulverized and I didn't want to end up on the wrong end of that, so I was slaying myself early on. Turns out that these Crit style races are a bit different, so when things finally went I was too blitzed to go. Oh well. This race was an invitational and a step up from the first one, so the field was pretty strong. We have a picture we'll ahve to post of Mitch railing through a corner between a Quick-Step development rider and the Elite Champion of Belgium. Pretty insane. I'll let Mitch give his own account of the madness, but all I know is when the dust settled he was up the road with 8 other guys and I was dying trying to stay with the group. I made it to the finish and got a chance at what might be my only field sprint this whole month... but alas! I was so fired up to be sprinting instead of just suffering that I jumped with 400 meters and after an initial gap I got thouroughly swarmed. Oh well. I'm happy to have finished, and even happier to report that I've won my first contribution to Trips For Kids!
Thats right! The hardest 27th place I've ever gotten was good enough for 10 Euro, and thats going to the kids! With any luck thats just hte first of much more to come.
After finally hopping into a race I truly realize what a gift it is to be over here. There is no question that this is the heart of cycling and its something that I absolutely had to do to call myself a real cyclist. Thank you all so, so much!
The IJ is on to us...
A nice man named Bob Cullinan from the Marin Independent Journal writes a monthly column on cycling and was kind enough to endorse our efforts as written below...
Thanks Bob!!!
"Race to Belgium?
On to more positive topics. You may have seen the words "Race To Belgium" scrawled in chalk on numerous bike routes in Marin County. The words are even scribbled on the asphalt path that runs next to the Marin IJ offices in Novato. But what does it all mean?
RaceToBelgium.com is an effort by two cyclists, one of them a Marin resident, to fulfill their life-longjavascript:void(0)
Publish Post dream of racing bikes in Belgium this summer.
Mitch Trux lives in Sausalito and works for Breezer Bikes. He and teammate Ryan Parnes are leaving for Belgium this week, but they have yet to meet their goal of gathering $6,000 in contributions, money that will fund their travel expenses and 11 days of racing in Belgium.
Let's see, $6,000 for two guys for 11 days? They're not exactly living the high life. A few dollars more could make a big difference. If you want to help, go to www.racetobelgium.com. Mitch and Ryan will make us all proud."
http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_9662636?IADID=Search-www.marinij.com-www.marinij.com
Thanks Bob!!!
"Race to Belgium?
On to more positive topics. You may have seen the words "Race To Belgium" scrawled in chalk on numerous bike routes in Marin County. The words are even scribbled on the asphalt path that runs next to the Marin IJ offices in Novato. But what does it all mean?
RaceToBelgium.com is an effort by two cyclists, one of them a Marin resident, to fulfill their life-longjavascript:void(0)
Publish Post dream of racing bikes in Belgium this summer.
Mitch Trux lives in Sausalito and works for Breezer Bikes. He and teammate Ryan Parnes are leaving for Belgium this week, but they have yet to meet their goal of gathering $6,000 in contributions, money that will fund their travel expenses and 11 days of racing in Belgium.
Let's see, $6,000 for two guys for 11 days? They're not exactly living the high life. A few dollars more could make a big difference. If you want to help, go to www.racetobelgium.com. Mitch and Ryan will make us all proud."
http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_9662636?IADID=Search-www.marinij.com-www.marinij.com
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Greetings from Belgium
Ryan here,
I've been meaning to get on here and let everyone know how things are going for a while, but I've had a bit of a tough time recently and I've been trying to reconcile conflicting emotions. You see, my Grandpa Barney passed away right after I arrived here in Europe, and its been so strange to be dealing with that loss while getting to know this incredible country. I didn't feel quite right getting on here and blogging about how amazing everything is. I figure I just have to say a few words about my grandpa before I start.
My grandpa has always been an inspiration to me. I could write for a long time trying to list all the things I loved about him, but a few things stand out. First, his unbridled curiosity. He never, never stopped learning. He always had some article bookmarked, some puzzle going, or some project underway that utilized a new skill or bit of knowledge. He was incredibly outgoing in a way that has always amazed me. No matter where he went he could engage complete strangers and before long they'd be conversing like old friends. His ability to talk freely and tell stories was unequaled in my experience, and though it was occasionally overwhelming (we used to say you didn't talk to grandpa, you listened) it was a gift that allowed him to form special connections with so many people throughout his life. These two qualities stand out for me because they seem to explain how he might have seen the world. First as a place where there is something fascinating or miraculous everywhere you look, from the forming of galaxies to the hurried life of insects exposed beneath a lifted rock. Secondly, his kindness and outgoing nature turned the world, a world that so often frightens me with its vastness and impersonality, into a place where every stranger is a potential new friend. I love him with all of my heart and I will miss him tremendously.
