Mad respect to anyone who competes in unbound. I’ve never found enjoyment in racing I do enjoy 120km+ adventures even over night traveling by bike and exploring but I respect anyone that takes on in long ride events. Just shows how strong of a person you gotta be to be able to withstand weather like that. Never mind being able to understand and respect when your body says I’m done. That’s a true achievement of self respect in a environment like that. Can’t always be your day. Glad to have found this blog a lot of solitude here. Great reading
Good Reading - Good writing and indeed a Good Replay of Unbound 2023 - Nothing to be ashamed of.! You won Traka 360 Which is something . Best of luck for Migration Gravel !!
I doubt I'll ever get to see you ride in person, but like anyone new to gravel - especially here over in the UK - I am drawn far more to the people and their stories than the results alone (often captured through the lenses of brilliant photographers like Dominique Powers). Processing success and, as they like to say in business speak, what could have gone better (not failure) through your words is a far greater measure of what has and can be achieved. The UCI and pro-teams will try to homogenise this - experiences like yours - but will wildly miss the mark. I truly believe there is more in what you offer than nearly all the racers you see on GCN every day at this time of the year.
Also, thanks for the food and music inspirations. They definitely beat adverts for energy bars or videos of Eurodance from inside the pro buses. It all adds up to make a massive difference.
Sheeesh, that pic you posted on instagram of your fork gave me the creeps as several years ago I had a large rock lodge in between spokes of front wheel and after a rotation or so as I was stopping, it wedged its way out against right leg of fork. Took it into the shop where the response was "you didn't ride this?" to which I said yeah 25 miles home. Carbon fails catastrophically and I'd say we were both lucky. I guess that day in KS was a day for a 14 speed Rohloff hub with belt drive instead of chain and a steel fork.
Maybe it’s a semantic argument but it doesn’t sound like you quit. Not all DNFs are created equal. Quitting would’ve been bailing at the first sign of trouble. Not feeling it and continuing to turn the pedals despite everything going sideways is mighty pro. Bailing when you did seems more like pulling the plug to fight another day - not a question of quitting. The real question is how do you clean a kit with that much mud?
Sometimes it just isn’t your day… sometimes finishing is the start of next years race and sometimes it’s only finishing .. hope the next race goes well.
I maybe more glad to see you quit this time than seeing you win in 2020. Onwards!
Mad respect to anyone who competes in unbound. I’ve never found enjoyment in racing I do enjoy 120km+ adventures even over night traveling by bike and exploring but I respect anyone that takes on in long ride events. Just shows how strong of a person you gotta be to be able to withstand weather like that. Never mind being able to understand and respect when your body says I’m done. That’s a true achievement of self respect in a environment like that. Can’t always be your day. Glad to have found this blog a lot of solitude here. Great reading
Always always a good read.
Good Reading - Good writing and indeed a Good Replay of Unbound 2023 - Nothing to be ashamed of.! You won Traka 360 Which is something . Best of luck for Migration Gravel !!
I doubt I'll ever get to see you ride in person, but like anyone new to gravel - especially here over in the UK - I am drawn far more to the people and their stories than the results alone (often captured through the lenses of brilliant photographers like Dominique Powers). Processing success and, as they like to say in business speak, what could have gone better (not failure) through your words is a far greater measure of what has and can be achieved. The UCI and pro-teams will try to homogenise this - experiences like yours - but will wildly miss the mark. I truly believe there is more in what you offer than nearly all the racers you see on GCN every day at this time of the year.
Also, thanks for the food and music inspirations. They definitely beat adverts for energy bars or videos of Eurodance from inside the pro buses. It all adds up to make a massive difference.
Sheeesh, that pic you posted on instagram of your fork gave me the creeps as several years ago I had a large rock lodge in between spokes of front wheel and after a rotation or so as I was stopping, it wedged its way out against right leg of fork. Took it into the shop where the response was "you didn't ride this?" to which I said yeah 25 miles home. Carbon fails catastrophically and I'd say we were both lucky. I guess that day in KS was a day for a 14 speed Rohloff hub with belt drive instead of chain and a steel fork.
Beautifully honest and beautifully written. Chapeau.
Maybe it’s a semantic argument but it doesn’t sound like you quit. Not all DNFs are created equal. Quitting would’ve been bailing at the first sign of trouble. Not feeling it and continuing to turn the pedals despite everything going sideways is mighty pro. Bailing when you did seems more like pulling the plug to fight another day - not a question of quitting. The real question is how do you clean a kit with that much mud?
Beautifully written! Thank you for you authenticity! I too dropped this year in pursuit of #5. The gift is the experience and what it teaches us.
Sometimes it just isn’t your day… sometimes finishing is the start of next years race and sometimes it’s only finishing .. hope the next race goes well.
Wondering how Fredric, the sourdough culture, made it through without you for so long?