Riding the stones of Paris-Roubaix, in the Spring, in crap weather (it’s possible) and finishing the ride in the velodrome in Roubaix* should be enough enticement for any right thinking cyclists to jump on to this event. It gets better, watching the race in a scrum of drunken-loud-mad-fans, everyone covered in a sheen of beer, frites and mayonnaise. It’s an experience of a lifetime. Do you still need more? Perhaps riding the last fourteen bergs of the Ronde van Vlaanderen, being your very own Boss of the Bosberg and then spectating this race, again the loud-drunk-fans, the sheen, the madness. Fabian Cancellara shall pass by so close he may wink at you as he drops the hammer on Boonen, again. How about a personal ride with the Lion of Flanders, Johan Museeuw? It does not get better than this, I’m sorry but it can’t.
It can’t yet it does, a tour of the Merckx bike factory and the Ronde van Vlaanderen Museum at Oudenarde. That is correct, we are going to museums, all right, a museum and it’s a museum about bike racing. There is much more fun crammed into this nine day holiday than should be allowed, please regard the original post for all the information.
This is the fantasy camp of a lifetime for cyclists. If not for yourself, dear reader, then bestow the holiday gift to end all gifts on your mate. The Velominati are united in a love and appreciation of cycling and the Spring Classics are a distillation of all things Hardman and beautiful.
Not to belabor the awesome factor, here are just a few more items:
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*disclaimer from our legal department: unconfirmed but in the works.
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Come on guys, have a bit of heart and stop selling it so well. It's simply the most glorious cycling trip I've ever read of already. The cobbles, bikes, the Mercks, the beer and fries and mayo. I'm drooling over my keyboard here and contemplating selling my photo equipment or kidney to get there and get a chance to break the clavicles on those stones.
@Gabriel
Ahhh, great thought, I can sell a kidney. Hell, I've got two of those last time I checked!
Let me just talk to the transplant doc down the hall and see how much I can get.
@G'rilla
It looks to be Frank, Brett and myself. Jim and Marko have actual lives and careers that need attending. Josh, who is Josh? No word from him since the sheep were moved into the lower pastures in Montana.
@Gabriel
Brett said it best. "Rule #11 for the pussies. Haven't you heard of credit cards? If I can make the commitment to increase my limit and max that sucker out, you can too. FFS"
Damn, that looks good. Betcha those frites are crispy on the outside and piping hot on the inside. I can see the steam rising from them right now.
Yum.
@G'rilla
Dude, nice! STP will seem a bit like amateur hour after that trip!
I think G'rilla said it best (roughly):
"There are times to check all the bank accounts and make calculations. And there are times for action. When its a cycling trip to Belgium, it's the latter."
For all you geniuses saying to yourselves, "I'll catch it next time", a word of caution: There is no guarantee the stars will align like this next time. Museeuw? Both Cobbled Classics? Three Keepers? Good luck getting that all to fall into place again.
@Gianni
@frank
It's not the money, dammit! It's not even the VMH... it's the bloody TIME... I've got no TIME.... (insert primal scream here)
If in Western NY, hammering out the V in the winter/early spring, stop here:
Blue Monk
for a tripel karmeliet and a plate of duck fat fries
Food for thought.
And, my favorite cycling YouTube clip probably ever.