Cogals (pronounce it correctly: kog-al) are meetings of like-minded misfits brought together by the promise of beer, preceded by a bike ride. Cogals are free, open to all, organized by our fellow Velominati and are always followed by consumption of post-ride recovery ales and merriment. These are gatherings of unbridled observance of Rule #4.
Cogals differ themselves from other group rides by the meeting the following criteria:
- First, Cogals are free, organized and supported through Velominati, though not necessarily a Keeper. Anyone is welcome to join a Cogal. Legally speaking, however, we have no involvement, so if you crash or die, it’s your own problem. Please be careful to study the route previously and take precautionary measures to stay safe.
- Second, a Cogal is a day-long undertaking that focuses 100% on the bike. The rides are categorized (Casually Deliberate, Rule #5, Rule #10, for example) but are long. This is what you’re doing today, nothing else; see Rule #4. Rides can be any length, but a minimum distance of 130km should be expected.
- Third, Cogals always include a session of Malted Recovery Beverage Consumption after the ride. Whenever possible, it should also include a pre-ride espresso.
Not all the events in The Cogals are actual Cogals. We also post rides and events that are of interest to the community, as well as Keepers Tours, which are Velominati-hosted, paid cycling Tours tailored to the tastes of a velominatus.
Any member of the community is welcomed to organize a Cogal. If interested, either post your interest below or email us with the following information:
- Date of Cogal
- Starting Address (ideally somewhere neutral, like a café or park)
- Route (MapMyRide, Bikely, or Strava)
- Ride Classification (Casually Deliberate, Rule V, Rule VV, or suggest another)
- A paragraph describing the Cogal
Upcoming Cogals
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Submit Your Own Cogal:
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We've put the South Ozzy Cogal up for all and sundry, open to suggestions, date is tentative, so are the legs !
Kimberley BC will have its first know Cogal this weekend Sunday Sept 29. Starting at the Bean Tree Cafe on the platzl we will be leaving at 10:00am so please order your machiato earlier, or girly latte if you want to be chastised. We will be riding what we estimate to be 160ish km. (although map my ride has a different distance. The ride will finish at the pedal and tap for post ride merriment. The ride pace will be somewhere between Casually deliberate and Rule V depending on the characters that show up. This time of year the weather can be tough in the mountains so please remember rule 9. Hope to see some people there.
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/296727501
@CanuckChuck I used to live in the DC area. There's some great riding to be had down in Prince Frederick, especially Chesapeake Beach on south. Constant rollers and great scenery, very little traffic if you stay off the main highway (route 2). I always wanted to do a three-day ride down PF to Solomons from Annapolis and then cross the bridge spend the next two days noodling back to Annapolis on the other side of the Patuxent River.
@Bianchi Denti has put together our own @itburns Memorial Cogal for this Sunday... all Welliminati are welcome. It is also the start of our Spring Classics, so this one will be dubbed 'Hutt Volk' as we take in the roads of Lower and Upper Hutt...
Wellington Cogal
Sunday 20 October 2013, 9:30am from Aro Valley Fish & Chip Shop
Distance: approx 130km
Welliminati unite for a casually deliberate, no-drop ride to celebrate the life of @itburns, a friend we unfortunately never met. This is also to show our support for the itburns Memorial Cogal taking place at Westpoint, NY, later the same day.
Shake off the winter blues for 130 (approx) kilometres. We’ll ride from Aro Valley, out to Whitemans Valley, across to and over Moonshine Road, through Whitby, then back to the city via Johnsonville and Ohariu Valley. I’m guessing that few of us have done any distance work over winter, so I'm sure that the pace won’t be too hot for anyone.
Meet at Aro Valley Fish and Chip shop at 9:30am, whatever the weather. There are 2 cafes in the immediate vicinity for pre-ride espressos and snacks.
And beers afterwards, obviously
@brett
"Hutt Volk"? Nice. I see what you did there...
@piwakaka, @G'phant, others - it would be great if you could make it.
@Bianchi Denti
We'll get this on the Cogal calendar today. Gianni does those and I missed your email so didn't get it over to you. Brett should also have been able to put the Cogal writeup in himself, but he was probably too busy making girls feel uncomfortable down the local pub.
Gianni will need some add'l info from you per the top of this Cogals page where it outlines what we need - including a route, etc.
Cheers.
The London cogal looked to have been a real Rule 9 day. I couldn't attend as it was the weekend after I'd returned from a 4 day jaunt to Tuscany sans VMH to take part in l'Eroica - a celebration of cycling around the Strade Bianchi. It was a fantastic, eventful trip. If anyone wants to see my write up, with a handful of photos, let me know at davidlhill(dot)uk (at) gmail (dot) com
If anyone has contemplated this event, but is maybe put off by the logistics - don't be! All the effort required to get you to the start line (the effort includes potential negotiations with the VMH who may or may not share your love, transporting your bike and the gear) is repaid in spades.
David
@davidlhill
That sounds awesome but rather than emailing a write up to anyone who's interested this sounds like an ideal subject for a guest article. I'm looking forward to reading it already.
@Chris
I'll second that as my vintage rebuild has that in it's future sights. Filled out the pre entry for L'eroica Britannia next summer. Fingers crossed I get an entry.
Apologies for the delay in sorting chaps. Here's a link to some snaps from the Scottish CX Cogal of some weeks back.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/88612068@N03/sets/72157636809557274/