La Vie Velominatus, Part IV: The Great Escape

The Col du Tourmalet

One of the most magnificent things about Cycling is that not only does it represent different things to different people, it represents different things on different days. Some days, it’s training – a means to an end. Other days, it’s the culmination of a body of work; rather than a means to an end, it represents that end itself, whether that end is exhilarating or devastating. But these two facets represent Cycling only as Sport, the complex simplicity of the balance between dedication and results.

Cycling stands apart, however, in its many dimensions beyond Sport. For me, Cycling is meditation, a time to clear my mind of ancillary concerns and contemplate on those that require my focus. It is thoughtlessness, a time to eliminate everything through the simplicity of pain. It is simultaneously medication and therapy; even a short ride can shake a heavy lethargy from my bones and rejuvenate aching muscles and joints. It is simultaneously tension and release; Cycling can fill my being with effort, an effort that overflows my legs and lungs and spills over to fill every fiber of my being, flushing from me all those things I wish not to keep.

Cycling is penance for my mistakes; a few hours at the mercy of the Man with the Hammer can help me understand the error of my ways. It is cleansing of other’s mistakes – here the Man with the Hammer helps pound out the ripples in the surface of Life they cause me.

I am by no means a great man and never will be. But I am a better man for my bike, and for that I am eternally grateful to it.

Vive la Vie Velominatus.

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

Roadslave525 says:

Sep 21 2011 at 8:15 am

@Fredrik... +1 doesn't really do you justice, but +1 Awesome post.
Ron says:

Sep 21 2011 at 8:18 am

I also woke up thinking I had a bad dream last night. Turns out the bullshit intrigue of fuckos far & wide has predictably culminated in a really horrible Hollywood offering.

I regret to inform you about this. God, save us.

Premier Rush, starring some cunt on a bike.
Roadslave525 says:

Sep 21 2011 at 8:21 am

@drsoul GPM10 run awesome training camps in Mallorca as well as other rides... you may also want to check out La Fuga (www.lafuga.cc) who run a similar type operation with same style.

@DrC... nice ride, but means we haven't met! I'm rubbish at remembering faces or names, but I rarely forget bikes. Only Specialiseds I've come across on GPM10 were Tarmacs
VeloVita says:

Sep 21 2011 at 8:31 am

@Fredrik
+1 Wonderful, eloquent post - I think you said it all.
Chris says:

Sep 21 2011 at 8:48 am

@Fredrik
Beautifully put, especially about not riding to escape but for the riding itself although it ultimately improves our perception of everything else.
drsoul says:

Sep 21 2011 at 8:53 am

@roadslave

Thanks again. Yes, I am familiar with La Fuga and planned to connect with them next year, too. This will be my first year trying "organized" trips with groups. As I have experiences with them, I'll report here.

Has anyone here used Backroads for any of their cycling trips?
Dr C says:

Sep 21 2011 at 8:57 am

@roadslave
never done a GPM10 before, so new ground for me and my group - the fact they were on Tarmacs, and I'm on a Roubaix tells a story!!

Just back from the Hurt Locker - 30km of muchos 14-18% with a smidgeon of 21% - can't quite imagine doing that all day for 5 days....

Tony Martin awesome, Faboo defended like a demon, but just pushed too hard - what a TT
Dr C says:

Sep 21 2011 at 9:00 am

@drsoul
Who are Backroads?
drsoul says:

Sep 21 2011 at 9:01 am

@Ron

You know, I saw the preview (and the resultant comments, similar in review to yours) on the Bike Snob NYC blog. Sure, the whole fixie culture has jumped the shark. But, what exactly, is so wrong with the looks of this film from your perspective? It seems like a "suspense-filled/ chase/whodunit/what's it all about?" film that involves bikes and bike messengers. I got no beef with that. Sure, bike messengers are always made out to be self-centered, close-minded jerks (to use a polite term). And there are portions of the preview that support these perceptions. But, really, are we only interested in seeing cycling at the center of medium to big budget major release films that have the aesthetic qualities to win the Palme d'Or at Cannes?

For those who haven't seen the preview, here it is:

http://youtu.be/Pn6ie1zCkZU
drsoul says:

Sep 21 2011 at 9:06 am

@Dr C

Backroads (http://www.backroads.com/) is an active travel company specializing in hiking, walking, riding, and other active travel pursuits around the globe. They have always been well reviewed by folks that I know who have travelled with them (though, alas, none of my friends have done any of the cycling trips). They do a Tour of California package, some California Wine Country trips, and others. Because their focus isn't cycling, they are not as "heavy", if you will, as the aforementioned outfits we've been discussing. But they do have trips. They are also generally on the luxury side of things as far as accommodations, support, and "extras" are concerned.