Cobbles, Bergs, Beer, and Legends. Putting the V Back in Vlaanderen.
It has been a busy couple of weeks in the Velominati Boardroom as we’ve been scrambling to finalize a few partnerships and get all the products for the Keepers Tour customers designed and produced. Suffice to say, fists and beers were slammed in tandem as we feverishly worked out the final designs.
Producing V-Pints, V-Shirts, and V-Musettes seems a simple enough task; and we also needed a flag and banner to fly at the roadside of the various races we are due to watch from the roadside, including de Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix. There was also a the small matter of getting our hands on musette bags, which aren’t commonly found on the market, as far as we could tell. Fair heart, never worry; Gianni and his VMH took matters into their own hands and made them up from scratch. If their other business ventures fail, musette-sewing may be a good fallback, they Look Fantastic.
The most significant effort due was for the Keepers Tour Cobbled Classics 2012 design; enter our graphic-design mastermind, KRX-10. We tossed a few emails across the net and settled quickly on the notion of using a variation of the Lion of Flanders. “Now we need a public-domain vector graphic. Race you to it”, was the last word from KRX10 on the matter before the design was finalized. Then it was on to deciding on a tag line, with the result being perhaps the best example of what happens when the Keepers argue long enough on such matters.
With that, we proudly present the official artwork for Keepers Tour: Cobbled Classics 2012:
The last two weeks I’ve felt like a kid waiting for Christmas as orders were placed and we entered into the torturous period of time while we waited to lay our hands on the final products and see the fruits of our labor. And I have to say, this round may have produced our finest products yet; the V-Lion and tagline turned out magnificently, as did all the other items. The flag and banner are actually breathtaking – waving in the wind. We hope you like it as much as we do.
A few items of note: Attendees of Keepers Tour will receive a musette packed with their V-Shirt and V-Pint along with a few lovies from our sponsors, and will also have the honor of commenting for the next year with the V-Lion badge. Also of note is the matter that these products are not available for sale and will never be; the only way to get Keepers Tour products is to attend a Keepers Tour, so bear that in mind next time around. Finally, if you’re looking for a real photo of the V-Pint, you’ll have to wait until we arrive in Belgium, as they were shipped ahead while I was away on business and as such they have not yet been seen by anyone, even me.
Please also get yourself acquainted with our Twitter and Tumblr sites if you’ve not done so already – we’ll be reserving the site for major updates, and will be posting minor updates in those to locations throughout our trip, with Twitter being used for small updates, and Tumblr for the ones that are too much for a tweet and too little for the V.
VLVV.
[dmalbum path=”/velominati.com/content/Photo Galleries/[email protected]/Keepers Tour CC2012/”/]
@Gianni
Mind you tag those as NSFW, there’s some weird shit out there masquerading as the Rules!
@Gianni
I think if we had studied such poetry as you have just uttered, during English Literature at school, instead of the low quality tat we did do, I’d have been a fan of the subject – beautiful words Gianni, I’d try not to slip on your neurones on the way to the loo
Brilliant. I may have to sign up to twitter just to get the updates on this.
For those packing cases…your shoes are probably the worst thing you could forget to take.
@Chris
Most people say to me a short time after meeting me, “are you sure you are a Doctor???” – probably safest y’all apply the same scepticism
Better to post a message to Buck Rogers; he sounds like he knows how to deal with trauma, I’m more into suffering from it
@Frank & Keepers
This looks fantastic and I can’t express how stoked I am to be a small part of this.
@All
Re: Weather – I posted this earlier in the other update thread. On Friday the forecast called for warm, dry weather. Then when I looked at it this morning, it had changed to rain Friday and Saturday. Now it looks dry again. May not matter as it sounds like @Marko and @Dr C will be in charge of precipitation.
@JC Belgium
What do the local forecasters say? (I’m not that confident in “The Weather Channel”)
@ King Clydesdale
Aren’t you a meteorologist? How about an official V forecast?
Does anybody else care if we’re slipping and sliding or choking on dust come Saturday?
@motor city
You don’t even need to sign up! If you just visit the Velominati twitter feed you can see all the updates. I don’t use twitter but I followed Frank’s adventure up Haleakala last year that way.