Thank you all for indulging me. I feel better about relaying my thoughts on this trip after having written that, and after all this is a blog about a cycling trip. So let me see if I can't focus on some of the amazing things about cycling in Belgium, there certainly are enough of them.
Everything they said was true, this really is the epicenter of cycling culture. EVERYONE rides bikes. I don't know what exactly it is, having towns so close together, $8/gallon gas, incredible roads with bike lanes everywhere, or just the air of respect that bikes get. Whatever it is, it has so many people riding that it just blows my mind. Its people of all ages too. We saw a kid only a few years old learning to ride the other day (almost on the cobbles no less), and as we were sitting in the local cafe a group of 8 elderly people (all easily over 70) finished their afternoon beers, got up and all rode off together on their cruiser bikes. If I lived in a place like this, I'd never, ever even dream of owning a car.
I can't get over how European everything is, which I suppose makes sense because this is Europe. Still, all the buildings are red brick, and as Mitch writes, every town has its own cobbled square with prominent church tower. I often get the sense that this place would have looked more or less the same a couple hundred years ago. There are endless single lane farm roads and you can just pick a direction and go and go and go. We've been blessed with incredible weather so far, neither cold and rainy nor oppressively hot, and if my legs were stronger I'd never get off the bike.
Some stereotypes about Belgium are true. For instance there are a ton of waffles. In the big supermarket there must be 50 different varieties. Is hysterical. Also, there is beer, and it is good. One has to be careful though, someone bought me a beer the other day and it turned out to be 11% alcohol. One was enough to make me a bit lightheaded. I'd love to train to handle my belgian ales better, but I've got to train for the bike instead, especially in light of Mitches account of that first race. I was pretty bummed I couldn't do it, but I'm still a bit sick and it was probably for the best. Those Europeans just look so serious, with their flowing mullets and shiny, oiled legs... its the real thing, no doubt.
Everyone else is off in Brugge today, but I'm still feeling under the weather, had a terrible nights sleep and I'm anticipating a pretty serious ass-whooping tonight in my first European race. Apparently its of even a higher level that the first one the guys did, something along the lines of an NRC race in the US. Great, these guys came back form the first local race looking like they'd ridden through hell, and I get to jump into a pro race for initiation. Between you and me, I'm scared shitless.
So I think I'll go clean my bike, check it over one last time and then have a snack and put my legs up. I'll be back with a report on Belgian racing. Wish me luck!
-Ryan
I've been meaning to get on here and let everyone know how things are going for a while, but I've had a bit of a tough time recently and I've been trying to reconcile conflicting emotions. You see, my Grandpa Barney passed away right after I arrived here in Europe, and its been so strange to be dealing with that loss while getting to know this incredible country. I didn't feel quite right getting on here and blogging about how amazing everything is. I figure I just have to say a few words about my grandpa before I start.
My grandpa has always been an inspiration to me. I could write for a long time trying to list all the things I loved about him, but a few things stand out. First, his unbridled curiosity. He never, never stopped learning. He always had some article bookmarked, some puzzle going, or some project underway that utilized a new skill or bit of knowledge. He was incredibly outgoing in a way that has always amazed me. No matter where he went he could engage complete strangers and before long they'd be conversing like old friends. His ability to talk freely and tell stories was unequaled in my experience, and though it was occasionally overwhelming (we used to say you didn't talk to grandpa, you listened) it was a gift that allowed him to form special connections with so many people throughout his life. These two qualities stand out for me because they seem to explain how he might have seen the world. First as a place where there is something fascinating or miraculous everywhere you look, from the forming of galaxies to the hurried life of insects exposed beneath a lifted rock. Secondly, his kindness and outgoing nature turned the world, a world that so often frightens me with its vastness and impersonality, into a place where every stranger is a potential new friend. I love him with all of my heart and I will miss him tremendously.
Thank you all for indulging me. I feel better about relaying my thoughts on this trip after having written that, and after all this is a blog about a cycling trip. So let me see if I can't focus on some of the amazing things about cycling in Belgium, there certainly are enough of them.
