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.
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@ChrisO
Within the first 10 min of Frank and G’rilla arriving at my house for the Cogal, after introductions and good natured kidding about G’rilla’s tape job, Frank told me (paraphrasing); “Dude, I cuss a lot. “I know you have a 5 year old, so I apologize in advance”.
I grew up on a farm, and spent 6 years in the Navy, but, he has a gift. Funny thing is, it’s never offensive. I’m no prude, I love a good swear as much as the next guy. Franks is just more eloquent. The man knows how to cuss, and I respect that.
@The Oracle
Mine unfortunately… didn’t even make it onto the cobbles. I hate airline baggage handlers.
@scaler911
He certainly does – I guess I just notice it because in the Middle East you tend to be very careful about what you say, especially in public. Frank would be in serious danger of arrest.
@Oli Yes of course it was Marko’s seatpost – Keeper confusion. But good to know you’re still taking the bait ;-)
@Vincenza I did blow a tyre in the crash but the wheel was OK I think. Felt very pro having the car come up and whip out a new wheel.
@Oli
Hey Oli. Your wheels didn’t even make it off the plane in one piece. Mine ripped through the trench and came out the other end truer than when they entered!
I’m going to start a company called Trouée Wheelworks now and use that as my slogan.
@Cyclops
That is overly kind and very much appreciated. Thanks, mate.
@frank
Haha! You totally should!
You’re all getting along too well. It’s disconcerting.
@Cyclops
Well said, Mate. Am loving experiencing the trip vicariously. Keep those posts and photos coming, lads.
@Calmante
I just didn’t want Frank to meet his Waterloo.
@Calmante
It’s Spring Classic week! How could we not all get along? Fucker…….:D
Well it’s just class to be back at work….not
Actually don’t remember much about monday, other than I was no longer still sitting in a tree on sunny Kwaremont being handed Belgian Beer anymore – damn
@DerHoggz
Poop.
@Buck Rogers
I tried to do some research on this because I will be in Paris for a couple of weeks before you arrive. Not much luck, in Lille or Roubaix, and in Paris, Laurent Cycles rents an aluminum Stevens, with a triple (!).
Bof.
@xyxax
Dang! I appreciate the info, though. Might have to try to ship it before hand or something. I will look around as well and let you know if I find anything.
@Buck Rogers
Having done exactly no research on this whatsoever, and knowing full well that I’m not clever, what about shipping it DHL, FedEx, or whatever service gets it there? If you have a couple of bikes at home, ship the travel bike with plenty of time to incur the least cost. I assume this is a stupid idea because I’ve never heard of anyone actually doing this–ridiculously expensive, I suppose. No one ever said I was smart.
@Jeff in PetroMetro
Actually that had been the plan all along but my buddy who lives in Lille is leaving next month and will not be there. I need to try to find someone else who lives there that I can trust to ship it to. I had planned all along to ship it there, just ride it on the Pave’ and then ship it back to VT for the 200-on-100 ride the day after the ride. Hell, they charge something like $100 bucks to take it on flights now don’t they? Hopefully would not be much more than that for shipping it. But, I have not checked rates yet and I am still waiting on my HED C2 rim to rebuild my SUV-crushed-rear wheel! Best laid plans of mice and men and all that.
@Buck Rogers
How about having the shipper keep it at the local hub/warehouse and you can pick it up there?
@Buck Rogers
Oooo. Better idea. Send me to Lille. I’ll receive the bike, get it ready for you, and test ride it liberally to make sure all is well. We ride about the same size bikes. (Why didn’t I think of that before?)
@Jeff in PetroMetro
I just KNEW I could count on you Jeff! But shipping you would mean two bike boxes and that might be too expensive?
As for your other idea of holding it at the shippers’ hub, now that might just work! I will have to check into that. I would, obviously, MUCH MUCH prefer to ride my own bike and wheels than some rented rig, just trying to make the logistics work is crazy!
@Jeff in PetroMetro
I did look into this. You are correct in that it is insanely expensive. The airlines know exactly how much price they can get away with. I prefer SWA for my travel, and they take my bike box for $50 eaach way. Given it’s a BIG bike box, I don’t object. There are shipping alternatives. I even saw a company that caters to racers – the transport your bike and make it available at the start line. Then collect it at the finish. Pro level stuff, at a cost of course. But here’s how it works for them: the have a van and do it in bulk for 10-20 people.
