Lance in the Tour of Flanders?!

So as I relaxed in my wonderfully comfortable wooden dining room chair, I was doing "homework" for another online class I'm taking and yes I was drinking 53 x 11 coffee out of my 53 x 11 coffee mug, I wandered over to cyclingnews and found this Lance Armstrong Wind Tunnel. No, it wasn't the Livestrong skin suit that excited, although it was rather fast looking, I was interested in his post wind tunnel interview. Specifically, I focused on one statement he said…"I'm going to ride the Tour of Flanders", (insert screeching tires sound here.) What did he just say? Are you kidding me? Is he trying to be funny?

Of course I'm no pro, but I've ridden the Tour of Flanders, Liege-Bastogne-Liege, Fleche Wallone and the best advice I can give to Lance…stay away, there's a reason you didn't race them before you retired. They're body breaking rides and turn the smartest strongest riders into thumb-sucking momma's boys. I know, I was one of them. Oh, I forgot to mention the freezing rain and 25mph crosswinds. But, I'm not even to my point yet.

I live 30 minutes from the Kappelmuur in Geraardsbergen that is typically 17kms from the finish. I guarantee I'll be on the Kappelmuur the night before, right after I finish the public ride of the Flanders route, for the prime seating opportunities with my rack of Duvel and Leffe and two or three baguettes, a block of Chimay cheese a roll of sweet sausage, and some spray-on EPO repellant.

The Tour of Flanders is unlike any fan friendly classics race in the world. It is a true spectacle that every cycling fan must experience once in their life. I have it marked on my calendar for eternity. It's like a soccer match, car race, beer fest, and bike race all rolled into one. You want to come over, I've got a place for you to stay, and I always have hot 53 x 11 ready.

Onto other headlines, I'm preparing to purchase my first Cross frame later today from the wonderland that is Ebay. I've been energized by going to three local cross races and the beer and food strewn atmosphere. I may even use a 29er frame for cyclocross, unless I get jeered by all the Belgians' wanting to kill me for scarring their sacred sport. I'll stick with the cross bike, obviously you've never seen an angry mob of Jupiler soaked Belgians flailing towards an American who is clearly there to ruin their cycling heritage.

Two friends and I slogged through the mud laden Ardennes forest for an epic adventure through the Houffalize area. We managed to conquer 40+ kms with 30 minute climbs followed by 8 minute descents over and over again. The climbs were ridiculous, if it had not been for the the hours I suffered on the road bike I may not have managed a few of the rutted muddy climbs. It was a great time and surely a ride I'll want to do again as one rocky hiker clogged climb kept me in check and forced me to hike my bike, BOO!!!!!

All is happy and the world is sane except for the Merckx ride I didn't win on eBay.

I did manage to make it to Koksijde to see sage four of the cyclocross worlds. What an event it was, I don't recall who won all I remember is the amount of Belgian beer Idrank and my complete failure to make it to the next days ride. Why can't cyclocross races be more civilized, why isn't there a beer monitor for those of us that can't keep it under control? Why isn't coffee served at CX races? Why can't I win a CX race?

Bring It OrcaPhin

Well Tour De Tucson was awesome we had lots of Sported 53x11 Kits flaring our Team Colors and lots of people expressing there love for the coffee, ride was great except for the short bit of cyclo cross river crossing that was more like a dust bowel!! well done event all 67 + miles, cant wait to role on the next one, Evan props to you and all your support prepping for the ride lets get more people encouraged to ride vs Drive when possible.

Willride out

Happy Turkey day

What a weekend in Tucson

First of all I will apologize right now to you all for being a lousy writer and speller... with that being said I thought I would share the ride of this weekend in Tucson "Le Tour De Tucson" my brother Ill and ridding Buddie Jerry all wen to the desert for the 67 miler on Saturday, there were over 8500 in total participants that followed us to the finish line (right) all kidding aside we did alright for ourselves in that it was fun and we didn't end up under homebody's fender like ten others did, the interesting part of this ride which I wasn't prepared for was the dirt trail that we had to walk for about an 1/8Th of a mile on (not fun) during the ride, we finished in 4hours (unofficial) as reported by their website, my Garmin said (auto pause 3 hours and 46 minutes) the weather couldn't have been better to us with no wind and the temp was about 75 all day long and the ride was completely down hill, really what else could you ask for?

