International Cogal: Festum Prophetae
It came to me in a moment of absolute clarity, the kind of clarity which only arrives to one in an oxygen-depleted state and at high speed – usually down a steep descent. It would be awfully nice to justify wearing my Molteni jersey, rather than having it hanging in my workshop all the time.
It had been suggested a few times already by the time the notion came to me last winter, that Velominati should organize an international Cogal on which all of us around the world would climb aboard our bicycles in honor of each other, and devote the day to riding. It is, after all, what we do; we ride our bikes. The rest is detail.
While the idea is simple enough, the selection of a date has proven positively futile. Summer on the Upper Half of the planet (you know the one – the one that matters) means VVinter for the Lower Half. When the Lower Half (you know the one, the one with all the convicts and Aztecs) is in summer, the important side is snowed in or sopping wet. You simply can’t choose a day that works for everyone.
The solution, of course, is simple: I unilaterally pick a date for the entire community and shove it down everyone’s throat by the virtue of being louder than almost anyone else (with the exception of the bloke sitting just behind me and to my left at the café; that is one loud-mouthed bastard, that.)
Being the type of person I am, with all the personality defects I have at my disposal, I was still perplexed by the selection of a date that holds significant meaning for all our community. January first, so we may ride off our hangovers. October 3rd, to celebrate Leiden’s liberty from the Spanish. Then the epiphany as I flew down Lighthouse Hill towards the shore of Puget Sound, where Pearl Jam and Sound Garden once rocked out in the weeds: the Velominati International Cogal will be held every year in honor of The Prophet’s birthday, June 17.
Every Velominatus is free to observe this day however they like. Take a holiday from work; declare an exemption due to your specific religious requirements. Ride on the day, in a way that helps you honor the way Eddy rode himself. Ride lots, was his sage training advice. I like to surprise my rivals, was his explanation attacking 70 or 80 or 90 or 100km from the finish. However you ride, on Festum Prophetae each year, we will honor The Prophet. We may also choose, as is customary with other holidays, to arrange within our immediate community to designate the nearest convenient day to observe the holiday. If taking the day to honor him is impractical on the 17th, designate a nearby day that works better for you.
Mark your calendars for June 17, Festum Prophetae*. Personally, I will climb aboard my steel Bike #2 fitted with tubular tires, don my wool Molteni Jersey and head out with only a bit of food in my jersey pocket and water in my bidon with the express intent to meet the Man with the Hammer. No mean feat, considering the Seattle Summer Cogal will have taken place only the day before. Two Cogals in one weekend: I can’t think of a better way to honor him.
Vive la Vie Velominatus.
*A special thanks to @ChrisO for helping determine the “correct” latin phrase.
@Cyclops
This. Is. Fucking. Awesome!
@frank
The mighty Mt. Wellington in Hobart. Ridden up that bitch twice, probably the hardest climb I’ve done, even if only for it’s length (about 18km from memory). Hobart is a beautiful city, reminds me of Wellington NZ.
@lokerola
Ahhh, fuck me, there goes another 150 bucks. What a beuty. Thanks a lot for that one, now i have to figure out how to sneak it by the VMH.
@versio
nippe lube, that’s a cool pic
@brett
If we had enough left we’d sic a Tassie Devil on to @frank.
I thought I knew what wet and windy was until I lived in Wellington for a few years.
if you want a short course challenge – Mt Wellington Challenge
@Buck Rogers
I’ve been spoiled and non-full zip jerseys now bug me a lot. Pulling them on seems like a chore, as well as getting them off after a hot ride. Not good since I have a bunch of cool older jerseys that aren’t full zip.
I’m eagerly awaiting my V-jersey. Gonna be a summer of riding in style! And, the club/team that wanted me to join, which I decided to not do because of a lack of riding, has basically fallen to pieces. Glad I went with the Zwarte kit and don’t have to wear their horrific kit.
