It’s so close I can almost taste it. The mud. The dust. The heavy Spring air, turning to rain, blown across the fields of Flanders, where many a battle has been fought, in trenches and on wheels. Battles fought against other men, battles fought within each man. My own mind is in battle; am I worthy? Will I be prepared for the beating my body will take, and will my mind deal with it? Well, I’m not going to my own grave without doing this. I will survive on V.
The Keepers Tour just gets better and better. The team at Pavé Cycling Tours should be known as the Mailmen of Flanders, because they just keep on delivering. It seems almost every day there’s an email informing us of an addition to the tour, and our responses are more and more ‘screaming teenager’ than composed adult. To say we’re excited about this trip could be the understatement of the year. We’re excited.
The latest gems from Alex and William include;
Of course, this is all in addition to the already confirmed awesomeness of riding with The Lion of Flanders Johan Museeuw, touring the Eddy Merckx factory, riding on the Gent velodrome, touring the Brunehaut brewery (where our organic Malteni beer is produced) and another cycling museum visit in Beveren. There’s a heap of other activities confirmed too, so email us for the full presentation.
And the best part? All of this is included in the super low price! Everything. All meals, all accommodation, all drinks (yes, beer!) and hanging out with a cool bunch of like-minded bike nuts.
Sell your first-born if you have to, but don’t miss out on a week, or weekend of pure Classics bliss. There are still a few seats available, so book yours now.
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@itburns
Evocative writing. I always worry about ending up cycling around aimlessly in the middle of nowhere if I'm on a group ride in unfamiliar territory. Hopefully not an omen of things to come on the Keepers Tour.
I'm not sure that having the Lion of Flanders claw one's taint for a couple hundred km's is advisable or properly Reverent.... Just sayin'...
I also sent Fronk a cool pair of PhilGil socks I got as shwag at Interbike... I hope to see them in a pic or two... like these as I recall:
I know it's not very Rule 74 compliant but with a bit of effort we couple probably rig a Garmin to deliver a live feed so that real time suffering could be displayed on a sidebar to the main page or overlaid onto the live video feed. Ant+ dongles for iPhone or something similar. Need a local sim to avoid astronomic costs of constant broadcast.
@The Oracle
Sure, @JC Belgium may have an answer that is "correct" and "accurate". But I prefer to think that Belgium Fusion will be a prime cut of Flemish V, thinly sliced and fried on a hot cobble, with a side order of fites and creamy awesommaise.
So the parents of the father of my four goddaughters came into town last night. They have taken a keen interest in my racing and last night at dinner Helga mentioned that she was at the 1966 TdF when it finished in Chamonix. I looked it up and that was Stage 18 won by Luxembourger Edy Schutz but the story of the fight for the GC is interesting.
Helga also stated that she still has the pictures from the finish so she's going to scrounge them up for me.
on ebay currently,
all my nearest and dearest, no reserve.
Man I hope they make the cost of this trip. I am so insanely jealous of this it makes me ill.
Really looking forwards to the write up and pictures. I expect to see much suffering.
@Lepidopterist
Doesn't have to be a first-born. Second and third might work, or offer a package deal? Also consider pets. I wouldn't go so far as to say my Dane is Great, but she's at least Moderate to Fair.
Yesterday ,
while leasurely strolling around at velofolies , between taking in all kinds of exotic sexy carbon frames , fondeling electric italian gruppo's and gazing at all kinds of tightly wrapped spandex clad high heeled promogirls i got to listen to phrophet Freddy Maertens explaining his heroics over a beer under a gazebo, have Johan Museeuw explain what the advantages are of having flax weaved in the carbon of his trusty steeds and taste the sweet nectar of gods that is molteni beer at the stand of the Pave boys while chatting about the upcoming V trip. Loot of the day 2 books , Peloton by Tim de Waele and a signed to me by Karl Vanieuwkerke hardcopy of "Renner willen worden" translated yearing to be a racer. well i guess we all yearn to become a Flandrien over the tranchée laying down some V
@Brett is Rigid bringing that Time along?
@frank if those socks from Sgt aren't pro enough for you, ill take them off your feet, as it were...