Everything they said was true, this really is the epicenter of cycling culture. EVERYONE rides bikes. I don't know what exactly it is, having towns so close together, $8/gallon gas, incredible roads with bike lanes everywhere, or just the air of respect that bikes get. Whatever it is, it has so many people riding that it just blows my mind. Its people of all ages too. We saw a kid only a few years old learning to ride the other day (almost on the cobbles no less), and as we were sitting in the local cafe a group of 8 elderly people (all easily over 70) finished their afternoon beers, got up and all rode off together on their cruiser bikes. If I lived in a place like this, I'd never, ever even dream of owning a car.
I can't get over how European everything is, which I suppose makes sense because this is Europe. Still, all the buildings are red brick, and as Mitch writes, every town has its own cobbled square with prominent church tower. I often get the sense that this place would have looked more or less the same a couple hundred years ago. There are endless single lane farm roads and you can just pick a direction and go and go and go. We've been blessed with incredible weather so far, neither cold and rainy nor oppressively hot, and if my legs were stronger I'd never get off the bike.
Some stereotypes about Belgium are true. For instance there are a ton of waffles. In the big supermarket there must be 50 different varieties. Is hysterical. Also, there is beer, and it is good. One has to be careful though, someone bought me a beer the other day and it turned out to be 11% alcohol. One was enough to make me a bit lightheaded. I'd love to train to handle my belgian ales better, but I've got to train for the bike instead, especially in light of Mitches account of that first race. I was pretty bummed I couldn't do it, but I'm still a bit sick and it was probably for the best. Those Europeans just look so serious, with their flowing mullets and shiny, oiled legs... its the real thing, no doubt.
Everyone else is off in Brugge today, but I'm still feeling under the weather, had a terrible nights sleep and I'm anticipating a pretty serious ass-whooping tonight in my first European race. Apparently its of even a higher level that the first one the guys did, something along the lines of an NRC race in the US. Great, these guys came back form the first local race looking like they'd ridden through hell, and I get to jump into a pro race for initiation. Between you and me, I'm scared shitless.
So I think I'll go clean my bike, check it over one last time and then have a snack and put my legs up. I'll be back with a report on Belgian racing. Wish me luck!
-Ryan
Monday, June 23, 2008
Update—Some good, and some bad…
Mitch here to report that it’s been an interesting couple of days…
Good News - The race we had yesterday afternoon was amazing. The whole scene is a vast departure from the races we are used to attending stateside. Let’s start with registration—held in a tent with a full service bar/pub open for service inside. It’s bustling with the townsfolk who sit smoking and drinking as they study each and every racer as they approach the officials' table. The reason—so they can place bets on you. The average age of the race’s spectators—about 70.
Registration was a bit of a problem as it turned out that more than half of the nine of us did not have all the documents needed for securing our new Belgian racing licenses (oops!), and because we were a bit late getting to the race (we got lost a bit on our 30 mile ride to the town—one always gets lost here) we had very little time to rectify this. In a panic I (Mitch) went into the butcher shop and asked for a computer to print what I needed off the web. The butcher fetched his wife (she spoke English) and once I explaned my situation to her, she kindly obliged my request after they locked their mean/mongrel looking dog in the backyard so I could come into their house behind the shop without being eaten.
With minutes to spare I raced back to the reg tent, got licensed, got my race number and raced back to the start line. I got there just in time but by now I was already winded. Unfortunately Ryan could not race this one—only four of our nine did. This was ok as he has been getting over a cold since he got here and the extra bit of time to recover without taxing his resources is probably a good thing.
So the race was on. Wow!!! No matter how many times I’ve told Ryan and the others what to expect, they’ll have no idea until they experience this for themselves. These races are absolutely nuts!!! My description of a kermis has evolved to ‘all out Bicycle Warfare.’ I’ve never been more miserable on a bike in my life. That said, it was awesome and for some strange reason (that only bike racers might understand) I can’t wait for the next one. I think these races are just so damn hard that there is something compelling about them—something that makes you want to come back to prove that you can withstand it all.
First off, the race was at least a quarter full of international athletes. Other Americans, South Africans, Brits, Germans, French and on and on and on. The Belgians themselves, the locals, are flat out strong and their tactics are completely opposite the ones we are used to in America. They make the hard sections of the race course (the ones with the headwinds, side winds, etc.) so damn hard. No Mercy, never, not at all—Insane!!! They fly full speed into every corner, hit the brakes at full stopping power, corner like your grandparents and then go full throttle plus five percent down the next straight. This is extremely taxing on your body. Only the toughest can survive. The roads all narrow and are all covered with hazards. Remarkably—there was not a single crash in the race. These racers are also extremely sharp and reliable bike handlers (parents, grandparents and loved ones—worry not) it seems there is not even as much concern for crashing as we were expectng and not talking to you about. ☺
When all was said and done three of the four of us made it through most of the race. None of us made it to the finish line with the leaders. To our credit we were only 48 hours off the plane. I was second to last to loose contact with the contending racers. While I’m wanting to blame it on the wrong drink mix being in my bottles and making me sick, the full truth is that when I finally threw in the towel and dropped the pace(at about 6 laps to go) my legs weren’t going to turn over anymore no matter how I might have been feeling.
The 117k race started with over 150 riders. More than half were blown off the back before five of the seventeen laps were complete. The lead group was only about 7 crossing the finish line and only about 25-30 were placed in the results and considered finishers. Our friend Gavin from Stanford’s team came in about 15th as the hero of the day. The rest of the racers left in staggered groups of four or five. A really hard race—even for the Belgians.
More Good News – (uhh—actually this is debatable) We petitioned for an invite to a pro calendar race being held in the next town over tomorrow (Tuesday) night. We got an invite for six riders. YIKES!!! Ryan and I are both on that list (he’ll have his paperwork in hand and should be able to race this time). So anyway, we’re going to throw ourselves in an even harder race than the one I tried yesterday. Our acting team director who lives in the town that the race will be held in saw a QuickStep team car scouting the course today. For those who don’t know—Quickstep is arguably the best team in the world (depending on the variety of racing you are talking about) and based here in Belgium. They have the current and past world champions on the team (that’s the best cyclist on the planet). Oh dear!!! What are we getting ourselves into?
More Good – This afternoon we rode portions of the classic race Gent-Wevelgem today includng the cobblestone climb of the Kemmelburg. Atop the climb I got my first look at France. ☺
And the Bad News – Our new friend Andy who joined us from Ohio is an incredibly nice guy and a stong bike racer (he was one of our three late survivors yesterday). We’ve really enjoied getting to know him so far. The bad news--Andy had to take an emergency trip home this morning. This is an incredible shock and an outrageous tragedy. Unfortunately his mother suffered what seems to have been a freak heart attack and had passed away sometime late Sunday night (Ohio time). As his teammates and new friends, we did everything we could for him—but it was obviously a really hard morning for everyone. Elliot (our trip’s organizer) and myself drove Andy to the airport in Brussels this morning and helped him square away his expedited travel as well as a cell phone to keep in touch with his family at home while he makes his way back. Andy’s about Ryan’s age—a young gent of 22 or 23. From the perspective of this older 27 year old—all I can say is that Andy is as strong off the bike as he is on it and a whole lot more. We’re really going to miss his good company. We all have and will continue wishing him all the best as he negotiates this very difficult time.
We’ll have more soon - Ryan will be on the keyboard next time to tell you about his first round of the Belgian fury—it’ll be good news!!!
Good News - The race we had yesterday afternoon was amazing. The whole scene is a vast departure from the races we are used to attending stateside. Let’s start with registration—held in a tent with a full service bar/pub open for service inside. It’s bustling with the townsfolk who sit smoking and drinking as they study each and every racer as they approach the officials' table. The reason—so they can place bets on you. The average age of the race’s spectators—about 70.
Registration was a bit of a problem as it turned out that more than half of the nine of us did not have all the documents needed for securing our new Belgian racing licenses (oops!), and because we were a bit late getting to the race (we got lost a bit on our 30 mile ride to the town—one always gets lost here) we had very little time to rectify this. In a panic I (Mitch) went into the butcher shop and asked for a computer to print what I needed off the web. The butcher fetched his wife (she spoke English) and once I explaned my situation to her, she kindly obliged my request after they locked their mean/mongrel looking dog in the backyard so I could come into their house behind the shop without being eaten.
With minutes to spare I raced back to the reg tent, got licensed, got my race number and raced back to the start line. I got there just in time but by now I was already winded. Unfortunately Ryan could not race this one—only four of our nine did. This was ok as he has been getting over a cold since he got here and the extra bit of time to recover without taxing his resources is probably a good thing.