Mt. Wellington & Hobart. Awesome. Tasmania is by far one of the awesomest places I’ve ever visited. If I was an Aussie I’d move there in a second. A few bikes, a VMH, a job that pays the bills…that would be a nice life.
Fred A. Birchmore is a serious dude! Damn, that guy is in pretty darn good shape. Pedaling around the planet? That’s sweet as. I’d be nervous to try that today, even with all the gps assistance. Ballsy to do that in 1935.
@eightzero
Brilliant!
My birthday is that week. I’ve just decided that my wife will be buying me a Molteni jersey.
And maybe some Malteni. Maybe I can bring some back from my trip to Amsterdam this week.
Woolen vestments be doned, Merckx be praised;
Marinoni be ridden, Merckx be praised;
Warm coke be supped, Merckx be praised;
Uphill be saught, Merckx be praised;
Headwinds be thine sacrifice, Merckx be praised;
Pain, suffering, and anguish be thine rewards, Merckx be praised.
Ride forth in thine big ring. A Merckx.
@lokerola
the jersey is nice, but wearing it would be a contravention of Rule #17 unless you’ve earned those stripes…
Sorry, that would be Rule #16 I was looking for
@Mikael Liddy
Ahhhh, screw that, some rules are made to be broken if it is with the right spirit in mind. It is a day to honour the Prophet. I say wear ’em with pride, especially if i can find 150 bucks lying around and can manage to get one!
Brilliant idea @Frank.
June 17th happens to be the day I am riding a 246km sportive, nearly double my previous record for distance so I recon that will do to honour the Prophet.
@Mikael Liddy
Perhaps there should be a rule amendment, something like “..unless it is the Festum Prophetae and you intend to ride untill you throw up..”
@Ron
Yeah, i hate non- full zip jerseys as well but for that jersey, i’ll make an exception! Never have worn a wool jersey before. Do they itch? Are they really uncomfortable? What about sizing? Go with the normal size or do they run small or even a little large?
@Buck Rogers
No idea about that paticular jersey but if you ask me Merino wool is the dogs, great to ride in.
@Buck Rogers
They vary Buck so it depends what you want it for. A 100% merino jersey is not the most practical, but you can get some merino wool mixed with synthetics (sportwool) that are comparable to a lycra racing jersey – Rapha are probably the best known (and in my view the best) but there are others.
The wool doesn’t itch at all and is actually very comfortable. The good thing is that they can be worn multiple times without being smelly because the wool has anti-bacterial properties, and even when damp from sweat or rain they maintain temperature.
The bad thing is that they can get very heavy and a bit saggy when wet, especially the high wool content versions, and those tend to be handwash, dry-flat which is a pain. Good sportwool wicks like synthetic and can be chucked in the wash.
I have a merino wool Peugeot-BP jersey which is lovely but a bit of a pain. I also have a couple of Rapha sportwool jerseys which are brilliant, and my favourite (after the sacred garments of course).
from denmark, we are with you!
@ChrisO
Wow! Super info. What an awesome site this is. I learn more and more every day. The link to the jersey that lokerola posted looks like a really fine and worthy jersey. Thanks or all the info. Definitely on my wish list now.
@morten okbo
great photo.
@Buck Rogers
A+1, I think the point of Festum Prophetae is to honor Merckx and Cycling in a way that makes you feel like you’re doing it justice. If that means riding in the rainbow bands, do it. If it means you go absolutely 100% Rule Compliant, then do it. If it means taking the beach cruiser out and having a fun day on the bike, then do it. Whatever makes you feel the power fo the Merckx.
@morten okbo
Fucking badass.
Excellent idea, color my calender marked. June should be ridiculously hot here, so I look forward to being out there on a bike, Rule V in effect.
Hum. The posting capabilities sporadic…
@Buck Rogers
They have a domestique version without the stripes.
