Categories: General

Gelukkig Sinterklaas

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.

frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

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View Comments

Marcus says:

Dec 7 2012 at 1:37 am

@cognition bad weather? It's 8:30pm and 28 degrees Celsius here
roadslave525 says:

Dec 7 2012 at 1:57 am

Yeah, yeah, happy christmas, seasons greetings and all that stuff. Whatever. I like December for another reason: it's review of the year time. Come on Frank, Brett, Marco, Gianni... it's been a cracking year. When is the 'ride of the year' coming out? When is the Official Velominati Review of 2012 being published. Don't tell me you can't believe it's December already. What, you didn't get the memo?

Stop bickering about it, as we know you are, and either agree Wiggo/Boonen/Trott/Gilbert/Pendleton/Sagan/Hesjedal/VdV/de Gendt/Vos* is the man/girl or just let Frank go and write what he wants to write anyway and publish, dammit. (You can tear him to pieces afterwards online, in public, just like every year - God, I love Christmas).

* delete where applicable
the Engine says:

Dec 7 2012 at 2:36 am

@roadslave525

Yeah, yeah, happy christmas, seasons greetings and all that stuff. Whatever. I like December for another reason: it's review of the year time. Come on Frank, Brett, Marco, Gianni... it's been a cracking year. When is the 'ride of the year' coming out? When is the Official Velominati Review of 2012 being published. Don't tell me you can't believe it's December already. What, you didn't get the memo? Stop bickering about it, as we know you are, and either agree Wiggo/Boonen/Trott/Gilbert/Pendleton/Sagan/Hesjedal/VdV/de Gendt/Vos* is the man/girl or just let Frank go and write what he wants to write anyway and publish, dammit. (You can tear him to pieces afterwards online, in public, just like every year - God, I love Christmas). * delete where applicable

Wiggo & Trott for me.

Us Scots are grim Presbyterian types - when I was a kid there was a mail delivery on Christmas day the village shop would open and the buses ran a "Sunday Service". Hence the New Year was the big occasion for liver damage at this end of the island as it wasn't a religious festival but the result of 1599 bookkeeping change in Scotland to make New Years day the 1st of January 1600 and not the 25th of March as it remained everywhere else until 1752 or thereabouts. Some Presbyterian groups in the Western Isles still use the Julian calendar (albeit with a 1st of January New Year's Day) as they don't hold with fancy modern ways especially those associated with 16th century popes.

Its being so cheerful that keeps us going.
roadslave525 says:

Dec 7 2012 at 3:21 am

@the Engine

Its being so cheerful that keeps us going.

8 words, and I need a new keyboard - have just spat diet coke all over it was laughing so hard. Please stop.
Deakus says:

Dec 7 2012 at 3:28 am

@the Engine

@roadslave525

Yeah, yeah, happy christmas, seasons greetings and all that stuff. Whatever. I like December for another reason: it's review of the year time. Come on Frank, Brett, Marco, Gianni... it's been a cracking year. When is the 'ride of the year' coming out? When is the Official Velominati Review of 2012 being published. Don't tell me you can't believe it's December already. What, you didn't get the memo? Stop bickering about it, as we know you are, and either agree Wiggo/Boonen/Trott/Gilbert/Pendleton/Sagan/Hesjedal/VdV/de Gendt/Vos* is the man/girl or just let Frank go and write what he wants to write anyway and publish, dammit. (You can tear him to pieces afterwards online, in public, just like every year - God, I love Christmas). * delete where applicable

Wiggo & Trott for me. Us Scots are grim Presbyterian types - when I was a kid there was a mail delivery on Christmas day the village shop would open and the buses ran a "Sunday Service". Hence the New Year was the big occasion for liver damage at this end of the island as it wasn't a religious festival but the result of 1599 bookkeeping change in Scotland to make New Years day the 1st of January 1600 and not the 25th of March as it remained everywhere else until 1752 or thereabouts. Some Presbyterian groups in the Western Isles still use the Julian calendar (albeit with a 1st of January New Year's Day) as they don't hold with fancy modern ways especially those associated with 16th century popes. Its being so cheerful that keeps us going.

Aha...so you are talking high curch...brrrr sends shivers down my spine. Used to go up to Lewis twice a year as a child. Sundays....no playing...no watching TV....cards (nope thats gambling!)....I mean what are 3 boys supposed to do. We used to have to go to church for 2hrs in the morning and be berated in gaelic. Then another hour in the evening!! Christmas....that was a time for reflecting on the misery and pain Jesus suffered and how misearable sinners like us should not be permitted to laugh! No wonder they drink so much!

