@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
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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.
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Will join you if you are somewhere glam in Euroland, just give me time to book a cheap flight
Does anyone bother with bike insurance? - my home contents insurers weren't interested in the bike as an add on item, just in case £3k of carbone went walkabout in Fance etc - just hope no bad luck comes one's way?
@Dr C
I've got some pretty decent looking insurance cover for my bike that covers travelling etc - new for old on bikes under a certain age, wasn't too expensive. I'll dig out the details in the morning and let you know what it is.
Speaking of beer - will someone find me someplace in the Seattle area that sells Maredsous 8. I can't find it in S.E. Idaho, Salt Lake City, or Boise and I've been dying to try it.
@Dr C
My '11 Scott is covered by AXA Bicycle Rider as an addon to my contents (renting in a condo) insurance. Mainly I got it so it's covered when I fly with it. Covered for crashes when riding, too. Pretty sure I'd just tell 'em I was racing if I was and that would be covered, but as I've told them I'm not they seem very specific in their policy that I'm not. Lovely people, looking for a loophole, I'm sure.
Of course, this is in Singapore, but linked just to show you what I've done. SS MTB is covered under contents; just #1 bike individually covered.
@Blah
Whilst I only know about Australian insurance - as far as they are concerned they are very particular about insuring (or not) when racing. Most bike policies I have seen specifically exclude damage while racing - some even exclude damage whilst training for racing!? There are some that cover race damage - but u gotta look for them...
@scaler911
Hey, you being hung over should serve to make you slow enough that I can actually keep up on the hills. So drink up!
@Dr C
Oh, I'll have that shit on my stem recording the whole ride, you better believe it. Loud and proud violator of that particular rule. Maybe I'll run it in KMs, but maybe I'll run it in miles just to be CrAzY!
@Marcus
AXA will definitely cover racing in this policy; they've just jumped on the fact that I've said I won't be. Not sure if it would increase my premium (it didn't seem that it would; the broker did the calculations with me and there was no modifier in the paperwork), but seems to me that the 'recreational use' clause is an out they could use if I was racing and made a claim. You don't make huge profits from paying out if you don't have to.
@Dr C
This is what I've got, Cycleguard. Haven't had to claim yet so I've no idea how good they really are.
@Blah @Marcus
The Cycleguard insurance that I've got excludes racing, but it was an optional extra along with extended Euro trips and the like. I think most of the UK schemes operate that way.