It’s so close I can almost taste it. The mud. The dust. The heavy Spring air, turning to rain, blown across the fields of Flanders, where many a battle has been fought, in trenches and on wheels. Battles fought against other men, battles fought within each man. My own mind is in battle; am I worthy? Will I be prepared for the beating my body will take, and will my mind deal with it? Well, I’m not going to my own grave without doing this. I will survive on V.
The Keepers Tour just gets better and better. The team at Pavé Cycling Tours should be known as the Mailmen of Flanders, because they just keep on delivering. It seems almost every day there’s an email informing us of an addition to the tour, and our responses are more and more ‘screaming teenager’ than composed adult. To say we’re excited about this trip could be the understatement of the year. We’re excited.
The latest gems from Alex and William include;
Of course, this is all in addition to the already confirmed awesomeness of riding with The Lion of Flanders Johan Museeuw, touring the Eddy Merckx factory, riding on the Gent velodrome, touring the Brunehaut brewery (where our organic Malteni beer is produced) and another cycling museum visit in Beveren. There’s a heap of other activities confirmed too, so email us for the full presentation.
And the best part? All of this is included in the super low price! Everything. All meals, all accommodation, all drinks (yes, beer!) and hanging out with a cool bunch of like-minded bike nuts.
Sell your first-born if you have to, but don’t miss out on a week, or weekend of pure Classics bliss. There are still a few seats available, so book yours now.
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This sounds ridiculously good.
Nice one Brett!
All you need now is matching helmet and you're all set.
A wise man once told me that the trip doesn't start when you depart but when you first start thinking about it. All the planning, research, anticipation, dreaming - its all part of the trip. The Keepers' Tour is starting to look like the cycling equivalent of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: almost too good to be true, an over-abundance of goodies and yet the prospect of misadventure at every turn.
In a strange unfolding of events, my VMH and I booked a trip to the Spring Classics in the week before the Keepers' Tour was announced. (No bother - your dates would not have suited our opportunity anyway). We'll get to see Paris-Roubaix, Amstel Gold and La Fleche Wallonne. I'm riding the Amstel Gold Sportive (125km version) and La Farniente Classic (145km the day before Fleche).
Needless to say we're super psyched about the whole thing. Well I am, and she's happy to drink beer, eat chocolate and perv on bumpy boys in lycra (not me...).
It would be reckless of me not to try to catch up with your group for a beer or two on P-R day. We're likely to be lurking in similar spots - Arenburg, l'Abre ... Perhaps we can make a plan, Stan...
I've noted that my thinking has changed since I've known I'm heading to the cobbles / Ardennes: I embrace Rules 5, 9 and 71 with much greater enthusiasm: I don't care for the smoothest line on the road but seek out the rough edges: I pay closer attention to the alcohol content of Belgian beer...
The stuff Alex and William continue to come up with is mind boggling. I think most of us would be ecstatic to pedal our front wheels over one cobble in Flanders. But this, this! If these guys lay down the V like they put a tour together we're all hosed.
And I wonder what they mean by Belgium Fusion food. Here's a pic I found of frites and eggplant infused mayo. Does that count as fusion?
And this will be the first and last time I ever say this but - I've never looked forward to showering with a bunch of dudes before. Merckx's stall should go to the ride of the day.
Good lord, what an extraordinary trip. I am consumed by the green-eyed monster.
I'm with Marko in wondering what "Begian Fusion" food might be. In addition to the hundreds of cycling-related photos you all are required to post, I expect a slide show dedicated solely to the culinary offerings.
@Marko
That image is the rudest thing I have seen on this site - ever.
So no I can't make it either (grr#!@RRl&^Shmu+*#!! ahh, that felt better)but the best thing is watching you all get ready and then knowing that the reports are going to put me there with you.
@TommyTubolare
and matching socks!
@Marko
@The Oracle
I think Belgian fusion food is just food with influences of French, German, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Asian... kitchen
e.g.: Vlaamse hutsepot
Stoofvlees (with fries of course...)
@Rob, @The Oracle
I'm trying to figure out how best to handle this. I think bike-mounted cams might be necessary to capture the bone-jarring. And we may start actually using our Tumblr site for some micro-blogging about the trip. Or we may just pollute the main site with daily updates, several times a day. We'll see.
Dude! That is the most AWESOME saddle I have ever seen! What kind of saddle is that & where did you get such a phenomenal piece of equipment?