a [missed] race, a bike, and a good day

Unfortunately, family business kept me from attempting the Rapha Japan Koshin Gentlemen's Race this past Saturday, but what are Tweets, Instagram, and Flickr for, than to keep me riding vicariously?
My light ride on Sunday was nothing in comparison, but when my heavy quads and steel frame can dust a carbon fiber Wilier frame loaded with Lightweights up a hill...

God, it feels good.
Even managed to get a bit drenched on the way home.

Days like these are the best!

a PSA on VPL

Do you kit up in Lycra to ride your nifty carbon-fiber road bicycle? If you read this blog, you probably do. And if you're a serious road cyclist, you've probably gotten sucked into your fair share of pacelines with people that seem way more pro, and hoped they'd consider you worthy. But did you know that no matter how fast you can turn those pedals, you'll still belong to the seventh circle of Fred-dom if you're sporting some VPL over those chamois shorts? And that statistics show I am more likely to develop sympathy saddle sores when I realize that you've gone through the trouble of layering chamois shorts over tighty-whiteys/panties/thongs/anything other than a slather of Assos chamois cream?
Don't be that guy. Or girl. Look out for your own reputation and eliminate the on-bike VPL.
This public service announcement brought to you by pedal-strike.com.