K-Dogg’s Thursday Reconnaissance Ride
The event gets tricky early, with a descent on the first gravel section about eight miles from the start in Gaiole… at about 5:30 a.m. Check out Castagnoli (private castle) in the background behind K-Dogg.
Twelve percent (12%) gradient up to the castle and down again. We’ll do this in the pitch black with several thousand crazy people on ancient bikes with bad brakes. I am told lots of people lose control here and skid all over the road fruitlessly squeezing their hands. Can’t wait.
Thursday our route covered 50 miles of the upper loop and included 4,500 feet of climbing. We took it slow, obviously.
Other Musings
One hyper 90 year old ( in 90 year old kit) was very excited and kept slapping my back and saying “Sean Kelly! Sean Kelly no?” Vitus! Vitus!” “Si, Vitus.”
Dozens of tents full of vintage bikes, clothes and parts… or as Mrs. Dogg put it. “Lot’s of old junk.”
The Big Rooster
In Gaiole in front of the locally famous Black Rooster.
This fighting chicken image is everywhere, especially on wine bottles and vineyards, as a military symbol for a thousand years in this part of Italy.
Primary Goals for L’Eroica
- Don’t get crashed.
- Don’t lose Mrs K-Dogg in the chaos.
- Sweet talk my 40 year old spokes into surviving the pounding for the next 10 hours or so.
Sanford and Son
[alpine-phototile-for-flickr src=”set” uid=”126879102@N04″ sid=”72157647920769657″ imgl=”flickr” style=”gallery” row=”8″ grwidth=”800″ grheight=”600″ size=”240″ num=”8″ shadow=”1″ align=”center” max=”100″]
No pressure mr K. Dogg. The whole of the GCC watches with bated breath–Sean Kelly!