Bringing the Mountain to Muhammad: Seattle Cogal
@Cyclops has taken it upon himself to organize North America’s first official Cogal right in the backyard of where it all started: Seattle, Wa. @Scaler911 and @McSqueak have confirmed that they will be driving up from Portland, OR to attend and we hereby invite any and all Velominati to attend.
We’ll be doing a no-drop ride on Whidbey Island, following a route that is not terribly hilly and easily accommodates varying distances, though I myself will be planning on a 100k or more. We’ll leave the Coffeehouse Bookstore in Langley at V minutes past 10 to give everyone plenty of time to find their way up to the island and into Langley. Route details will be published in the posts below when it is confirmed. (I have to do some research as I’ve not done the ride in it’s entirety myself.) Hope to see you there.
UPDATE: The route has been posted on MapMyRide. It is a 160km ride with the option to cut section off for those who are getting tired.
UPDATE: Those who are interested are invited to dinner Friday Evening at Quinn’s Pub on Capital Hill in Seattle. Please arrive as close to 6:30 as possible; late-comers will not be guaranteed a seat at the table if the place is full.
Yours in Cycling,
Frank
—
Though there are two 2011 U.S. National Champions about 30 minutes down the interstate from me – southeast Idaho isn’t exactly a road bike Mecca. And I wear the V-Shirt whenever I’m traveling in the area to races (whether to participate or spectate) but I’ve only had one person recognize the Sign of the “V”. So the chances of running into or riding with a fellow Velominati are pretty slim. Let alone the demented brainchild of all this nonsense – Darth Strack. What’s a boy to do? Take the bull by the horns and make it happen my own self, that’s what. I figure that anywhere that I can drive to in a day is not too far to go for a ride so I’m off to Seattle to see whether this “Frank” character is indeed worthy to be praised or if he’s just some guy behind a curtain pulling levers and turning dials.
The plan is for a meet and greet (and eat and drink) Friday night Oct. 14 and a ride on Saturday the 15th. A few blokes from Portland way are planning on coming up as well so it looks like it is going to turn into a little Gran Fronkdo. Anyone that can make it is invited. We haven’t sorted out the details of the route or meeting place or time or anything important like that but we should have all that set in cobbles by early this week, so stay tuned.
As Promised: The KC V-Ride Weather Forecast
Saturday October 15th
Whidbey Island, WA
Morning Forecast:
Temps: Around 5 degrees C, possibly 2 to 4 inland and on hilltops, which there are few of.
Skies: Areas of Patchy Fog and a light broken cloud deck around 750m and up.
Wind: Calm at times, otherwise 3-6 knots and mostly out of the North.
Precipitation: NONE
Notes: Looks like a decent morning forecast considering the area. Not quite sure of how thick the fog will get out there, but the data points to “not very”, and that it should burn off by 11, in most areas sooner. The morning will feel damp non-the-less. Relative Humidity in the morning will be near 100%, which means if you work up a sweat, don’t expect it to evaporate quickly. Although the temps look a bit cool for overheating anyway.
Afternoon Forecast:
Temps: Around 12 degrees C around noon, reaching a high of 14 around 4 PM.
Skies: The clouds around in the morning should fall apart quickly as the sun and dry air moving in aloft evaporate them. Just high cirrus will be left by afternoon.
Wind: Calm at times, otherwise 3-6 knots, turning a bit North-Northeast
Precipitation: NONE
Notes: Turns into a nice day! The change in temperatures may mean stashing arm and leg warmers, booties, etc at some point. Enjoy the sun! Relative humidity should also drop off as temperatures rise.
Overall I would say not bad for the Pacific Northwest. Have a great time guys!
With the talk about the iPhone, thought I would add:
@frank
I used the mobile site while at work last night, trying to keep up with new posts. It’s great. Loads fast even on 3G, login works great, and layout is awesome. Overall A+ man.
@frank
How easy is it to slip from superb form to the state where you feel like a fat, slow slob? It seems like all it takes is a busy week or two and you’re a gonner.
Not close to Wisconsin or Belgium, but I do hope to make a V-group ride in the near future. Feel as if I know many of you already, so would be fun to ride together.
@Jeff in PetroMetro
HELL YES!!! My family wants to visit the coast as well that weekend (I have a 4 day weekend that weekend, Fri-MON off) and I know that I could get away for a nice, LOONNGG ride that weekend with some food and drink afterward. Let’s meet up somewhere down in your neck of the woods. How far is Corpus Christi from you? If it is close and has good riding, it could work. I’m willing to travel pretty much anywhere that weekend as long as it involves the coast as that will make my VMH and kids happy as well. Doesn’t have to be Corpus Christi, just somewhere with decent coast and decent riding. We’ll have to round up some other Texans! What do you say???
