I would definitely prefer my rapture in the form of a smoking hot singer than a bunch of people evaporating into the air.
My rapture/conversion was in the form of becoming a Rapha convert. Yes It’s true. I have alway’s been a fan of the event’s that Rapha put’s on. The experience of riding is so fantastic that it is worthwhile sharing.
Allow me to digress from my thoughts of fancy clothes and fancy rides to ask/beg for some assistance from you the reader’s of MLBB. More specifically the taller of you who read. I am looking for a 58-60 cm. road bike to introduce a 16 year old kid to cycling. He is a rower and asked for help in getting a road bike. He wants to cross-train, and I want to help get him excited about cycling. So if you have a road bike that is hanging in your garage or workshop and needs a home let me know. He’s a kid so he only has a couple hundred dollars to spend but you will know that the bike is gong to a good home and maybe you can help build a lifelong cyclist. Drop me a line if you can help out.
Now back to today’s rambling….
The area that I live in has such great riding, that for Rapha to bring their ride to my backyard. Rapha had a Gentleman’s race this past Saturday and a Gentleman’s ride on Sunday. The race and ride started in the Lehigh Valley and I believe went to Quebec and back. Or something like that. Bill and Beth Strickland with some others put the loop together. The race was 134 miles with almost 10,000 feet of climbing, the ride was 46 miles with 2,500 feet of climbing. (People’s Garmin’s said that it was over 4,000 feet)
The race was invitation only. I was lucky enough to get an invitation. Jed asked me to ride a tandem with someone from Bilenky Cycles. I immediately said yes. I dig riding tandems. About two weeks later the reality set in. I couldn’t do it. I had family obligations. It was more important for me to support my kid’s than chase people around Pa on two wheels.
Knowing it was more important made the decision automatic, but truth be told I was still jonesing to do the ride. There was lot’s of dirt and gravel roads on tap and a great group of people that I don’t get to spend nearly enough time with. For a good write up of the race check out the always entertaining and inappropriately named Fatmarc.
I put on my big boy pant’s and dealt with the fact that I wouldn’t ride. To be defiant though I didn’t put them on one leg at a time. That’s right I put my big boy pant’s on both leg’s at the same time. Try that sometime. It’s best if you do it laying down like a hipster trying to put on their sister jeans. Please don’t ask how I know this.
When I saw that there was a ride Sunday I was in for sure. It was well worth it. The ride was everything it was cracked up to be. There were four or five sections of dirt gravel road with some pretty steep climbs. We had to channel our inner Giro rider and imagine the Zoncolan.
Derrick from Rapha led the ride from the front. He was a strong rider and a true gentleman. This was truly a great experience. I met some people and reconnected with other’s I hadn’t seen in quite awhile. At the end of the ride Derrick and I played the six degrees of bicycle induatry separation game. We didn’t need to get past one degree.
Does Rapha make sweet clothing?… yes. Is it well made?… yes. Is it good looking?… yes. Above all these guys just get it. The experience was what made the event. Rapha get’s the culture of cycling. I would do another of these in a heartbeat.
I must say I have spent an inordinate amount of time surfing the Rapha site today. My wish list is growing.
Obligatory picture dump…
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| That’s Derrick from Rapha in the pink and Andy from Main Line Cycles in the Main Line Cycles Jersey. |
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| That is Erica in the yellow jersey. The only girl to do the long loop on Sunday. |
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| That is Tom Kellog of Spectrum Cycles. Fast guy frame builder from the Lehigh Valley. |
I was too busy riding and enjoying to take more pictures.
Thanks for reading.