Stop the presses, North American Cogal #2 is off and running. @Jeff in PetroMetro is organizing a ride deep in the heart-o-Texas on December 4, 2011 for the rider who wants a taste of drought, dust storm, truck nuts and fun. Lest we forget what a Cogal is, “… A meeting of like-minded misfits brought together by the promise of beer, preceded by a bike ride.” Commemorative V-Pints can be fabricated for such a thirst inducing event, please send orders through Velominati central ordering department. They may even be ready in time to wash that Texas dust down the neck hole.
Keep the rubber side down, Gianni
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Dang! We’re havin’ a Cogal in Austin! How ’bout that?
I guess I’ve been a Velominatus for a little over a year now. In that time, I’ve gotten to know many fellow Velominati online. And I feel like I know y’all. But I’ve never had the opportunity to meet any of you in person. And for that matter, I don’t know most of y’all by your given names.
But some of that is about to change. On the weekend of December 4th, in Austin, I get to meet, live and in Technicolor, Buck Rogers, Itburns, Bongo, and, rumor has it, Souleur. Buck’s coming up from San Antonio with Mrs. Buck and the Buckettes. Itburns is driving in from Houston (Yewstun), same as me and my relations. Bongo’s on his way from Waco (Way-Coe). And Souleur’s coming from I don’t know where. But I know it’s a long drive.
Why Austin? ‘Cause it’s not Houston.
Austin’s pretty. Austin’s cool. Austin’s where I lived as a student, a bike racer, and as a young college graduate with a good state gubment job. Austin’s got rolling hills, good barbeque, and cold beer. And, in case I forgot to mention it, Austin’s not Houston.
So, here’s the plan, set in sand in a windstorm: I’m driving up Friday night, December 2nd, and spending the weekend. I’m staying in a hotel near the Arboretum which is in northwest Austin. That’s near the north end of Highway 360 (Capital of Texas Highway) almost where it meets Highway 183. 360 is a great jumping off point for a rolling, hilly ride west of Austin. We’ll start in the parking lot of the Arboretum. I’ll let y’all know exactly where late next week.
We’ll head southwest and make a counter-clockwise loop. As we come back east, approaching Austin from the south, I’d like to go through Buda (Bew-duh). As we come up through Austin we’ll make our way up to 35thStreet, then west over Mt. Bonnell and back toward 360 for a ride north to our starting point.
Mind you, all of this is subject to change after next Tuesday, when I’m riding reconnaissance in Austin.
I’d like for all of us to get together on Saturday evening at the Shady Grove restaurant on Barton Springs Road. We’ll get some good food, some good beer and/or margaritas, and put some faces with some names. Time to be determined, but I’m guessing around 6pm so we can eat, drink, visit, and still get some decent sleep.
Sunday morning, we’ll get a big stack of gingerbread pancakes at Kerbey Lane Café. Then at either V before 10, or V after 10, we’ll head off into the wild blue yonder.
My intention is to keep the ride between 130km and 160km. There will be quite a bit of rolling hills and not much flat. This will be a Casually Deliberate ride. No one gets dropped by much or for too long, and there will be plenty of places to stop and load up on food and drinks.
I’ll post more details after my visit to Austin on Tuesday. Stay tuned.
If anyone else can join us in Austin, please do. I’m looking forward to seeing y’all.
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also, you can stop at mellow johnny's, but the corner grocery store across the street is a better place to refuel (imo).
@Marcus
Cyclops does have Zipps (saw the back of them for about 5 hours at the cogal), so I bet the only thing the man is missing in his life (now that he's the Iderhoe state champ, and has his LOOK) is a nice gun.
Plus, you could like four good used hand guns for what a set of Zipp 404s will run you....
@rufio
Sounds great. You'll definitely have to join us. Not sure, though as JiPM has already done a bunch of work on the route so it might be a bit late to monkey with it. But PLEASE join us, the more the merrier!
It was great meeting @Buck Rogers after my 100k and before his ITT at the Tour de Gruene. He was rockin' the V-kit, but even without that I would have suspected his membership in The Order. He was going over his Merckx machine with the love and detail of a mother for her newborn.
I propose the Tour de Gruene as an annual fall event for Texas Velominati. The host hotel would be the Faust brewpub and hotel located a few miles away in New Braunfels where I meticulously prepared for the 100k by several applications of Altbier. A free ticket to Wurstfest is included in the ride registration. This is the local German beerfest celebration. Everyone would gather Friday at Faust and prepare, ride the ITT or another route the next day, then lie about how awesome the guns performed at the fest that night.
Looking forward to having the legs ripped off at the Cogal. Lanterne Rouge, here I come.
@Marcus
Gold. +1
damn...I wish I could do this...but...y'know, cycling has but one weakness (it's not a small drainage culvert though). It is that it COST WAY TO FREAKIN' MUCH (for a college freshman with no income anyways)...ok good...got that out of my system...anyways enough of what I can't do, what could I do...hmmmm... robabank...no...get a job...yes, but job selection for a freshman, well, sucks...getajobatabankandrobfromthecustomers...hmmm that might just work...well, maybe I could just fulfill the role of "team car" and see how far I could back traffic up :). Once I do get a bike though (other than a 30 pound early 2000's Gary Fisher Marlin), watch out Boerne, literally (there are some awesome climbs around there but the roads themselves are really crappy for riding (or even running for that matter)), ok, I shut up now... /end rant
@joeIVpack(workin' on it)
So you are aiming for the CEO spot? Cool, we need to line up a sponsor sooner or later to truly feel pro.
@itburns
Well, give me about twenty years or so, then we'll see...oh, and we'll also have to plan some sort of controversy, you know, for the publicity...you know, to feel truly, truly pro...hmmm...my mom is a pharmacist, so I think I might just have a head start on that one :)
@itburns
SUPER IDEA!!! We should make it an annual gathering. Great riding and great atmosphere.
As for ripping legs off, remember that this Cogal is a Casually Deliberate affair, not a Rule V event! :)
@Buck Rogers
Yes, but I have seen you and my spies in Houston have met JiPM - I foresee casual conversation directed at me during climbs that goes unanswered.