So the race was on. Wow!!! No matter how many times I’ve told Ryan and the others what to expect, they’ll have no idea until they experience this for themselves. These races are absolutely nuts!!! My description of a kermis has evolved to ‘all out Bicycle Warfare.’ I’ve never been more miserable on a bike in my life. That said, it was awesome and for some strange reason (that only bike racers might understand) I can’t wait for the next one. I think these races are just so damn hard that there is something compelling about them—something that makes you want to come back to prove that you can withstand it all.
First off, the race was at least a quarter full of international athletes. Other Americans, South Africans, Brits, Germans, French and on and on and on. The Belgians themselves, the locals, are flat out strong and their tactics are completely opposite the ones we are used to in America. They make the hard sections of the race course (the ones with the headwinds, side winds, etc.) so damn hard. No Mercy, never, not at all—Insane!!! They fly full speed into every corner, hit the brakes at full stopping power, corner like your grandparents and then go full throttle plus five percent down the next straight. This is extremely taxing on your body. Only the toughest can survive. The roads all narrow and are all covered with hazards. Remarkably—there was not a single crash in the race. These racers are also extremely sharp and reliable bike handlers (parents, grandparents and loved ones—worry not) it seems there is not even as much concern for crashing as we were expectng and not talking to you about. ☺
When all was said and done three of the four of us made it through most of the race. None of us made it to the finish line with the leaders. To our credit we were only 48 hours off the plane. I was second to last to loose contact with the contending racers. While I’m wanting to blame it on the wrong drink mix being in my bottles and making me sick, the full truth is that when I finally threw in the towel and dropped the pace(at about 6 laps to go) my legs weren’t going to turn over anymore no matter how I might have been feeling.
The 117k race started with over 150 riders. More than half were blown off the back before five of the seventeen laps were complete. The lead group was only about 7 crossing the finish line and only about 25-30 were placed in the results and considered finishers. Our friend Gavin from Stanford’s team came in about 15th as the hero of the day. The rest of the racers left in staggered groups of four or five. A really hard race—even for the Belgians.
More Good News – (uhh—actually this is debatable) We petitioned for an invite to a pro calendar race being held in the next town over tomorrow (Tuesday) night. We got an invite for six riders. YIKES!!! Ryan and I are both on that list (he’ll have his paperwork in hand and should be able to race this time). So anyway, we’re going to throw ourselves in an even harder race than the one I tried yesterday. Our acting team director who lives in the town that the race will be held in saw a QuickStep team car scouting the course today. For those who don’t know—Quickstep is arguably the best team in the world (depending on the variety of racing you are talking about) and based here in Belgium. They have the current and past world champions on the team (that’s the best cyclist on the planet). Oh dear!!! What are we getting ourselves into?
More Good – This afternoon we rode portions of the classic race Gent-Wevelgem today includng the cobblestone climb of the Kemmelburg. Atop the climb I got my first look at France. ☺
And the Bad News – Our new friend Andy who joined us from Ohio is an incredibly nice guy and a stong bike racer (he was one of our three late survivors yesterday). We’ve really enjoied getting to know him so far. The bad news--Andy had to take an emergency trip home this morning. This is an incredible shock and an outrageous tragedy. Unfortunately his mother suffered what seems to have been a freak heart attack and had passed away sometime late Sunday night (Ohio time). As his teammates and new friends, we did everything we could for him—but it was obviously a really hard morning for everyone. Elliot (our trip’s organizer) and myself drove Andy to the airport in Brussels this morning and helped him square away his expedited travel as well as a cell phone to keep in touch with his family at home while he makes his way back. Andy’s about Ryan’s age—a young gent of 22 or 23. From the perspective of this older 27 year old—all I can say is that Andy is as strong off the bike as he is on it and a whole lot more. We’re really going to miss his good company. We all have and will continue wishing him all the best as he negotiates this very difficult time.
We’ll have more soon - Ryan will be on the keyboard next time to tell you about his first round of the Belgian fury—it’ll be good news!!!
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Wow Belgium!!!
Well it was quite the endeavor to get to this point but the pay off has been amazing. Upon our arrival we imediately unpacked our bikes so we could hit the pavement for a welcome spin. Unfortunatley Mitch opened his bike case to find that his front wheel had been destroyed in transit—so we’ve already had to make a trip to the local bike shop for the cheapest suitable replacement. A bit of a bummer, but out on the road nothing could pry the smiles from our faces. All the hours of preparation, packing, traveling, etc. just faded away and there was nothing but pure bliss. We’re both feeling very lucky and thankful to be here and knowing what’s in store in the coming weeks.