I have been ridding for about two years now and just bought my first expensive toy to my wife's dismay but to me total enjoyment, now I am trying to make time everyday to get my fix. if any of you live in O.C. and have a ride or two we can join you on let me know we would live to join you and try to keep up with you all,.


tahtah for now.

Orcaphin

Belgiumlicious

Greetings from the Cycling Classics Capital,

Not to beat a dead horse, but I too am a new rider to the 53x11 scene and will hopefully contribute a unique perspective to the randomness that is this blog.

Hailing all the way from Los Angeles, California, he's a zero time world champion and winner of exactly no gold medals, he weighs in at a lean mean 90 kilos and a lanky 195.6cms, please welcome the newest European (American) member of 53x11...ME!

Yes, I'm happily blogging from the other side of the planet in what is commonly referred to as Belgium or as cyclists call it...heaven. I'd like to thank Evan and Owen for the badassness that is 53x11 coffee and for openly suggesting that I'm the type of cyclist they're looking for, one that can stay upright on a two-wheeled bike without a motor. Now, I'm a blissfully over-caffeinated crank turning machine that can hammer up cobblestoned climbs in an amount of time that shall not be discussed here.

Clearly I've lost the attention of everyone so I write for the sake of writing. I'm an avid cyclist of 20 years, I'm 35, having cut my racing teeth on a full rigid aqua-green Peugeot mountain bike that I bought at a garage sale from my Dad for $50 (he gave me the family discount). For the most part I've been an MTBer for those years only riding into the road genre over the last three. Fortunately business has brought me across the pond and placed me in Belgium for at least 6 years. I've been priviledged enough to be racing the local road scene for the last two years gaining the Amateur Euro experience to take back to the States to whoop all you old Cat 5 guys. I'm living the dream folks, great cycling, great beer, and more podium girls than that convention I went too...ahhh, but never mind that. I could go on for minutes about the coolness of living in Belgium, but you've all heard it before so I'll just cut right to last weekend's escapades.

Last Saturday a buddy and myself attended one of the bigger season ending Randonnees (Rando or a fully supported club/individual ride that costs about $3 to do) and had a blast doing it. The ride was only 126kms, but was one of the funnest rides I've done since the last rando that started and ended at a brewery. Skipping to the good parts, about 20miles in on relatively flat Belgian roads someone decided it would be funny to throw a 600 foot climb with a max grade of 22% right in my way. At my size most folks mistake me for someone who doesn't give a damn about climbing, but rest assured as Eric and Paul can attest too, I can drop those skinny fellas like a college kid drops a shotgunned beer can while reaching for another.

At the 45 mile marker I had the pleasure off turning 3 laps on the Paris-Roubaix Velodrome in Roubaix. HOLY CRAP, if you've never ridden a velodrome you need to back your butt away from this blog and do it, go ahead, go, now, you won't regret it. If you've ever had the opportunity or the ability to ride sideways on a wall you've ridden a velodrome, just not the one in Roubaix.

Later in the day...I had been skipping from group to group when I finally caught one doing 35-38kmph in a tight little red and white french speaking group (Belgians don't speak Belgian) and was lucky enough to be witness to one club pedaling right through another to get out in front while on a three bike wide canal road. I'd never seen anything like it until I saw some sort of Contador-Armstrong power struggle between riders at the front of the group. So, I did what any smart rider would do I pushed my way to the front, by riding the sidewalk past the cluster of red, white, black, and blue that was the mess of carbon and spokes. Fortunately no one was physically injured, although Egos were clearly damaged, as we all ended up riding to the finish in one small 44kmph (the last three downhill kms) group.

Then we drank beer.

Although your boredom has almost caused you to surf elsewhere, you'll be happy to know that the hysterics that are my measly life will continue to grow in a made for TV movie and you'll be one of the founding members of my fan club. That is, as long as you can prove to me you can pedal a bike uphill at 75 MILES per hour after gulping a piping hot, sans warning label, cup of coffee made from the sweet beans that are the addiction subtly known as 53x11.

