Barely a week before the main event the bikes were loaded into the team van ( period-correct 1969 ) for the lengthy and desolate ride that would be the rehearsal for the Eroica. The track was 84 miles in length and contained two climbs, one on the tarmac and one on the fabled Gloria road, a testing climb followed by a washboard descent- all in the sandy soil of San Benito county.
The group stayed together for nearly the first half of the ride but predictably broke up on the climb with the old and feeble making up the autobus. At this point the ride was behind schedule and the food and water were running very low. Some true heroism needed to be summoned up to make it to the next available refreshments. Continuing after the punishing washboard descent the team was once again "Trasho-Compatto"rolling down the desolate highway together.
The bikes may have been old but this day they would be treated as if they were current edition, state-of-the-art racing machines. The bikes would have to endure varying road textures and some punishing conditions...... The riders would indeed have to endure the same.
With a total of ten of the twelve total team present, this would be a real oddity on the barren country roads- a vision of the past reborn and regurgitated - summoned up from a place where bicycle history has stood still in the minds of vintage bicycle enthusiasts. While we as a team represent a picture of the past we are not of the past- we are of
now and our mission is clear- remain calm in the face of certain casual coastal vintage period-correct hardships and above all, remain heroic.
Upon reaching the final refreshment stop it was clear that today riders and bikes were up to the task- only two flat tires and two minor crashes. No paint was scratched and no blood was shed, although that would have been acceptable in view of the task at hand.
Comments
Post a Comment