When it comes to our house and our little town of Westrozebekke we can only report that life is good. After taking in the surounding areas from our town (W. is convieniantly placed on a high point of the rolling green plains that the Belgian countryside consists of) and a few spins we’ve realized that it would take a lifetime to pedal all the roads that surround us. As far as the eye can see and a whole lot further than that, we are surrounded by an arcane network of perfectly paved country roads. When those get old one just looks for the cobbled ones that are scattered in as extras. No matter what, they’re all quiet, empty and beautiful. They twist, turn, roll up, roll down and eventually they all roll through a town. The towns are everywhere too(each about 5 to 10k from the other) and can be spotted in the distance or as you aproach by way of church steeple. Each town has a church(with a tall steeple) right in the center of town—so you can litterally just find one in the distanc and say, “I think I’ll ride to that one.” We’re giving a whole new meaning to the term “steeple chasers”. ☺ The bottom line is roads, roads roads and more roads. We’re in cyclists heaven.
Our housemates and teammates all seem to be pretty cool/nice guys, and in general the atmosphere of our new relationships is looking pretty comfortable. We’re all pretty jet laged and all seem to have suffered from the same couple of weeks of pure chaos preparing to get here. Cycling is such a gear intensive activity that making it all come together for a trip like this is quite the endeavor.
Alright then…
We’ve only been here for 24 hours, but we’re already getting ready for business. Our first race is tomorrow and while none of us are expecting much from ourselves in this first effort we’re definitely excited to get out there and do it. We’ll keep you posted… ☺
Cheers!!
Mitch & Ryan
When it comes to our house and our little town of Westrozebekke we can only report that life is good. After taking in the surounding areas from our town (W. is convieniantly placed on a high point of the rolling green plains that the Belgian countryside consists of) and a few spins we’ve realized that it would take a lifetime to pedal all the roads that surround us. As far as the eye can see and a whole lot further than that, we are surrounded by an arcane network of perfectly paved country roads. When those get old one just looks for the cobbled ones that are scattered in as extras. No matter what, they’re all quiet, empty and beautiful. They twist, turn, roll up, roll down and eventually they all roll through a town. The towns are everywhere too(each about 5 to 10k from the other) and can be spotted in the distance or as you aproach by way of church steeple. Each town has a church(with a tall steeple) right in the center of town—so you can litterally just find one in the distanc and say, “I think I’ll ride to that one.” We’re giving a whole new meaning to the term “steeple chasers”. ☺ The bottom line is roads, roads roads and more roads. We’re in cyclists heaven.
Our housemates and teammates all seem to be pretty cool/nice guys, and in general the atmosphere of our new relationships is looking pretty comfortable. We’re all pretty jet laged and all seem to have suffered from the same couple of weeks of pure chaos preparing to get here. Cycling is such a gear intensive activity that making it all come together for a trip like this is quite the endeavor.
Alright then…
We’ve only been here for 24 hours, but we’re already getting ready for business. Our first race is tomorrow and while none of us are expecting much from ourselves in this first effort we’re definitely excited to get out there and do it. We’ll keep you posted… ☺
Cheers!!
Mitch & Ryan
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Layover in Philly...
Mitch here in Philly with a 6 hour lay over. Saw a bell with a crack in it and a shop selling "Belgian sweet waffles" on my way(didn't buy any). At the public library now. Washington Square is pretty cool--a nice monument! Tonight I'm off to Toronto, then to London, then to Brussels. No joke--that's how you get to belgium on the cheap. Boy what a flight plan.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Wheels Up!
Wheels packed...wheels up! Mitch and Ryan have taken to the skies. Destination: Brussels. Sorry for the radio silence - time was limited and tasks in preparation were many the last few weeks.
Please look for our frequent posts once we are established in Belgium. Until then, keep your fingers crossed for safe passage for us and our bicycles.
We still haven't meet our goal and are already feeling intimidated by the exchange rate! :) Any contributions will be welcome...now and throughout our journey. So please continue to spread the word.
We are so excited for what's to come and grateful for the support we have already received. Thank you!
Please look for our frequent posts once we are established in Belgium. Until then, keep your fingers crossed for safe passage for us and our bicycles.
