December 6th is possibly the biggest holiday of the year for the Dutch. We put out our shoe, we write gedichten, we play pranks on each other, and we exchange gifts. As luck would have it, the good old Sint made a stop by the Velominati Headquarters in Seattle and left me an absurdly large bottle of dry lube; the the point where I felt like I need to explain what it is for. (I use a lot of that stuff, you know, on my chain – because I ride in the rain every day this time of year. I swear.)
Take a dive into the archives and have a look at our 2010 article on the subject for a full background on why December 6th is the real Christmas and why the Dutch (and I assume at least the Belgians) rule so much harder at holidays than the rest of the world, except maybe the Jewish community, since they figured out how to make the gift-giving last an entire month and everyone knows that’s pretty hard-core.
In any case, from the bottom of my heart, thanks to everyone in our humble little community, and I wish you each a Gelukkig Sinterklaas.
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@the Engine Deep section wheels, maybe. Hand turned wooden spokes, no.
Too much tweed, daft head wear, dodgy shaving habits and wooden components - are the Scots responsible for the birth of the Hipster?
@roadslave525 There have been boardroom meetings and the deliberations are going smoother than one might think.
@Marko
@roadslave525
The lack of a good Schleck Bros screw up, or any performance by the two of them has helped, besides a positive urine sample and being back amongst the cars at the foot of La Redoute in L-B-L.
Gelukkig Sinterklaas.
Did you get something in your shoe?
If not, you have to sing louder.
Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all the Velominati !
And could someone please explain to this American, who is unfamiliar with Dutch holiday traditions, why Old St Nicks "assistant" is wearing blackface?
@San Tonio
No doubt an edam-eating dopehead in clogs will be along in a minute to give further explanation, but that is Black Pete. He is essentially Sinterklaas's servant and helper in the way that the elves help Santa Claus.
I don't believe they were quite so PC in the 17th century so I guess they figured it was OK, indeed natural, for his servants to be black. There's also a connection with Sinterklaas arriving from Spain so perhaps there is a Moorish aspect to it originally.
@G'rilla
Nipple Lube.........(without admitting anything at all of course).
@Chris From the recent visits. It's not all bad!