I love classics season. There are many reasons for this - one is the personal experience such as watching Flanders and Scheldeprijs in person back in 2010. But overall, classics season marks the start of large-spectacle racing in general for the year, and it aligns with the seasonal arrival of Spring for us at home. For the first time in months - long days, drying conditions, and warmer temperatures are stoking my pent-up desire to get back to fair weather cycling.
So on Good Friday I pulled out the road bike for its 2013 maiden voyage. It is amazing what a pleasure the instant response, effortless roll and free fitting clothing is after months of pushing knobbed tires over snow and gravel.
I headed out to the Grand Valley loop and enjoyed the opportunity to take a bike vanity shot in the sun. Moments after this photo was taken, two riders rolled by on 29er Monstercross bikes and went up Wildcat hill as I looked on. Sigh.... Funny and ironic how you can miss something again so quickly!
The lack of knobs came in handy shorty after when I found myself in Cochrane, 50 minutes to be home in time for Kate Aardal's surprise birthday, and facing a wind change against my favor. The time was met, but I was toast.
I kept it "smooth" all weekend, and by Sunday it was time to wake up, drink coffee, and watch the Tour of Flanders. Then Erik and I went out for a perfect wrap-up ride to the weekend. The ride itself was perfect, with a notable Starbucks moment in Cochrane: we pulled up to find a group of 5-6 riders, in their 60's but looking fit, enjoying a coffee. All were on a mix of Colnago, Guerciotti, and carbon-wheeled wonderbikes such that me on my S-Works was suddenly very un-exceptional. The group went nutty over Erik's unusual and unique Black Sheep, which was just as special for the same and completely different reasons at once..
That moment in particular was great. Some frown on the buyers of super-high end wunderbikes, but this is why professional and even hobby racers get the chance to ride bike exotica - there has to be a retail market to support all that R&D. I only hope that in 30 years, I can be fortunate enough to have the friends and ability through cycling to be sipping coffee with my bike comrades, just like them.
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