But far within
And in their own dimensions like themselves
The great Seraphic Lords and Cherubim
In close recess and secret conclave sat
A thousand Demi-Gods on golden seats,
Frequent and full. After short silence then
And summons read, the great consult began.
— Milton, Paradise Lost Book I
For the past two days I’ve begun my mornings with a breakfast of cobbles. Coming from a city where the council did everything in its power to eradicate any hint of them, I find them both fun to ride down, and frustrating to ride up.
But what if we could make it easier while removing the problem of getting stronger? So I could ride up them faster. What if, by some magical means, I could pay to get stronger to overcome my own mass and the resistance these hand cut blocks of stone provide.
I could pay a coach to help me. I could pay a shop for a lighter bike to lower our overall mass. I could eat less. Or, like some people still think, I could pay a doctor to give me some extra vaa-vaa-voom on the climbs. However, now we have to deal with a different kind of doctor, a doctor of engineering who’s helping some riders overcome their weakenesses.
I can only imagine the meetings the UCI are having at the moment. Sat in conclave on golden seats consulting on the future implications that technology has on their hallowed sport.
Don’t get me wrong, a motor on a bike, concealed or otherwise, turns it into a motorbike. The hint is in the name. We don’t race motorbikes, it’s unfair to race motorbikes and pedalbikes together. It really doesn’t matter how you phrase it – doping or fraud – it’s simply cheating.
Beer of the Week
Fat Tire – New Belgium Brewing ABV 5.2%
“Named in honor of our co-founder’s bike trip through Europe, FAT TIRE AMBER ALE marks a turning point in the young electrical engineer’s home brewing. Belgian beers use a far broader palette of ingredients (fruits, spices, esoteric yeast strains) than German or English styles. Together with co-founder Kim Jordan, they travelled around sampling their homebrews to the public. Fat Tire won fans with its sense of balance: toasty, biscuit-like malt flavors coasting in equilibrium with hoppy freshness. Fat Tire: Pairs well with people”
It’s a while since I’ve had one of these wonderful brews from the US, then someone handed me one they’d brought home in a bike bag. Instant memories of summers days riding around Moab and getting far too warm, scratching off far too much skin, and having the right amount of fun. A beer that definitely pairs well with people.