@mcsqueak
cheers for that…will do
@Dr C
As a first aider to one of my boy’s rugby teams, I firmly follow the view that if they are moving, making noise and not leaking too badly then they are OK. In the begining when I was new to the role we went through a lot of ice packs and the little darlings spent a lot of time recovering beside the pitch. I can’t remember the last time I used an ice pack and now that I know all of the other parents pretty well I’ve no problem telling their kids to “stop whining and toughen up”.
By the time I’ve finished my bacon roll or mug of tea, they’ll be back on the pitch running around.
@G’rilla
You too? Geeze. I knew mine was misaligned, so swapped out the hanger with a beefier Wheels MFG. Still grinds, so I ordered a derailleur. Hopefully it gets here before Thursday.
@Dr C
Doc, you’ll fit in just fine down here. The entire region is blooming and the trails are slick with snot. I’m actually hoping for a hard rain Friday/Saturday to wash some of this pollen out of the air.
Ah well, neither is something that some good Belgian beer can’t fix.
@Skip Does anybody else care if we’re slipping and sliding or choking on dust come Saturday?
The photos will look more epic if its wet enough for you to get a flanders spray tan.
@Skip
MSN weather are prediciting an increase in the chance of rain to go with the temperature drop on Saturday. I suspect this will not bode well for those coming from the tropics or the southern hemisphere.
@mcsqueak
Bitchin’ avatar, btw.
@motor city
Nice one!
@Steampunk
Funny you should ask… a local paparazzi (who knew Seattle even had those?) captured this photo last weekend of Frank with his V-cumbant. I heard it sold to People magazine for $50,000.
@frank
Shucks, thanks. Now I feel bad about the image I just uploaded. Only a tad, though.
@frank
Also, “Flanders Spray Tan” needs to be in the lexicon. That is funny…
So if you jokers don’t have GoPro camera for somebody’s helmet and then don’t produce a DVD of the event that can be had/downloaded/bought/whatever, I’m gonna be very disappointed.
@mcsqueak
Crying. Choking on lunch. Aaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!
@Cyclops
I just picked one up bro and it’s so coming with. Not just on me/my bike though, we’ll be swapping around the Keepers and attendees to get the full effect.
@Chris
Eeek…
OK it’s not too late – do I ask the Velomissus to have my softshell despatched to Belgium.
@Skip
For weather, take a look at http://www.wunderground.com. I’ve had excellent reports here. Lots of detail.
@The Oracle
Seconded!
Just went for a ride here and i can assure you spring is here 20°c in the sun no need for knee or armwarmers , regular summer kit is more than enough
as for friday
LOCALLY MISTY IN SW AT DAWN, BECMG CLOUDY TO VERY CLOUDY FROM NNE
EARLY MORNING WITH WARM FRONT APPROACH. VERY CLOUDY OVER NNE FROM
NOON ON WITH POSSIBLE LIGHT RAIN OVERTHERE AS THE COLD FRONT SHIFTS
ALONG THE DUTCH BORDER.
LIGHT NNW’LY BECMG LIGHT TO MOD WSW’LY AFTER WARM FRONT PASSAGE BECMG
LIGHT TO MOD WNW’LY WIND DURING AFTERNOON.
NIGHTTIME MIN: MS00/PS08
DAYTIME MAX: PS14/PS18
saturday medium range aernautical forecast not online yet
Oh, I’ll probably regret this…
The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, which is typically the most reliable this far out, is indicating a return to seasonable temperatures this weekend, with lows dipping just below 0C and highs ~8C. The WRF has been consistent with this cool down for four days now, not bouncing back and forth as other models suggest (e.g., the ones posted on news sites, not validated/verified by humans). No indication of rain with the cool down, but the model resolution doesn’t pick up on the drizzle that’s typical this time of year. So it could be damp and cool/cold (depending on your point of view).
Further out, into the middle of next week, there’s a gradual warmup, but probably not as warm as we’ve been the last couple of weeks, with highs approaching 20C.
So fellas, bring your warmers and your gilettes. Embro might be overkill, but if it leans towards rain, might be worthwhile.
And no, I won’t have access to these models when we’re in Belgium. So we’ll rely on Weather Underground and anti-freeze courtesy of Molteni Brewery.
@Belgian Cobblestones
Ha! You were posting as I was typing.