My cycling legacy will not carry on forever, sadly. So for my sake and yours drink some 53x11 coffee, it'll make you much much cooler, but not cooler than me (except you Paul).

Check it out Yo, http://www.53x11coffee.com/

Peace and Precisely Ground 53x11 Coffee Grease
(Get it, peace and grease rhyme)

Riding with the bean...

Hello all!

I'm perhaps the newest member of the 53x11 team, just joined a couple of weeks ago. Glad to be aboard, seems like a great group, and I love the coffee! I'm going to have to change my favorite brew to "The Big Breaker", I've really enjoyed a ratio of about 2 parts "Big Ring" blended with 1 part "Chain Breaker" - Just right! I'm in the Chicago area, western 'burb of Naperville to be exact. Hoping for more people to join from here to have some fellow riders at events this year. I'm new to road riding this year, having spent the past few summers casually riding a hybrid. For some reason, at the ripe old age of 43 I caught the riding bug - and am hooked beyond belief. For the past dozen years or so most of my summer has been devoted to golf. Played well in tournaments, won a couple small flighted events, got my handicap down to about 7.6.

Last winter I decided to get a road bike to take the riding up a notch or two. I loved it from the get-go. Golf definitely took a back seat this year to the riding obsession.

I've gone just crazy on buying bikes. I've now got three:
'07 LeMond Zurich - all carbon with Dura-Ace everything, Race X Lite wheels (going carbon tubular...)
'01 LeMond Victoire - All-titanium beauty that rides like a dream, Ultegra SL everything
'08 LeMond Poprad - Cyclocross bike for the prairie paths and rougher riding - and maybe even CX races next season...

Overall this year, I've ridden 3,250 miles, and will ride until there's ice on the roads... Last night I was sportin' the 53x11 jersey and did a fast 40 miler around the area. Beautiful crisp Fall evening in Chicago. I competed in 3 time trials and 1 road race this year. One of the time trials I won my category - the Citizen/Cat 5 group. Small group, but hey, a win's a win - right? I did my first road race at the end of September, placed 20th out of 50 starters. I met Scott Glendenning there, a fellow 53x11 rider. I was fairly happy with my finish, considering I took the first 8-10 miles *very* conservatively since it was my first race and didn't want to cause, or be part of, any wrecks. It was fun learning some strategy along the way, had a blast jumping from one group up to a faster group and then working together with a group of about 6 riders. I felt like they sucked my wheel more than any of the others in the group - but it was a great learning experience. I also did a charity ride this year for the American Cancer Society, raising $800 for the cause.

I look forward to next season, and the winter in Chicago will seem more like 6 years than 6 months until the snow melts and I can get back out there. I plan to do more time trials (getting some deep section carbon tubulars in the offseason to [hopefully] help my times) and road races next year - and will be flying the 53x11 colors!

New Beginnings

September has been quite a busy month for me. For starters, I recently joined the 53x11 Coffee cycling team which I am stoked about. I am really excited to be representing a great company with a great group of guys that share the same passion that I do. Next, I just started my new job as a bike tech. Cycling is my passion. I can now wake up every morning and enjoy going to work. I work for a great shop that has established itself as one the best bike shops in Pennsylvania. My first racing season has just come to a close. Unfortunately I didn't get any wins. I led quite a few races but just didn't have enough gusto to hold on. I learned a lot and look foward to next year to prove to everyone what I am capable of. Lastly I've been preparing for my first charity ride. I am participating in the Hershey's Tour de Pink. This charity ride has over 150+ riders with all of the proceeds going toward breast cancer awareness. It is a great way to honor those that have had or know anyone that has had to deal with this illness. The four day ride will cover over 220 miles as we will be riding from Hershey, PA to New York City. Each rider has to raise over $2,500 in donations. The local newspaper did a feature article. Feel free to check it out: http://ldnews.com/valleylife/ci_10565762 . I feel very honored to be participating in this ride. Also I get to show off my kick-ass 53x11 Coffee cycling kit to all of the other riders who be jealous with envy! :) Ride hard fellas!