First, before I begin I did another race on Wednesday night. I came in dead last. I had great legs and was top 20 before the sprint. Then, mentally, I turned off. I was literally bumping bars and bouncing into people and decided that it was time to just relax. Honestly I wasn't that comfortable. So rather than crash, I decided to simply ease off and slide my way out. The race was 62km long. I had an average of 42.6km/u. We were not standing still very much.
I've been here for about a month and there are things I hate about Belgium. Please allow me to walk you through them one by one. However I will avoid the classical categorical manner in which some writers attach a letter or worse a number to idea/thing/person they despise. I'm sorry, I mean hate. Despise is not the same word.
Belgian beer. Yup. I hate it. Every Belgian beer you order comes with the appropriate glass. Each glass has its own unique shape and feel. Even the weight is different and I gaurantee you someone thought about the weight of the glass; both empty and full. The beer itself is amazing. If you don't know about pouring Belgian beers but if not, then it is time to learn. First "head" or the foam is absolutley nessesary. In fact if your beer doesn't have head (I don't know the Dutch term) then its not really proper. Strong. Strong as in 8 to 11 percent for most beers. That means after one or two you are tipsy unless you are a bit thin and athletic, in that case you are on your way to getting drunk. "Zat" as they say in Dutch. A slang term for being drunk. Something you don't want to mention on your first date "Ik ben zat" (I am drunk). The beer here is just plain awesome and I cherish waiting at the cafe while the server brings over my beer and perfect glass with the name of the beer on it, alstubleift.
Road obstacles. I'm not sure they are obstacles, I think they are designed more to slow traffic down but when I see suff in the road I immediatley think I'm a race car driver. In Belgium (and most of Europe) there seems to be this thing about putting stuff in the road to slow down drivers. Green pins, wooden boxes filled with dirt and flowers, cemet squares, cemet poles, small islands that jutteson from the sidewalk, and more islands with signs and bright paint and shiny stickers and traffic circles. Traffic cirles for one are a blast. Zoom into the circle, bike leaned over cars flying around, pick an exit, gone and off on your new direction. Once, while racing through a selection of green pins I hit my right foot as I was weaving through the pins instead of going around. I was on my bike, carrying my gear from a day of racing, and for some reason I couldn't help but want to carve my own line through them. I still do. Everytime I zip through or close to these traffic obstacles I just can't help but want to see how fast and how close I get to the them. Obstacles or challanges; you decided what to call them.
Bike racing. Bike racing in Belgium is no walk in the park. Nor is biking racing anywhere where there is good competition. An easy course can be made very difficult if you have a strong group of cyclists. In the catergory of racing I do, its tuff, but I'm getting stronger. The roads here are narrow and have lots of turns and irregularaties. However there is something about racing through little villages at speeds that cars are not allowed to go that is so thrilling. Hunckered down on your racing machine you are able to lean a gracefully allow speed and physics to be your friend. Exiting each turn you reapply power to pedals and zip along narrow straight sections of road. Guys in front of you, guys behind you. All doing the same thing. We are one big fluid snake. It's an incrediable feeling blasting around corners at 50km/u barly a meter or so from the fans. Speaking of fans, they also show up. Mostly the older crew. Belgian beers in hand, picking out the favourites and ready to watch the sprint finish. It is truly fantastic and I invite everyone to try it or at least come watch it.
Well, that is it. My short list of what I hate in Belgium.
Goendenavond and slaapwel :)
I've been here for about a month and there are things I hate about Belgium. Please allow me to walk you through them one by one. However I will avoid the classical categorical manner in which some writers attach a letter or worse a number to idea/thing/person they despise. I'm sorry, I mean hate. Despise is not the same word.
Belgian beer. Yup. I hate it. Every Belgian beer you order comes with the appropriate glass. Each glass has its own unique shape and feel. Even the weight is different and I gaurantee you someone thought about the weight of the glass; both empty and full. The beer itself is amazing. If you don't know about pouring Belgian beers but if not, then it is time to learn. First "head" or the foam is absolutley nessesary. In fact if your beer doesn't have head (I don't know the Dutch term) then its not really proper. Strong. Strong as in 8 to 11 percent for most beers. That means after one or two you are tipsy unless you are a bit thin and athletic, in that case you are on your way to getting drunk. "Zat" as they say in Dutch. A slang term for being drunk. Something you don't want to mention on your first date "Ik ben zat" (I am drunk). The beer here is just plain awesome and I cherish waiting at the cafe while the server brings over my beer and perfect glass with the name of the beer on it, alstubleift.
Road obstacles. I'm not sure they are obstacles, I think they are designed more to slow traffic down but when I see suff in the road I immediatley think I'm a race car driver. In Belgium (and most of Europe) there seems to be this thing about putting stuff in the road to slow down drivers. Green pins, wooden boxes filled with dirt and flowers, cemet squares, cemet poles, small islands that jutteson from the sidewalk, and more islands with signs and bright paint and shiny stickers and traffic circles. Traffic cirles for one are a blast. Zoom into the circle, bike leaned over cars flying around, pick an exit, gone and off on your new direction. Once, while racing through a selection of green pins I hit my right foot as I was weaving through the pins instead of going around. I was on my bike, carrying my gear from a day of racing, and for some reason I couldn't help but want to carve my own line through them. I still do. Everytime I zip through or close to these traffic obstacles I just can't help but want to see how fast and how close I get to the them. Obstacles or challanges; you decided what to call them.
Bike racing. Bike racing in Belgium is no walk in the park. Nor is biking racing anywhere where there is good competition. An easy course can be made very difficult if you have a strong group of cyclists. In the catergory of racing I do, its tuff, but I'm getting stronger. The roads here are narrow and have lots of turns and irregularaties. However there is something about racing through little villages at speeds that cars are not allowed to go that is so thrilling. Hunckered down on your racing machine you are able to lean a gracefully allow speed and physics to be your friend. Exiting each turn you reapply power to pedals and zip along narrow straight sections of road. Guys in front of you, guys behind you. All doing the same thing. We are one big fluid snake. It's an incrediable feeling blasting around corners at 50km/u barly a meter or so from the fans. Speaking of fans, they also show up. Mostly the older crew. Belgian beers in hand, picking out the favourites and ready to watch the sprint finish. It is truly fantastic and I invite everyone to try it or at least come watch it.
Well, that is it. My short list of what I hate in Belgium.
Goendenavond and slaapwel :)
Brandon, I was away last week so give me a bit of time to get up to speed on your blog entries. Went to San Francisco, and had a great time cycling in the city (yes you read that right). What a challenge, the hills, the traffic, the lights and the people, I truly communicated with the latent bicycle courier in me. So I've read your waxing poetic about beers, and your dead last finish..bummer..give it time.. strengthen your resolve and focus..I'm getting ready for my biggest race of the year, next week..
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