IIRC, domestic ship for a bike box was like $250-$300 each way.
Rain Predicted For Roubaix
Oh OH OH!!!!! Our wishes may be granted!
@Tomb
Fuck yeah!!!
@Buck Rogers
I’m assuming the Keepers and Co are making a good impression with Pave Cycling Classics. Perhaps ship to them and have them hold your bike until arrival?
@Buck Rogers
If you search on Google sometimes it defaults to display only English results. If you tweak the preferences to include French maybe you’ll get more results. Also, maybe try looking over the border in Belgium?
What we really need, though, is a European Delivery Program, like you can get with a Volvo or whatever other Euro car. Pick up your new bike in Europe, ride it around, then have it shipped home.
Buck Rogers,
If needed and no other option , im not too far away from lille
Some more pics from Roubaix, Merckx factory and in our gite. My wheel is dead, Matthias got it to almost straight and round but the bend was too much.
Today we rode with Museeuw. Greatest. Day. Ever. Post to come.
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@brett
Hmmmm. Let me think. How does one spell jealousy? Oh yeah. F.U.C.K.Y.O.U.
I’m now going to eat a large bag of Cheetos, a pint of Ben and Jerry’s Americone Dream, and cry. Alone. With no friends. And nowhere to go. Really. I’ll be ok. Y’all keep having fun. While the rest of us just sit here and watch and read and watch and read. Yep. Good times.
@brett
Cool how Boonen’s frame almost has a wood grain finish to it. That factory worker looks bored – too many China boxes? (@Roadslave’s post from above)
@brett
Give the chimp a pack of smokes and a fifth of Jack and get him working all night on that new post!
@brett
You know the Velominati are an odd lot when it’s a dream come true to have their picture taken in an old-school granite-walled shower stall in northern France. Not to mention that the stalls are dedicated to men/demi-gods. No wonder the general public don’t really understand us. “But honey, Andrei Tschmil showered here!” Hmmmm . . .
@wiscot
Exactly. The normal societal reaction to a meeting of sweaty, spent strangers in a public washroom is arrest, or in the Colonies, the removal from the Senate.
Only one photo from today given a) my balls-up in loading yesterday’s photos; and b) the virtual tumbleweed blowing across the ether. But this is not just one photo. This is the Lion of Flanders. At lunch. In our gite.
There’s a bit in Ocean’s Eleven (or Twelve, or Thirteen, I can’t remember…) when Danny Ocean (George Clooney) turns to the ‘baddy’ and says “You shook Sinatra’s hand… you should know better”…. well, I think that applies to all of us today: because we have ridden with Museeuw. I’ll never complain about a headwind, or a steep climb, or running out of sprockets on my rear cassette again. Because I rode with Museeuw.
VLVV
@roadslave
A-Merckx.
@Jeff in PetroMetro
I’m tearing up as I write this. Will be sobbing like a little fucking girl by the time I click submit post.
Here’s our Strava from the ride with Johan. Fantastic.
http://app.strava.com/activities/6162197
@roadslave
Spot. Fuckin’. On.
@roadslave
That’s a wonderful photo you took there, he looks like he genuinely enjoyed his day with you guys. Fantastic.
@roadslave
Can’t believe I bugged out early and missed Museeuw and the fun still to be had this week. Serves me right for not abiding by Rule #11.
I also got payback last night with a 3 hour delay leaving Brussels thanks to striking French Air Traffic controllers. Seems like karma is paying me back for leaving after just the weekend. I guess a little of a good thing is not enough.
Enjoy the rest of the trip guys! Great to meet you all.
That Museeuw picture is fantastic
@roadslave
@Jeff in PetroMetro
We are completely humbled by your experience.
@roadslave
Ach! I am going to stick my head in the oven… can’t believe I missed that opportunity!!
@brett
Frame the wheel with a picture of Museeuw… perfect memorabilia!
@roadslave
Very cool.
@Anjin-san
And your oven is electric!
@Anjin-san
Nice one!
More pics, from the National Museum and the Lion Ride. The BMC guy is Klaus Ludwig, a young pro who dropped in, had a coffee and cake, then decided we looked too old and slow to ride with…
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@brett
Is the fish pic just a red herring ?
Great stuff, Brett!
@brett
Herk! Your wheels well fucked