3.29.2011
Armstrong's End Game
"I was on a motorcycle speeding beside him in a time trial at the 1994 Tour DuPont. Power billowed off his body like smoke off a burning skillet of grease. He was battering his bike, punishing the pedals with kicks and stomps, pushing the handlebar as if trying to shove it up against a barroom wall. This brawling ride was the antithesis of what I thought epitomized the ideal of the sport—the smooth, effortless-looking mastery of the bike called souplesse. The moto driver throttled us close enough to see Armstrong's expression. His lips were pursed, his eyes were slits, the bones of his face were set in hard angles. He seemed to me to be riding mad and in madness, desperate to escape something behind him and furious that he had yet to punch his way through the horizon." -Bill Strickland
“An exhaustive study of the safety measures to be implemented on the same weekend as the elite event revealed that we have to change the event form…Indeed, despite the efforts of relevant authorities, we could not validate the private use of roads for the first edition."
GLAD I didn't register for the Paris-Roubaix CHALLENGE.
They really thought they could pull the amateur race off on the same day as the "real" Paris-Roubaix??
Read the whole article here
3.27.2011
3.25.2011
3.23.2011
3.22.2011
JM Eldridge
This is my grandfather. We don't know for sure but all agree he had his Harley "dressed" for a parade. Notice the American flags above the headlight. Check out his "kidney belt".
3.20.2011
Passo dello Stelvio
Harry Unte shared this with me today. His photograph from a long time ago. Nice.
The Passo dello Stelvio is the highest pass in Italy. It is situated in the Alps Retiche, to the north-west of the Montuoso group of the Ortles-Cevedale. Many consider it scenically the nicest of all the Alpine passes. It is possible to climb the Stelvio from two different sides; from Bormio and from Prato, both in Italy. However, it is also possible to reach the Stelvio from Switzerland, namely from St. Maria; see the Passo Umbrail (2501 m). From the starting point Bormio, one can go to Mazzo di Valtellina, the starting point of the Mortirolo.
The Passo dello Stelvio is the highest pass in Italy. It is situated in the Alps Retiche, to the north-west of the Montuoso group of the Ortles-Cevedale. Many consider it scenically the nicest of all the Alpine passes. It is possible to climb the Stelvio from two different sides; from Bormio and from Prato, both in Italy. However, it is also possible to reach the Stelvio from Switzerland, namely from St. Maria; see the Passo Umbrail (2501 m). From the starting point Bormio, one can go to Mazzo di Valtellina, the starting point of the Mortirolo.from Here
3.19.2011
3.18.2011
LISTENING
AND
Building a randonneuring bicycle for my new friend in Spain.
Whats randonneuring?
Randonneuring is a type of organised long distance bicycle riding, with rides typically covering between 100 and 1,200 kilometres (60–750 miles). A participant is known as a randonneur, and an event is a randonnée. The term brevet may be used interchangeably withrandonnée, although strictly speaking, a brevet is one specific type of event.[1]
Randonneuring is not a competitive sport. It is a test of endurance, self-sufficiency and bicycle touring skills. All riders who complete the task are congratulated, and no prizes are given to those with the fastest times.[2]
Riders are expected to carry clothing for inclement weather, spare parts and tools. Rides in excess of 300 kilometers frequently involve night riding and require lights, spare bulbs and reflective gear.
The term brevet may also refer to the certificate of completion given to riders who complete a brevet.
To ensure that the correct route is followed and no short cuts are taken, the rider must pass through a series of locations known as "controls". The rider carries a "brevet card", onto which information is added at each control, and this card is presented to the organisers at the end of the ride as proof that the route was followed. There are two types of controls. The first is a "manned control", usually at a village hall or cafe, at which someone waits to stamp the riders cards as they pass through. On longer rides a manned control may be a shop, where the rider must obtain a till receipt showing the date and time. The second type of control is an "information control", more commonly called an "info control", where the rider must answer a question. For example, if the card asks, "From the signpost at the T-Junction, how far is it to Oadby?", the rider must find the signpost and write the answer on the brevet card.
From here.
3.15.2011
3.14.2011
3.13.2011
3.12.2011
3.11.2011
3.08.2011
3.07.2011
3.05.2011
"The Grey Flash"
This is #1 of a limited run of 31 to be produced by Stanridge Speed for a client with a love for handmade limited run racing vehicles. Most all vintage motorbike experts agree 31 Vincent "Gray Flash's" were built between 1948-50.
The serial number of this Stanridge is a play on the original Vincent numbering system
RC/1A/4650
3.03.2011
With age you become invisible to increasing portions of the population;
in compensation, you begin to see them more clearly.
in compensation, you begin to see them more clearly.
via//magnificent ruin
3.02.2011
389. After writing an angry email, read it carefully. Then delete it.
“Be like a duck. Remain calm on the surface and paddle like hell underneath.
Michael Caine
VIA 1001