Categories: Anatomy of a Photo

Anatomy of a Photo: Chuck a Dead Animal Over Your Shoulder

Let me open this by stating that I firmly believe that Animals should be treated with dignity and respect, and should be given the right to live a wholesome and fulfilling life. Chickens should be allowed to preen and pluck proudly; cows the right to socialize as amicably as cows can, and pigs should be allowed to delight in their own filth. Right up until we slaughter them to either eat them or wear them, or some unconventional combination of the two – depending on your preference.

I wanted to get that out of the way before I subject you all to a picture of Young Frank – much closer to Peaking than Old Frank – engaging in a game of “God Mag ‘t Weten” with his Cycling Sensei (his dad) after a 10 hour day riding singletrack in Alta, Wyoming. After all, if there isn’t a better way of saying, “We put it in the Big Ring today, Son” than chucking a dead sheep around your shoulders and calling it a ‘vest’, I don’t know what is.

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.

Next Anatomy of a Photo: Greg LeMan »

Previous « Riders who put the "V" in Diva: Federico Bahamontes

View Comments

Geoffrey Grosenbach says:

Dec 15 2010 at 12:14 pm

This photo raises many more questions than it answers.

Who took the photo? Unposed, casual, paparazzi style. I'm guessing local law enforcement.

And why is Strack Sr. glaring at Strack the Younger like that? The answer probably explains why only one is wearing the Dead Sheep of Victory.
Marko says:

Dec 15 2010 at 12:18 pm

@Geoffrey Grosenbach
and yet the rest of the attire is matching. Practical, yet stylish, rope knit Irish turtleneck sweaters and Levis 505's.
Ron says:

Dec 15 2010 at 12:48 pm

Could it be that Frank is going away on some holiday travels and won't be around to keep the site going so he deliberately pulled out this stunning photograph to send us into such a state of shock that we don't notice the lack of new material until the new year, when he returns?

I feel as if this photograph has been devilishly hidden until the moment was just right.
Ron says:

Dec 15 2010 at 12:52 pm

And yeah, who the hell thought that vest needed pockets?

Anyone wearing that thing simple grabs the closest person by the shirt and says, "Here, hold this until I get back. Or else."
mcsqueak says:

Dec 15 2010 at 1:00 pm

@Ron

Yeah, that vest doesn't need to pockets, they are redundant when you can just say "Oi, Fronk, put this in your man purse for me."
Brett says:

Dec 15 2010 at 9:33 pm

There's gotta be more than one animal in that thing.

Ron:
I feel as if this photograph has been devilishly hidden until the moment was just right.

Photographs like this should stay hidden.

Geoffrey Grosenbach:
Dead Sheep of Victory.

I just burst a blood vessel!
Brett says:

Dec 15 2010 at 9:37 pm

And is old Strack a pirate? Seems to be missing his right eye. Either that or he's giving the young buck a knowing wink, as if to say "one day, my boy, you will find yourself enveloped in beaver."
Hawkeye says:

Dec 16 2010 at 5:28 am

There's a FarSide based on Papa Strack. I don't have the
Hawkeye says:

Dec 16 2010 at 5:30 am

Not sure what happened there.

Papa Strack was clearly the model for Gary Larson's FarSide cartoon captioned "When nature says "Do not touch""

nfi how to embed that picture or whatever. Clearly don't have the skills to work the nerdbox interweb thingamy just yet
frank says:

Dec 18 2010 at 12:08 pm

@Hawkeye
Your post really piqued my curiosity and I had no recourse but to post it for you. Discuss.