Monday Musette - Univest, Vuelta, and More

Here's what's on our minds this Labor Day:

1. This coming weekend, the new and improved Univest Grand Prix returns to Southeastern Pennsylvania. The Saturday road race and Sunday criterium are joined this year by a Friday TTT in Allentown. The final start list is still to be confirmed, but it's already being rumored that Taylor Phinney will use the race to make his return to competition following a bad fall in the Cascade Classic.

But that's not the whole story. Along with Saturday's road race, John Eustice and his crew offer a terrific cyclosportif event for the rest of us to test our legs on the race course. All the hills will be there--a blessing or a curse, depending on your outlook. Pre-registration has closed, but you can still come and sign-up on the day of the event. Pavé will be there; hopefully you'll be able to make it as well.

2. The Vuelta intensified over the weekend with a time trial and mountaintop finish to separate the wheat from the chaff. Roman Kreuziger did a fantastic job of making me look like a fool, losing several minutes in Saturday's TT. Andy Schleck--the man I tipped for win--followed suit, abandoning on Sunday with a stomach virus. Right now, Alejandro Valverde and Cadel Evans seem to be the two main favorites, with Robert Gesink poised to play the roll of spoiler. Ivan Basso and Tom Danielson look to be making comebacks of their own, while Damiano Cunego appears ready to end his year with a bang--and the possibly the rainbow jersey.


3. For the past few weeks, we've been riding a nice set of Neo Classic wheels from Handspun, shod with a pair of FMB Paris-Roubaix tubulars. Look for more photos and reviews in the future. The wheels are currently being passed around by members of the Pavé test team to ensure as many perspectives as possible. It will be our first equipment review; we couldn't have picked a more appropriate product with which to start.

4. If you haven't had a chance yet, head over to Embrocation Cycling Journal for a new column by yours truly. We're also eagerly anticipating the arrival of Embro Volume 4. Look for our thoughts once it gets here.

5. And finally, our good friend Duncan from Here Come the Belgians has just launched his new team of the same name. You can follow Team Here Come the Belgians here; be sure to drop by and send them your best as they embark on this fall's UK cyclocross season.

That's it for today--remember, keep those cobble entries coming! We've already had some submissions, but there's room for all.

Have a great week; share your comments below.

Your Weekend Assignment

(A stretch of stones on the bike trail between Philadelphia and Valley Forge.)

It's the last weekend of summer. For some, a holiday weekend. For others, the last gasp before school begins. For many, the last chance to get in a few good rides before the autumn begins.

So here's one last assignment for you: remember that Project I introduced way back when?

You know, the one about documenting cobbled and bricked roads? (I'd say dirt and unpaved too, but there's already a terrific project that's been created to catalog those.)

Do you remember yet? No?

Well, here's what I want you to do: go find some terrific cobbled or brick roads in your area, take some photos, jot down a few of the details (length, grade condition, etc...) and send them to me to be posted on the site.

You can find some examples from my area here.

Here's what I'm offering in return: we're working on getting some Pavé cycling caps made. Once we do, I'll send 1 to the first 3 people that respond with worthy entries.

I'll also send 1 to the person who submits the entry that is located farthest from the Pavé Service Course in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

I'll also send a cap to the person who submits what the Pavé Editorial Staff (I use that term loosely) consider to be the BEST entry.

So get riding and FIND THAT PAVÉ!

I'll go about making some hats.

Enjoy your weekend!

PA Ramble: A Taste of Things to Come...

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of taking a drive up to State College to test-drive the course of the legendary PA Ramble. The Ramble’s a ride created by Ridelugged’s James and his buddies from grad school at PSU. The goal was simple: create an epic ride including as many dirt roads and climbs as possible. The results speak for themselves via the photos I’ve included here. In fact, I couldn’t even finish the ride—the final third was completely snowbound.

If we aren’t lucky enough to be selected for Rapha’s Continental Calling project, James and I are hoping to run the Ramble sometime later this summer (to give the surfaces a chance to settle down). In April we’re hoping to head-up for some extended reconnaissance. You’re welcome to join us.

Pave Project - #1

Some of you may recall a project I mentioned upon launching thus blog.

The goal is to catalog and record all cobbled roads in America. Ambitious? Maybe. Worth the effort? Definitely.

Here's the first entry:

Located a few blocks from my apartment, Church Alley is about 100 feet of classic, cobbled goodness. Note the bricked sidewalk. Even better, the alley is adjacent to the local Iron Hill Brewery; so after a few loops of stone intervals, you can stop-in for a Brewski burger and some Vienna Red Lager.

The Project - Introduction

James from Ride Lugged introduced me to a project he and some like-minded friends started a few years ago. The goal: to record and catalog the "rideable" (use this term flexibly) dirt roads in PA and MD. They started with roads in and around State College, PA and Frederick, MD, but they hope to expand the project in an area near you. You can find their results at Dirtdata.org. I'm sure James would appreciate any additions you might care to make. He's color-coded his maps according to surface type.

After tooling around on James' site, I started thinking: what if the same could be done for cobbled or bricked roads? Growing up in the Philly area, I've come to love the smattering of cobbled climbs, roads, and trails the area provides. Why couldn't I create a place for people to share similar experiences?

Voila! So let it be known: I'm officially accepting all submissions of the cobbled and bricked roads you know and love. Please include all the necessary data: location, surface condition, length, difficulty, and any other interesting tidbits. Of course, your photos are much appreciated.

I'll publish your stones here for the rest to see, ride, and share. James has also mentioned adding these roads to his maps using new colors to differentiate their respective surfaces.

Here's a sample:


This is a picture of yours truly on a stretch of cobbles just outside the town of Wijgmaal, Belgium. (Okay, I'm cheating by going all intercontinental on ya'...) This is the same road in the photo in my previous post. It's a tree-lined lane of about 2 km running through cow fields. The surface? Grassy, slimy, and often covered in manure. Years of tractor use have created a crown made all the more dangerous by the grass growing in the elevated environment. Riding the gutter brings the danger of misplaced stones, puddles, and holes. In other words? It's perfect. This photo took about an hour tinkering with the timer, a mini-tripod, and a rotten fence post.