We still haven't meet our goal and are already feeling intimidated by the exchange rate! :) Any contributions will be welcome...now and throughout our journey. So please continue to spread the word.
We are so excited for what's to come and grateful for the support we have already received. Thank you!
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
WOOHOOOOO!!!!!
Ryan here. I just finished my last final at Stanford! I don't have the degree in front of me yet, but at this point its out of my hands. Its some feeling, let me tell you. Relief doesn't even come close to describing it. For me, being in college was harder than any job I've ever done, and I've done some nasty ones. But no matter how boring, or grueling or frustrating a job has been, its always ended when I punch the clock at the end of the day. College was just the opposite. Constraints on your time are much more lax, but there's just always, ALWAYS something else that needs to get done. Its like I've been living four years with the sword of Damocles hanging over me, and as I finished that last final it was like someone climbed a ladder, cut it down and safely tucked it away somewhere. It feels like someone turned gravity down.
I feel free!
The first thing I did was hop on the bike and just go. I can't remember the last time I've been able to ride and not think about getting back for class or listing the work that needed doing. I just headed for the coast under shock blue skies, and when I finally got back my little spin had turned into a four hour ride, and the best ride I've had in ages. There's something about riding with no destination in mind and no ETA. You free your mind from the everyday responsibilities, and you don't even worry about the normal bike stuff (How's my cadence? How's my pedal stroke? Am I picking the right line?). You go. You just go, and there aren't many feelings in the world quite so nice as moving just for moving's sake, just to propel yourself along winding roads.
Mitch and I are starting to get things in order for the trip, and as we begin getting supplies and double checking packing lists I can't help but think that thanks to the kindness of friends, family and supporters we are about to embark on a trip where we get to live with that pure and unencumbered sensation for a whole month.
Departure time is drawing near and we're now just over halfway to our fundraising goal, so spread please help us spread the word. My sincere thanks to those who've already lent their support. With no more academics standing between me and Belgium I'm getting so excited I can barely sleep at night. Its like Christmas Eve every night, and I just lie awake knowing I'm getting the most amazing gift of my life.
I feel free!
The first thing I did was hop on the bike and just go. I can't remember the last time I've been able to ride and not think about getting back for class or listing the work that needed doing. I just headed for the coast under shock blue skies, and when I finally got back my little spin had turned into a four hour ride, and the best ride I've had in ages. There's something about riding with no destination in mind and no ETA. You free your mind from the everyday responsibilities, and you don't even worry about the normal bike stuff (How's my cadence? How's my pedal stroke? Am I picking the right line?). You go. You just go, and there aren't many feelings in the world quite so nice as moving just for moving's sake, just to propel yourself along winding roads.
Mitch and I are starting to get things in order for the trip, and as we begin getting supplies and double checking packing lists I can't help but think that thanks to the kindness of friends, family and supporters we are about to embark on a trip where we get to live with that pure and unencumbered sensation for a whole month.
Departure time is drawing near and we're now just over halfway to our fundraising goal, so spread please help us spread the word. My sincere thanks to those who've already lent their support. With no more academics standing between me and Belgium I'm getting so excited I can barely sleep at night. Its like Christmas Eve every night, and I just lie awake knowing I'm getting the most amazing gift of my life.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
The RTB reaches a global audience!!!
Funny--until the other day all the contributions RTB had received came via our Paypal links. We were beginning to wonder if our mail system was failing us. But then our first check made it all the way from Cambridge England--so we're a bit more confident now. Thanks Tyler!!!
Fund Raising Progress Report...
We're at $2500
We're inside two weeks to departure and we're slowly making headway, but the Race to Belgium still needs to punch it into overdrive if we're going to achieve our budget by then. So we'll keep spreading the word and keep the pedals turning over...but please help if you can. :)
Reaching for the caffeinated gel shot in the jersey pocket and putting it in the tank. Squirting some water over the head and hands down into the drops. Feeling the reserve muscles come out to play while starting to spin those perfect circles of raw power. It's time to get into the business portion of the race.
We're inside two weeks to departure and we're slowly making headway, but the Race to Belgium still needs to punch it into overdrive if we're going to achieve our budget by then. So we'll keep spreading the word and keep the pedals turning over...but please help if you can. :)
Reaching for the caffeinated gel shot in the jersey pocket and putting it in the tank. Squirting some water over the head and hands down into the drops. Feeling the reserve muscles come out to play while starting to spin those perfect circles of raw power. It's time to get into the business portion of the race.
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