@King Clydesdale
Thanks mate, always nice to get feedback. Mobile app(s) in the works, but I have this small problem of having no time.
@Steampunk
I’m an easy 90 minutes away from Madison. Whatever distance required can be provided. Brewpub in town or awesome rib place too. Let’s keep talking.
@Mikael Liddy
Good call – I did the update at like 11 pm last night and it was fine.
@King Clydesdale
A+1. Very excited for Saturday. Thanks for the update. Any partially sunny day in the NW during the fall/winter is a perfect day.
@mcsqueak
That looks like the perfect forecast for summer V-kit with arm and leg warmers. Nice.
@Buck Rogers
I’ll be doing the Elves and More ride (charity that provides bikes to kids, very cool) in Montgomery on the 13th but might be able to meet up on the 12th.
@Marko
Plus your favorite well-worn, ill-fitting cap under your helmet. Man, I love fall.
@frank
Is there a simple way to force the mobile version to load, e.g. by putting “mobile.” on the front of the URL? My crapberry no longer loads the mobile site. Thanks.
@Nate
Down on the bottom of the site, in the footer under “services” click on the V-Mobile link.
Sincerely,
Not Frank
@itburns
Sounds AWESOME! We need to hear from JiPM as well to see what he says. Anyone know any Velominati in the Galveston/Padre Island/Corpus Christi areas? I have a VERY strong feeling that is where I’ll be as the fam wants to spend the long weekend on the southern coast somewhere. But that doesn’t mean that the nacent Texas Cogal cannot take place elsewhere and on a different date, but those dates and places work for me.
@mcsqueak
Thanks, I never saw that! @frank does so much work here, I felt bad asking about it.
@Buck Rogers
Call Lance and see if he’ll come! (Hey, this can of worms comes with a convenient pop-open tab!) First one to the finish gets a free Michelob Ultra.
@Nate
Haha yeah no problem – the only reason I knew is that I asked once before also…
For anyone planning on driving to the start of the cogal on Saturday in Langley, here is a map of the 4-hour parking and 24-hour parking zones in the city. We’ll be on the road for more than four hours if we’re doing the full 160k, so grabbing a 24-hour spot is probably a good idea.
Sorry the quality isn’t the best, but it gets the idea across at any rate.
@frank
If you need beta testers for an app let me know. I’m on it.
@mcsqueak
Now THAT is fuck’in funny!
@wiscot
Terrific! Let’s talk closer to the time, but I’d be up for 100-160k followed by brewpub or some such.
@Buck Rogers
I usually ride north of Houston up around Conroe/Montgomery for the “hills” but will go through old ride maps and ask around for recommendations. Corpus Christi is about 4 hours away for me but I know of some riders down that way.
@itburns
What about bewteen Houston and Christi along the coast? Any good riding there? I know that JiPM is located somewhere near (or in) Houston. I’d be more than happy to try to come closer to you guys, just need a nice coastal area to sell it correctly to the VMH and mini-Velominati’s!
@Buck Rogers
@itburns
What about a weekend at the Hyatt Lost Pines just outside of Austin? There’s a TON of stuff kids can do. Moms, too. It’s nice. And Buck, since you’re in the military (I think), I’m pretty sure you can get a gubment discount. We can set up a Saturday and a Sunday ride through the Bastrop/Smithville/Austin areas. Bastrop State Park is closed due to the wildfires, but we can ride lots of other places. I can put routes together for both days, maybe about 100km or so for each day? Talk amongst ya’selves. I’m up for it.
@Steampunk
As the time nears, one of you can publish a Cogal announcement; we’ll make it official.
@Jeff in PetroMetro
Get something set up and we’ll publish it. Let’s get these Cogals rolling. Anyone is empowered to organize them in the Velominati name; assuming no one shows up on Whidbey with a gun, these are the manifestation of the community. Organize it, write an article, make it happen.
@Jeff in PetroMetro
JiPM: Even with the military discount it’s still over $250 bucks a night! The riding sounds great but the VMH isn’t going for the price. But I bet we can find a cheaper place for ourselves in the area and meet up with you for rides, etc. Is your VMH and kiddos/kid (unsure how many you have) going along as well? I’m definitely not out, just trying to plan. Thanks for the effort so far!
To all the riders, ‘Have a great ride.’ I wish I wasn’t working or I’d be making the short trip from North Vancouver. There is something about fall time riding that I just love. Leaves, the smells, the crisp air. Safe ride everyone. I hope to meet someday
@Buck Rogers,@JiPM
Austin area works for me.