All good now, I am chaging sides when it comes to Christmas and going Dutch!
the Engine says:

Dec 7 2012 at 4:01 am

@Deakus

@the Engine

@roadslave525

Yeah, yeah, happy christmas, seasons greetings and all that stuff. Whatever. I like December for another reason: it's review of the year time. Come on Frank, Brett, Marco, Gianni... it's been a cracking year. When is the 'ride of the year' coming out? When is the Official Velominati Review of 2012 being published. Don't tell me you can't believe it's December already. What, you didn't get the memo? Stop bickering about it, as we know you are, and either agree Wiggo/Boonen/Trott/Gilbert/Pendleton/Sagan/Hesjedal/VdV/de Gendt/Vos* is the man/girl or just let Frank go and write what he wants to write anyway and publish, dammit. (You can tear him to pieces afterwards online, in public, just like every year - God, I love Christmas). * delete where applicable

Wiggo & Trott for me. Us Scots are grim Presbyterian types - when I was a kid there was a mail delivery on Christmas day the village shop would open and the buses ran a "Sunday Service". Hence the New Year was the big occasion for liver damage at this end of the island as it wasn't a religious festival but the result of 1599 bookkeeping change in Scotland to make New Years day the 1st of January 1600 and not the 25th of March as it remained everywhere else until 1752 or thereabouts. Some Presbyterian groups in the Western Isles still use the Julian calendar (albeit with a 1st of January New Year's Day) as they don't hold with fancy modern ways especially those associated with 16th century popes. Its being so cheerful that keeps us going.

Aha...so you are talking high curch...brrrr sends shivers down my spine. Used to go up to Lewis twice a year as a child. Sundays....no playing...no watching TV....cards (nope thats gambling!)....I mean what are 3 boys supposed to do. We used to have to go to church for 2hrs in the morning and be berated in gaelic. Then another hour in the evening!! Christmas....that was a time for reflecting on the misery and pain Jesus suffered and how misearable sinners like us should not be permitted to laugh! No wonder they drink so much! All good now, I am chaging sides when it comes to Christmas and going Dutch!

If you can hack 2 hours of unaccompanied psalms (organs being sinful) in Gaelic then Rule #5 holds no fear...
Chris says:

Dec 7 2012 at 4:14 am

@Deakus

@the Engine

@roadslave525

Yeah, yeah, happy christmas, seasons greetings and all that stuff. Whatever. I like December for another reason: it's review of the year time. Come on Frank, Brett, Marco, Gianni... it's been a cracking year. When is the 'ride of the year' coming out? When is the Official Velominati Review of 2012 being published. Don't tell me you can't believe it's December already. What, you didn't get the memo? Stop bickering about it, as we know you are, and either agree Wiggo/Boonen/Trott/Gilbert/Pendleton/Sagan/Hesjedal/VdV/de Gendt/Vos* is the man/girl or just let Frank go and write what he wants to write anyway and publish, dammit. (You can tear him to pieces afterwards online, in public, just like every year - God, I love Christmas). * delete where applicable

Wiggo & Trott for me. Us Scots are grim Presbyterian types - when I was a kid there was a mail delivery on Christmas day the village shop would open and the buses ran a "Sunday Service". Hence the New Year was the big occasion for liver damage at this end of the island as it wasn't a religious festival but the result of 1599 bookkeeping change in Scotland to make New Years day the 1st of January 1600 and not the 25th of March as it remained everywhere else until 1752 or thereabouts. Some Presbyterian groups in the Western Isles still use the Julian calendar (albeit with a 1st of January New Year's Day) as they don't hold with fancy modern ways especially those associated with 16th century popes. Its being so cheerful that keeps us going.

Aha...so you are talking high curch...brrrr sends shivers down my spine. Used to go up to Lewis twice a year as a child. Sundays....no playing...no watching TV....cards (nope thats gambling!)....I mean what are 3 boys supposed to do. We used to have to go to church for 2hrs in the morning and be berated in gaelic. Then another hour in the evening!! Christmas....that was a time for reflecting on the misery and pain Jesus suffered and how misearable sinners like us should not be permitted to laugh! No wonder they drink so much! All good now, I am chaging sides when it comes to Christmas and going Dutch!

Given the somewhat fierce nature of the ladies and the alarming amount of bicycle abuse - they're all upside down, have been chopped in half and are being used for domestic chores - I'd have been quite happy to shuffle off to the kirk for three hours of fire, brimstone and guilt each Sunday.

[dmalbum: path="/velominati.com/wp-content/uploads/readers/fleeting moment/2012.12.07.11.57.28/"/]

@minion & @marcys might have been OK though.

[dmalbum: path="/velominati.com/wp-content/uploads/readers/fleeting moment/2012.12.07.11.57.28/"/]
Chris says:

Dec 7 2012 at 4:16 am

fuck it, DM albums have done it again. Two of the those photos should have been after the last paragraph.
the Engine says:

Dec 7 2012 at 4:21 am

That early Giro helmet isn't going to make Morag's live in lover go any faster...
Adrian says:

Dec 7 2012 at 4:34 am

Zo komt hij bij ons binnen.......Gelukkig Sinterklaas!