Categories: Cogals

Bringing the Mountain to Muhammad: Seattle Cogal

@Cyclops has taken it upon himself to organize North America’s first official Cogal right in the backyard of where it all started: Seattle, Wa. @Scaler911 and @McSqueak have confirmed that they will be driving up from Portland, OR to attend and we hereby invite any and all Velominati to attend.

We’ll be doing a no-drop ride on Whidbey Island, following a route that is not terribly hilly and easily accommodates varying distances, though I myself will be planning on a 100k or more. We’ll leave the Coffeehouse Bookstore in Langley at V minutes past 10 to give everyone plenty of time to find their way up to the island and into Langley. Route details will be published in the posts below when it is confirmed. (I have to do some research as I’ve not done the ride in it’s entirety myself.) Hope to see you there.

UPDATE: The route has been posted on MapMyRide. It is a 160km ride with the option to cut section off for those who are getting tired.

UPDATE: Those who are interested are invited to dinner Friday Evening at Quinn’s Pub on Capital Hill in Seattle. Please arrive as close to 6:30 as possible; late-comers will not be guaranteed a seat at the table if the place is full.

Yours in Cycling,

Frank

—

Though there are two 2011 U.S. National Champions about 30 minutes down the interstate from me – southeast Idaho isn’t exactly a road bike Mecca. And I wear the V-Shirt whenever I’m traveling in the area to races (whether to participate or spectate) but I’ve only had one person recognize the Sign of the “V”. So the chances of running into or riding with a fellow Velominati are pretty slim. Let alone the demented brainchild of all this nonsense – Darth Strack. What’s a boy to do? Take the bull by the horns and make it happen my own self, that’s what. I figure that anywhere that I can drive to in a day is not too far to go for a ride so I’m off to Seattle to see whether this “Frank” character is indeed worthy to be praised or if he’s just some guy behind a curtain pulling levers and turning dials.

The plan is for a meet and greet (and eat and drink) Friday night Oct. 14 and a ride on Saturday the 15th. A few blokes from Portland way are planning on coming up as well so it looks like it is going to turn into a little Gran Fronkdo. Anyone that can make it is invited. We haven’t sorted out the details of the route or meeting place or time or anything important like that but we should have all that set in cobbles by early this week, so stay tuned.

Cyclops

I really like riding road bikes as fast as possible. I live in Lexington, KY so here is a standing offer to anybody coming my way: Need a place to crash, need a steak grilled to perfection, need a beer you can't see through, need your wheels trued, need theological insight? I'll hook you up. Just get a hold of me.

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View Comments

Steampunk says:

Oct 20 2011 at 11:22 am

@Jeff in PetroMetro @Buck Rogers
Thanks, both. Rule #11 moment: just remembered that Mrs. Steampunk's birthday is that weekend, so this won't fly. Do I fall afoul of Rule #11 for backing out on these grounds, or do I get Rule #11 points for spending a decent amount of time in checking into flights and accommodation before realizing there were Rule #11 considerations involved?

@xyxax
Steampunk's sense of direction is such that"”even if he were foolish enough to drive to Texas"”going through NYC wouldn't likely be on the cards (you would, of course, be very welcome to the passenger seat). Having said that, if you could get yourself to Buffalo in March, I am seriously contemplating driving to Madison so that I can bring the bike along (and maybe break up the trip with a ride). End of March.

Also not quite sure what I think of your tandem idea. On principle or in practice.
Buck Rogers says:

Oct 20 2011 at 11:23 am

@xyxax
Aha, now I'm tracking! Thought you meant the two of you would abscond with my babies and make for the hills!
Cyclops says:

Oct 20 2011 at 1:03 pm

@frank

@Buck Rogers

@frank
I welcome ALL the management pearls that you can throw our way. This is my first foray into planning a ride like this so please, manage all you want!
Would love an AAR, as we say in the military (after action report), on your trip planning and execution.

Trip report being organized now.
@Cyclops

Oops.

Well, you neutralized it be putting it in reverse on the way back going up the hill you originally attacked going down. I didn't realize it was possible to have one person display such a wide range of speeds on one day in one location.

