Wellington isn’t renown for its great summers; a mate is always quick to remind me that if the weather was perfect all the time, everyone would want to live here and we’d be overrun by Aucklanders (just like Aussies but not quite dumb enough to live in Canberra). As our summer goes into its last death throes of amazingly calm, sunny, cloudless days, the arm warmers and undershirt have only just emerged from their longest hibernation ever. And I probably won’t need them for tomorrow’s ride either.
Come next Monday, however, I’ll be on the other side of the world and months of unzipped jerseys and SPF30 will be but a memory; a cold, wet, distant memory. And I have to say I’m almost looking forward to it with a strange enthusiasm and a hint of romanticism. Almost. No amount of fitness gleaned from training in perfect weather can prepare one for the rigours of a Belgian spring.
We know how the body will react when it is pulled from its warm cocoon and plunged into an icy bath. How the mind will handle it is a bigger concern. We can prepare ourselves physically to the nth degree, but if we’re mentally inept then the sag wagon becomes a likely option. At which point something deep inside takes over, thought processes return to normal and the mere thought of getting off the bike is quickly and methodically banished. Not here, not now.
Let the hardmen be hardmen, let it rain and blow and the cobbles turn to mud when they grace these roads. But Merckx have mercy on a fair-weather soul, even if only for a few selected days. Let our Flandrian Best suffice and our tubulars have sure grip on dry stones. Failing that, at least keep us upright and we will drink a toast to you night after night.
Bring it on.
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@Bianchi Denti
That is a quality victory salute!
While we're on crappy weather, it's been bloody awful in WI this year. Last year I had fresh tan lines by now. Today, in the second half of March we're still in the teens with near zero wind chills. Not to mention ice and crap on the roads. I checked #3 yesterday and found I had a rear flat from Sunday. Thank Merckx it didn't happen on the day as the wind chills on Sunday were in the low teens and switching out tubes would have been a real bugger.
Do you call yourself 'Brett' or 'Britt'?
@Franco
He calls himself "Breet". Us kiwis call him "Britt" or "Brutt".
@Rob
Brett's not a fucking New Zealander he's from the Criminal Isles to the west. As for insulting his own countrymen, well he did leave Australia to live in Enn Zud, so I guess that counts.
I watched Dwars this morning and was really amazed to see Gatto wearing bare arms and legs. Wow! Great ride for him. Too bad for Tommy V, but can't keep a hardman down.
Here's to hoping the Keepers' Tour reports and pics will pick me up. I've lost my mojo. My ass is still Jan sized. Shitte weather here for months, only now getting light enough to ride after the hard, hard labour put in from 8-5 like a North Korean prison camper.
But if I was a retired wall street investment banker, I could afford Flandrian Best, and not need to labour under the lash of a Mr. Kim wannabe.
Keep the reports coming, mates.
Yeah, Gatto was dressed like a naked cat today, huh? It's always surprising to me to see how varied the clothing is amongst the riders in the same race. Some of the dudes, the ones with rain jackets, leg warmers, neck warmers, hats...it's almost like an indication they won't win, or aren't even going to try, when they emerge from the team bus dressed like a polar explorer.
Awesome lead photo! Reminds me of a church on a hilltop in Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic. Walked up there with my VMH & had a nice look over the city/town.
Hmm, snow in Milan, rain & wind in Flanders...the KT might get the weather it deserves this year!
Britt, I remember the view from the following car, KT 2012, Ronde ride. Hard sleet bouncing off your yellow Vlaanderen helmet cover. You could not have been happier.
Like Ron says March snow in Italy is not a good indicator for better weather in Flanders. Bring your wool De Feet gear. Go crazy.
Where there's no sense, there's no feeling...
@Tobin
There's a penis joke in there somewhere. I just can't find it......
-Dinan