@mcsqueak
+1
Article has been updated with another great little gem that I forgot to mention. The photographer Jesse Willems will be joining us on Saturday with a driver and will be photographing us on the Pavé. Quite an honor, as he’s also photographed this guy.
@frank
Does the Awesomeness never end?!
Give em hell and have a pint for me.
@ChrisO
Where is the softshell, if it’s in London and she can get to my office in the next couple of days I’ll bring it over.
@Bill
Class act – riding a fixie on the trench
It’s going to rain, and the spiritual conversion of my Witte Kitte into Belgian Dusted Shitte Kitte will be complete; the impregnation of the soul of the Heartland, with the spilled blood of all the warriors who had taken up the challenge over the years, into my V-Jersey for evermore
@ChrisO
I think we are all too embarrassed to quote V and IX at you……
@Chris
I find it pretty inspiring seeing the kids (mine is 8) tackling someone whilst still crying from the last tackle – men into boys (albeit a bit young I must admit)
Dr C ; “Witte Kitte into Belgian Dusted Shitte Kitte ” thats just too funny
Bonne route, gentlemen. Very much looking forward to following all manner of exploits.
@frank
now you’re beginning to take the piss @frank, that is beyond awesome.
@Belgian Cobblestones
Of. Course, as usual I am talking absolute crap, as I will be riding in France, not Belgium…. I wonder if they’ll let me ride the RVV before I go home on Sunday night?
I sense some V tears will be she’d as I leave the tourists to the rest of their weeklong indulgence….
This is one way to train for the cobbles…
Road bike abuse
It’s also kicking off down in the Southern Ocean – check out the guy who is meant to be steering after the wave hits, dangling from his harness line upside down – maaad!
Bike wave knockdown
Oops, linked the same vid twice – doh!
Here’s the yotty one for you … knockdown – by the way, that boat is 70 feet long, with a 120 ft mast doing 25 knots in 30 seas
@Cyclops
x2.
I would like to offer my gopro as well. It’s the newer hero2. I have both the bar and saddle mounts from k-edge, and the battery packmjiggy.
Email me your address, [email protected] and I’ll ups it to you tomorrow, Tuesday.
The only clause associated with it: serious amounts of debauchery must be recorded for posterity.
@Dr C
That yotty footage is mental. Thanks.
@Bill
@Skip
last days the weather was good, generally it is chilly in the morning and it cools down quickly in the evening. Past Saturday, it was quite cold in the morning, so had my arm and leg warmers on. later the day, I took leg warmers off. Sunday I rode E3-Prijs, it was foggy all morning, IMO even cold (however, I am a bit of a Rujano type – small and skinny). I arrived home and then the sun was out of course…
Next Saturday 10°C, strong nordwind, drizzle. but this time of the year, the weather is very unpredictable. so I would take my arm and leg warmers, maybe a long sleave jersey, rain jacket, maybe some overshoes or Belgian Booties.
Alright then peeps – I’ve started working on the other Keepers about the next V-kit iteration being something of a throw-back design. Not necessarily wool – modern materials, same as we’re doing – but a throwback/tricolore pattern. The witte kit is a step in that direction from swarte but it could go much further. Who’s with me?
@marko
Pre-order and yes.
@Vin’cenza
What he said
@marko
I’m torn. I have grand plans to keep buying a piece or two of kit until I have everything. I’ve got a witte kit, but I don’t have any of the original awesomeness. Of course, if the new design is Fantastic, I’m in for one. (Eventually.)
These guys do bags. I have ordered custom kits from them and they have been great. http://tineli.com/custom-design-clothing/product-details.php?pid=615
My goal for the Keepers Tour is that people will suspect that I’m doping.
“He must be doping. There’s no way he could ride that well without it!”
@Chris
Hi, yes it is in London (south) – whereabouts is your office ?
Ping me on ohearnc at gmail if you like.
It’s not so much the ride I’m thinking of, but having something warm to wear off the bike or while we watch the Ronde if it is raining/cold.
And anyone who wants to quote Rule #5 or Rule #9 at me is cordially invited to come for a 120km ride in Abu Dhabi in July/August (and Ramadan).
I’ll offer free accommodation, as I will be able to recover any costs by selling your bike and kit after you are left in a melted pool by the side of the road.
@marko
Something like this: