Cycling is a mighty sport with a rich and complex history. Every company, racer, piece of kit, and component has a legend, a story behind it; in many cases it also has a personal and nostalgic connection to our lives. While this particular sport is steeped in tradition, it is also fiercely modern, a fact that serves only to deepen its complexity.
All these factors combine to provide an unique atmosphere and breeds devoted and loyal disciples of our great sport. We are of a peculiar nature; we seek out the highest mountains and the roughest roads on which to worship at the altar of the Man with the Hammer. Our legs are what propel us; our minds are what drive us. We refer to our shaved legs in the third person – the legs – and speak of distance in kilometres and measure sizes in centimetres regardless of what country we are in. We adhere strictly to the Canon of Cycling’s Etiquette: The Rules.
A Velominatus is a disciple of the highest order. We spend our days poring over the very essence of what makes ours such a special sport and how that essence fits into Cycling’s colorful fabric. This is the Velominati’s raison d’être. This is where the Velominati can be ourselves. This is our agony – our badge of honor – our sin.
I have a unique way of looking at bicycles. A good bicycle and it’s components are beautiful things to me. I’m not just talking about appearance, but also how the frame and components show the dreams of those who made them.
– Gianni Bugno, Hardman and Italian cycling legend
Perhaps we are too wrapped up in the past, but the Velominati don’t believe that to be the case. After all, the greatest lessons can be learned from the past and those lessons can then be applied to the present and may then allow us to more fully experience the future.
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View Comments
@Dr C
Fill in the blank: The common skate is to Lowestoft as the sheep is to ____________.
@scaler911
The ad is clearly trying to make that guy look as much like Lance as possible. My first casual glance made me think just that. Now, why the lookalike needs a helmet? Blame the marketing department.
@Jonny @scaler911
Oi, and that's the Columbia river gorge in the background as well! To me, that makes a bad ad for a silly product even worse, as that is A+ cycling territory right there.
Here's a photo of me with the same background. It probably means I should have just stayed home and used my ProForm trainer.
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@mcsqueak
Awesome work - did you really cycle up there since 911 posted that?
I can imagine how beautiful it must be up there - do you live there?
I did the Gorge back in my windyboarding days, outrageous spot - bit like descending full chat on a bike all day with no uphill bits, as the river hoors upwind faster than you can get back down it, and nuclear in places, albeit a bit crash and burn - all that with snowboarding on Mt Hood 10 minutes up the road
Great local beers too - is that the land of Brown Bear Lager and Black Bear Ale? (maybe that is Canadia I am thinking of)
Truly one of the greatest places on the planet (if you ignore the guy with the helmet on his crosstrainer....)
@mcsqueak
....hey, you look pretty high up too
@Dr C
Ha, no this photo was taken about two months ago when I did a ride up through there.... I just recognized the background and had to share.
I live very close, yes - awesome place to be in terms of outdoor activities, to be sure. Always lots of windsurfers out on the river, as you pointed out!
I'll probably go back there again before the end of the summer - my ideal ride would leave from my house, go out there and back, which would be about ~130 km round-trip. The spot where the photo was taken isn't that high up, I think right around 1,000 ft. if I remember correctly.
If you go out to Multnomah falls and back along the "historic Columbia river highway" (before the modern Interstate was built nearby), you get to climb it both directions. At the very top here is a little lookout/parking area with a sweet old stone building.
I'm not sure about those beer names - they may be from around here, I certainly don't have all the local beer names memorized, but it could be from Washington or Canada as well.
@mcsqueak
You may achieve lots in your life old boy, but what you have there is as good as it gets, enjoy it while you can before someone tries to lock you in an office until you are too old to take advantage of it
Actually that was even cooler to be able to get a photo lined up with the sign of the Merckx without having gone there today! - like a massive home run in baseball - brilliant
@Dr C
I'm already a cube drone. It's pretty fantastic, really. All the artificial lighting and bad coffee you can drink!
I do try and keep it in perspective when I'm not at work though, and it certainly helps to keep it in mind when it's raining for six months straight! Don't think I'd want to live anywhere else, though.
@Dr C
I do the ride that McSqueek is talking about all the time. It's very nice, with some other options to climb more (or less). And my favorite ride that I can do from home: (this is info for you squeak) you turn south just after you ride thru Corbitt and follow the Sandy River though Bull Run. You end up at the 7-11 on the east side of Sandy. You can either follow 26 back to Gresham, or take one of the roads turning north just west of 7-11 and go through the farmland back to Troutdale (the better option IMHO). Probably be about 120K from your house RT.
@scaler911
Maybe I'll join you next time you are out - will need to start with a big bit of cake and a coffee though, as I am 3000 miles away - did 65K hilly run last night, 1000 metres if altitude, not sure I'd cope in your company, as it nearly killed me!