Categories: Anatomy of a Photo

Anatomy of a Photo: The Eyes of March

Some riders lose before they even arrive at the start line, questioning their form or their health, or allowing themselves to be demoralized by the weather or the distance of the day’s racing.

Other riders win the race just by showing up. Jan won the moment he threw his woolly jumper over his flowery, collared shirt, and casually perched his cap atop his coif of blond, curly locks.

His eyes tell you everything you need to know.

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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  • @Ron

    Buck – do you know he’s written a cycling-related/based book?

    Also, found myself in Melbourne in the early 2000s. Felt like seeing a show and just my luck, there were two: David Byrne or Ryan Adams. I went for Mr. Byrne and stick by my choice. Awesome show in some very cool old theatre in downtown Melbourne, were maybe 200 people there.

    Also, and not to get soppy or lewd…first full night I even spent in the company of a gal friend…the 2-disc Talking Heads highlights set was played on loop. To this day, I can’t hear it and not recall those simple joys of youth!

    This must be the place (naive melody) is the greatest song ever recorded. End of story.

  • @Mikael Liddy

    Our sadly departed friend @BIGRINGRIDING has a perfect example of that opening paragraph.

    I WON’T INSIST ANY MORE ON THIS POINT, BUT HERE, AGAIN, IT COMES DOWN TO THE SHOES. WHAT A NAMBY PAMBY CHOICE BY THE DUTCHMAN.

    EVEN MY DAD WOULDN’T WEAR THOSE.

    JOOP, YOU’VE CEDED THE VICTORY BEFORE GETTING ON THE FUCKING BIKE, AND YOU BOTH KNOWS IT.

    Shoes are problem yes --- but ----hell the "hand-shake" looks pretty dam suspect in and of itself!!!!!

     

    I mean Im just sayin ... (they say that a lot here in the south....)

    And for the hair well------- this looks like Bobby Brady gets his ass kicked by Elvis ---

  • @Ron

    Buck – do you know he’s written a cycling-related/based book?

    Also, found myself in Melbourne in the early 2000s. Felt like seeing a show and just my luck, there were two: David Byrne or Ryan Adams. I went for Mr. Byrne and stick by my choice. Awesome show in some very cool old theatre in downtown Melbourne, were maybe 200 people there.

    Also, and not to get soppy or lewd…first full night I even spent in the company of a gal friend…the 2-disc Talking Heads highlights set was played on loop. To this day, I can’t hear it and not recall those simple joys of youth!

    Oh, I have a few songs/albums that elicit those types of memories as well.  Just lovely stuff.

    As for David Bryne, I had no idea that he had written a cycling related book.  But, on retrospect, it doesn't surprise me.  When watching Frank's posted video I was seriously envious of Bryne's physique.  That Dude was LEAN!!!

  • @frank

    Figured you'd appreciate that example more than the one that sprung to mind first. Andy's "scary face" psych up on the start ramp of the 2011 TdF, also known as the moment Australia realised that as long as he stayed upright, Cadel had won the tour.

  • @Duntov

    @Mikael Liddy

    Our sadly departed friend @BIGRINGRIDING has a perfect example of that opening paragraph.

    I WON’T INSIST ANY MORE ON THIS POINT, BUT HERE, AGAIN, IT COMES DOWN TO THE SHOES. WHAT A NAMBY PAMBY CHOICE BY THE DUTCHMAN.

    EVEN MY DAD WOULDN’T WEAR THOSE.

    JOOP, YOU’VE CEDED THE VICTORY BEFORE GETTING ON THE FUCKING BIKE, AND YOU BOTH KNOWS IT.

    Shoes are problem yes — but —-hell the “hand-shake” looks pretty dam suspect in and of itself!!!!!

    I mean Im just sayin … (they say that a lot here in the south….)

    And for the hair well——- this looks like Bobby Brady gets his ass kicked by Elvis —

    Not to mention that one of them has brought a road bike to a track race.  Or vice versa.

  • @Mikael Liddy

    @frank

    Figured you’d appreciate that example more than the one that sprung to mind first. Andy’s “scary face” psych up on the start ramp of the 2011 TdF, also known as the moment Australia realised that as long as he stayed upright, Cadel had won the tour.

    I'm busily trying to get  "bellend" back into the vernacular. Him right there in yellow... Fucking YELLOW... He's a bellend!

  • @gilly

    @Mikael Liddy

    @frank

    Figured you’d appreciate that example more than the one that sprung to mind first. Andy’s “scary face” psych up on the start ramp of the 2011 TdF, also known as the moment Australia realised that as long as he stayed upright, Cadel had won the tour.

    I’m busily trying to get “bellend” back into the vernacular. Him right there in yellow… Fucking YELLOW… He’s a bellend!

    http://chaz-gelf.tumblr.com/post/130919912396/inremote-blossomsfromalithiumflower for some defintitions

  • Haha...shitpouch! Literally a useless sack of shit, pure genius. Best abusive yet affectionate cuss I ever heard was for a chubby lazy mate of mine. His nickname was Throm, short for thrombosis because he was a slow moving clot.

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