I’m digging this one…
@Ron
Mt. Wellington & Hobart. Awesome. Tasmania is by far one of the awesomest places I’ve ever visited. If I was an Aussie I’d move there in a second. A few bikes, a VMH, a job that pays the bills…that would be a nice life.
There’s always n+1 to be sought but the rest are ticked off and it is indeed a nice life.
LOL. WordPress hates my guts right now.
@Nate
damn you to hell…that was the one thing holding me back!
@markpa
If I ever move back to Aus, Hobart would definitely be a place I could live. (Cue a rabid Melbournian ranting about six fingered incest)…
@morten okbo
So much attitude in that pic… the young fella on the left looks like he’s ready to lay down some serious V!
And is that @Chris O in the middle?
@Buck Rogers
Try woolistic – they have some great wool gear.
@brett
You actually expect us to say “No Bretto, in the hypothetical apocalypse that sees you returning to Australia, we want you to pick Melbourne!”? Hobart is most welcome to you.
@Marcus
No, I just thought you might have wanted to share what you got up to today…
So I went to the supermarket with SWMBO and tried to buy Fosters. I was hissed at, threatened with being locked out of the house if I bought it, and even though I helpfully pointed out I was a kiwi, and hence not genetically predisposed to die if I drank it, still had no hope in hell of actually picking any up, let alone buying it.
This isn’t a complete tragedy though, since I did buy beer that wasn’t shit, since it was made in NZ.
@markpa
Any idea who has the record for the ascent up Mt.Wellington?
Richie Porte I thought had it, but then recall reading about a Tour of Tasmania some years ago when a young bloke named Cadel Evans smoked up there in under 40 minutes. One of the Sulzbergers might have a good time up there too, but reckon Matt Goss doesn’t.
@Mikael Liddy
Maybe I’ll have to atone by getting one myself.
@Nate mine’s already been ordered…I blame a bottle of wine & trying to distract myself from the Eurovision replay that was on TV before the Giro coverage started.
@Mikael Liddy
Going to be back on the road soon?
@Mikael Liddy
Damn! Yup, that seals the deal. Gotta get on now.
I’ll be celebrating the first 8 hours of June 17 as the final 8 hours of my first 24-hour race. As I watch the sun come up, I’ll think of everyone riding ’round the world for the simple sake of loving the bike. With good fortune and decent weather, I am hoping to do about 450 miles…errr…725km.
@Collin
725 km in one day would be more than a sufficient way to honor the Cannibal! Nice! I wonder if I should include an hour record attempt on the track in Redmond?
@Superman Sam
Don’t talk to me about long climbs. A record of 40 minutes? Pfffft. Gianni, Ryder, and I know what a long climb is. Get yourselves a real mountain…
@frank
I don’t think there is any other choice now that you have thought of it. Best get your preparations going.
@Collin
Holy CRAP! Let us know how you do, even if you do not quite hit your mark. That sounds pretty amazing.
@frank
+1!!! I fucking love how stern everyone, even the kids, look in this photo. No fucking about..”We ride, and we ride far. And we do not smile.”
Awesome.
Oh, forgot to add, I’ll be on day 3 of 5 riding back from Paris to Blackpool on the 17th (for charidee), so i’ll be toasting my first expresso of the day to y’all and in honour of The Prophet. Perfect.
@mrhallorann
What is this thing you speak of?
The consumable liquid is an espresso. I avoid coffee shops that make this error, they may be able to produce the finest coffee the world has ever seen, but if they also call it an expresso, I’ll never know.
@Nate
Due for an x-ray & the 6 week check up in about 45 minutes…am very much hoping for the green light to get back on board.
Best fix-up my nice bike then
@frank
Do It! I don’t care how much work you’ve done on this site if you don’t do this now you’ve promised you would on the internet in front of a lawyer, priest, high court judge, God and Mercxk himself, there is no hope for your soul.
DL RD: DEEEWWWW IIIIITTTTT!!!!!!!!!