It was pretty interesting how in the span of about two kilometers I went from felling strong to completely out of gas - if the course had only been 1k shorter, wait, I'm starting to sound like a Europro.
Jeff in PetroMetro says:

Oct 20 2011 at 8:56 pm

@Steampunk

@Buck Rogers @Jeff in PetroMetroThanks, both. Rule #11 moment: just remembered that Mrs. Steampunk's birthday is that weekend, so this won't fly. Do I fall afoul of Rule #11 for backing out on these grounds, or do I get Rule #11 points for spending a decent amount of time in checking into flights and accommodation before realizing there were Rule #11 considerations involved?
@xyxaxSteampunk's sense of direction is such that"”even if he were foolish enough to drive to Texas"”going through NYC wouldn't likely be on the cards (you would, of course, be very welcome to the passenger seat). Having said that, if you could get yourself to Buffalo in March, I am seriously contemplating driving to Madison so that I can bring the bike along (and maybe break up the trip with a ride). End of March.
Also not quite sure what I think of your tandem idea. On principle or in practice.

So here's the conversation I heard in my head between you and your wife:

STEAMPUNK:

Honey. Guess where we're going for your birthday. Austin! You'll love it. We'll have such a good time.

Now, before we go, I have to confess. I've been spending A LOT of time on the internet. Talking to other men. Who shave their legs. And speak endlessly about nipple lube and magnificent strokes. But it means nothing. Really, it's not what it sounds like.

Now, of course, this trip is all about YOU, Sweetheart. It's your birthday! But, and I want to assure you that this means nothing--I want to meet some of these men. And they'll be in Austin. On your birthday! Isn't that quite a coincidence?

I'll get online right now and buy the tickets.

MRS. STEAMPUNK:

Like fuck you will.
Steampunk says:

Oct 20 2011 at 10:29 pm

@xyxax
Steampunk wrote:

Having said that, if you could get yourself to Buffalo in March, I am seriously contemplating driving to Madison so that I can bring the bike along (and maybe break up the trip with a ride). End of March.

Of course, I have no idea whether I'd be able to fit your frame into the back of the Saab wagon"”that's one outrageously big bike! Could we saw it in half?

(I could get used to referring to Steampunk in the third person).
Jeff in PetroMetro says:

Oct 21 2011 at 6:37 am

@Steampunk

@Jeff in PetroMetro @Buck RogersThanks, both. Rule #11 moment: just remembered that Mrs. Steampunk's birthday is that weekend, so this won't fly. Do I fall afoul of Rule #11 for backing out on these grounds, or do I get Rule #11 points for spending a decent amount of time in checking into flights and accommodation before realizing there were Rule #11 considerations involved?
@xyxaxSteampunk's sense of direction is such that"”even if he were foolish enough to drive to Texas"”going through NYC wouldn't likely be on the cards (you would, of course, be very welcome to the passenger seat). Having said that, if you could get yourself to Buffalo in March, I am seriously contemplating driving to Madison so that I can bring the bike along (and maybe break up the trip with a ride). End of March.
Also not quite sure what I think of your tandem idea. On principle or in practice.

I wrote an epic one-act play last night. It was a conversation between Steampunk and Mrs. Steampunk about the birthday trip to Austin that Steampunk wants to buy her. Sadly, it got hung up in the interwebs and didn't post. But here's the Reader's Digest Condensed Version:

Steampunk: Let's go to Austin for your birthday. By the way, I've spent a lot of time on the internet with men who shave their legs and talk about nipple lube and magnificant strokes. They'll be in Austin the same weekend as your birthday. I want to meet these men. I like them. I think they like me. I want to go on a bike ride with them. I'm going to buy the tickets right now.

Mrs. Steampunk: Like fuck you will.
Jeff in PetroMetro says:

Oct 21 2011 at 6:39 am

Keepers: Please please please. My posts to Steampunk are hanging up somewhere. I'm getting the "Your post is awaiting moderation. It will become visible when it is approved." Gracias!
Marko says:

Oct 21 2011 at 6:50 am

@Jeff in PetroMetro
I'm no programmer but I wonder if the spam filter's sirens went off because of this:

By the way, I've spent a lot of time on the internet with men who shave their legs and talk about nipple lube and magnificant strokes.

I've removed the parental filter now for you and Steampunk and the rest of the Austin Cogalites. Don't make me regret it.
Chris says:

Oct 21 2011 at 7:07 am

@Jeff in PetroMetro

You may have just hit on the reason why I haven't drawn the attention of this site to Mrs Chris. I need to do it before the V Kit arrives and I have to explain that not only do I talk to men on the web about lube, shaving and nipples but that I've spent money to advertise the fact.
Jeff in PetroMetro says:

Oct 21 2011 at 7:23 am

EDIT: magnificEnt strokes. (Maybe one day I'll learn to spell. And type.)