Marko here on Frank’s iPad with Frank and Cyclops. We’re on our way to Whidbey for some route marking and recon. Skies are clearing for tomorrow and we’re stoked for the meet and greet tonight. Cyclops isn’t that weird either in person and his LOOK is as sweet as you’d imagine. Cheers fuckers, wish you could all make it.
@
frankMarkoSweet. Just purchased my ferry tickets online, and leaving my office in an hour to head North. Looking forward to the meet-up!
@Cogal-nati
Bonne Route gents.
@Tex-nati (JiPM et al)
I might encouter some cattle grates this weekend. Recommended approach to dealing with them?
Followers – Enjoy the meet ‘n’ greet & cycling!
Had a great ride with a friend this morning – I shepherd him on a morning commute to encourage him to ride more. Took the cross bike & then did some gravel path riding. Two hours of cruising!
Last night showed up to a group ride I’ve stopped attending because of how uptight the dudes are. Pre-ride blather was all about how strong everyone was, how fast it would be. Ugh, can’t we just ride hard but be cool about it? Spotted the finishing line, felt great, put in my highest finish. Don’t really care about non-race placings, but felt good since I thought I was off form, but hung in well. Smart racing can get you even further than just big guns. Glad my skills are coming along.
Anyway, enough…Have fun lads! Fall group rides ROCK!
Ok, just discovered yet another thing that needs to be added to The Gear: V-bibknickers and V-bibtights. Morning Wx on the ferry will be too cold for just leg warmers, meaning full V-kitte with shorts not viable. And of course, this will assist in my not being mocked for Rule #33 violations.
@frank
I thought I felt a disturbance in the force. Looking forward to the post-ride report…
@frank
Just realised the ironing of a guy whose user name is a one eyed monster owning a look.
Have a good ride lads, talk the talk and we expect a ride report in full please by Monday morning.
I’m actually getting quite excited about this cogal thingy, even though I am not going to be there!
Hope you all turn out to be as entertaining and handsome and laden with massive guns in real life, as you are on line
Merckx speed to one and all
@Buck Rogers
Really? I put in some numbers on the registration website and, with a military discount, I came with something in the low one-hundreds. But then again, I’m a Luddite. Sorry ’bout that.
I’ll come up with somethin’. I’ll be back with some ideas tomorrow.
I hope you guys have an awesome Cogal. I’m impressed that a lot of you are travelling to be there, when the Welliminati had our Welli-Roubaix Cogal in April, certain people who live in the same city didn’t even show up! I won’t mention any minions…um, names.
@Nate
As you approach, moo. Loudly.
Hit the cattle guard perfectly perpendicular. Go fast. If you can bunny hop it, do so. If not, take a loose grip and try to lighten your load on your wheels as you go over.
Best of luck.
Over heard: no fucking gear charges tomorrow!
Overheard: “you nodded at a fucking tandem? Do you nod at recumbents too?”
Frank says: “even a dog can’t take the sound of a fucking disk brake.”
Marco: “wait. You read other shit blogs?”
Buncha drunks. 9am ferry. HTFU.
@Jeff in PetroMetro
What JiPM said. Texas cobbles. Loose but tight in the hands, pray that the Tire Goddess gets you through one more time. Also be satisfied that you aren’t riding an organized event where they thought it would be better to lay 2x4s between the cattle guards. Absolute carnage.
In Velodarity of the Drizzle City Cogal, my route tomorrow – much less elevation, but only the Keepers can raise mountains: Ride Around The Block
You have to go to full screen before it lets you choose km compliance under “Map Options”.
@eightzero
Please lot of pictures, video, and great stories for the rest of us who wish we could be there! Have a great time, let me know if my forecast worked out!
@King Clydesdale
Wil do. Frank has 160km of suffering set out for us. Will try my best to take pics, but…Merckx help me…Marco will be on the TSX. I will be so fucked.
@itburns
Awesome ride route! I wish I could join you. I’m gonna squeeze in 75 minutes this a.m. then head off to get all bent out of shape over Rule #11. Have a great ride!
@all who are participating in the 1st North American Cogal: I’m in awe, I’m jealous, and I hope y’all have an AWESOME ride and LOOK FANTASTIC!
@Jeff in PetroMetro
Really? I’m an idiot when it comes to computers and websites. Probably just me. Oh, and I have my VMH and FIVE kids so they make us get a double/suite. I bet that is the reason.
@itburns
Me as well. Just cannot make it the November 12/13 weekend or Thanksgiving weekend (On-call). Just emailed JiPM about a few other dates. What dates are good for you “itburns”?
My v-ride complete. Turned out to be a nice day, although a little chilly. Ride report shortly. 8 takers for the ride, and I had to cut mine shorter than the others. Just don’t have 160km in my legs at v-speeds!
Marco looks fab on the TSX.