Fitness. The rhythm, the feeling of precision in our movement, the sensations of The Ride. The temptation of knowing we might in some way control our suffering even as we push harder in spite of the searing pain in our legs and lungs. The notion that through suffering, we might learn something rudimentary about ourselves – that we might find a kind of salvation.
Cycling, like Art, is based on the elementary notion that through focussed study, we might better understand ourselves. But to describe Cycling as a an Art does it an injustice. An artist, they say, suffers because they must. A Cyclist, I suggest, suffers because we choose to.
This element of choice, what psychologists refer to as the locus of control, is part of what allows us to feel pleasure through suffering. Through this choice unfolds an avenue of personal discovery by which we uncover the very nature of ourselves. Like Michelangelo wielding his hammer to chip away fragments of stone that obscure a great sculpture, we turn our pedals to chip away at our form, eventually revealing our true selves as a manifestation of hard work, determination, and dedication to our craft.
Having chosen this path, we quickly find that riding a bicycle on warm, dry roads through sunny boulevards is the realm of the recreational cyclist. As winter approaches, the days get shorter and the weather worse. Form tempts us to greater things, but leaves us quickly despite our best intentions. Its taste lingers long upon the tongue and urges us to gain more. Even as life gets in the way, we cannot afford many days away from our craft before we find ourselves struggling to reclaim lost fitness.
To find form in the first place, and to maintain it in the second, is a simple matter of riding your bicycle a lot. This simple task asks of us, however, a year-round commitment to throwing our leg over a toptube in heat, cold, wind, rain, or sleet, lest we spend months fighting to reclaim last year’s lost condition.
But with riding in bad weather is revealed a hidden secret. It is in the rain and the cold, when all the seductive elements of riding a bicycle have vanished, that we are truly able to ensconce ourselves in the elemental qualities of riding a bicycle. Good weather and beautiful scenery, after all, are distractions from the work. Without them, we have only those elements that we ourselves bring to The Ride: the rhythm, harmony between rider and machine, our suffering, and our thoughts. As the rain pours down and all but the most devoted stay indoors, we pull on extra clothing and submit into the deluge.
We are the Few, we are the Committed. We are those who understand that riding in bad weather means you’re a badass, period.
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@Oli
Thanks guys. I went home last night and did some research and figured out that couldn't be the 78 Giro as Brooklyn was defunct by then. Lombardy 77 makes everything much more logical. Looks like RdV is in a world of pain.
Interesting that Baronchelli won - he did it again in 86 after what can only be described as a lucky win as Kelly and Anderson apparently had a few "issues" going on, allowing Gibi to sneak away for the win. I heard a couple of versions: one, that Kelly had a chat with Ernesto Colnago (Baronchelli rode a Colnago) and two, that Anderson owed Kelly a favor and wasn't willing to repay. Knowing Kelly's reticence to talk about such things, I doubt we'll ever know!
@Nate
Exactly. We need more of these, except that with you, Oli and wiscot, it'd be only a moment before the answer was posted! :)
@Buck Rogers
I can't resist trying to figure these things out. Next best thing to actually, you know, riding.
Holy bitchcakes I got rained on this arvo on the way home from work. Sooooooo rained on. After two minutes I was as wet as I was going to get. Singapore rain lets you know you're getting rained on. Seriously like a shower.
Not really Rule 9 stuff in terms of temperature, as it was like a warm bath, but I really couldn't see anything, with or without the yellow shades on. Worse, I'm pretty sure traffic, of which there's lots, couldn't see me too well, despite the lights still on the bike from the pre-dawn ride in..
So I'm riding when it starts thinking "yep, hardman weather. I am a badarse." This lasted thirty seconds of proper rain. Close to zero visibility. Uturn and carefully did the 10 kay home. Hardmen have closed roads. Still hardmen, tho'.
@Oli
What a great photo! Amazingly great. @Nate
Amen to that - I missed the fun, but I love theorizing on shit I know nothing about. Favorite pass time, actually.
Time for the rule 9 photo of the day:
Vino and Cuddles get 'er done!
@scaler911
Such an awesome photo. Cuddles REALLY grew a pair after he won the WC. That attack has redefined his whole career. I wonder if he would have won the Tour this year if he had not attacked then.
Cold, wet, rainy ride today. I love all those things, but one thing I can't stand is wind. Its like riding with the moralezizer at zero and the brakes on full. She started out clean today; I'm into full-on daily scrubbing of the machine so long as these leaves are all over the road.
@frank
rake your lawn!
@frank
A moralezizer?? Definitely a Rule 74 infraction. For shame!
I hear you on the wind, though. We were supposed to be at 0c with winds at 35kph this morning. Temp was right, but no sign of wind. Got in a quick up and down and up and down ride and was home before the wind picked up. Although a couple of weeks ago, I was gearing down into the wind while going downhill. Talk about demoralizing.