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For all you cycling (lapsed or not) catholics.....

*"On the hill above Lake Cuomo (Lombardi District of Central Italy) an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to a wealthy man (Count Ghisallo) who was about to be robbed by highway men in late Middle Ages.

The vision of the Blessed Virgin scared off the highwaymen, and in gratitude the count started praying to her for protection and told the story to anyone who would listen. He instituted a roadside shrine with flowers and candles. The Virgin Mary under this title was originally prayed to for the protection of local travelers. The count’s story started to gain traction and belief among the locals, so he eventually scraped the makeshift shrine and funded construction of a small chapel. Through the years the legend grew and once the chapel was built, a official clergy were assigned to maintain the chapel, and the patronage of Our Lady of Ghisallo evolved from humble foot travelers, to humble self propelled recreational bicyclists. Recreational cyclists passed the idea of the protection from robbers to bike racers looking for safety from crashes and injury; and they must have established documented cases of it working (official “miracles” ascribed to praying for protection from the Madonna del Ghisallo) because in 1949 this humble legend became an official, certified patroness of the Roman Catholic Church.

Added to the official calendar by Pope Pius XII. At the same time that the legend was growing, the chapel at the top of Ghisallo climb became the finish line annually for the one day classic Giro d’ Lombardi race, and is a regular feature (once every two or three years) stage route of the Giro d’Italia.

The chapel started to gather a collection of cycling memorabilia (imagine the first Hard Rock Cafe in London). Bike frames, whole bikes, jerseys, festoon the walls of the chapel. Over the years great champion riders such as Felice Gimondi, Gianni Motta, Francesco Moser, Gino Bartali, Eddy Merckx, Alfredo Binda, Guiseppe Saronni, Mario Cipollini, Gilberto Simoni, and Stefano Garzelli have contributed race-worn gear to the chapel. As a matter of fact, it came to be a fact that you could not be considered a serious champion or potential champion until you had donated a jersey or bike to be displayed in the chapel. The memorbilia overran the space, and in a way cheapened the spiritual intent of the chapel; so in 2000 construction was started 200 yards from the chapel on a Museum of Cycling (imagine the American Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown) with the official blessing of Pope John Paul II.

When the museum was near completion, Pope JP 2′s successor Pope Benedict XVI was on hand to place and bless the corner stone May 31 2006. One of the great talismen among professional and amateur bike racers, plus weekend warrior bike enthusiats all over the world is the Madonna del Ghisallo bike tube medallion (click here to view this incredibly cool medal on a race bike. Note that the design of the medal incorporates a crankring, and the Madonna and Child are framed by a bike chain. To repeat, this is on of the coolest religious medals in all of the Catholic Church). Even Pope Benedict was the recipient of a custom wood bike with Madonna del Ghisallo badge afixed (click here for reiteration of story of Our Lady of Ghisallo apparition, chapel, the cycling museum, and to view pictures of presentation to Pope Benedict)."*

Sacriligiously nice, i like the chain and sprocket around the outside for good measure.

Anyone know where I can find one of these?

//:-=)

(8(|) Doh!

Morning ride to the coffee shop.

Quite road.

Hear car coming up behind.

Coming closer.

Too close....

Looooooong screeching rubber on tarmac.

Oh Shit!

Brace for impact :|

Heart stops!

Screeching stops!

Heart restarts at eleventy million BPM.

Driver overtakes (very slowly), sheepish grin... mouths "sorry".

FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARK!

did-tto

http://www.ksbw.com/news/28170872/detail.html

A very sick Noridge (Ridgeback X with no ridge). Unfortunately he didn't last the day :(
N95

i become old in a few weeks time. it doesn't bother me much as i certainly don't feel old.
i wouldn't want to be young now though what a horrible time to start making your way in the world, i mean 30k of student debt just for starters and a life enslaved to social media angst, mobile phones and line managers.

How old is "old"... if you don't mind me askin'

Hearty congratulations on having a birthday at such an auspicious time of year, your in very good company.

What's the occasion? and thanks.

..oh, and happy birthday too!

fanx Rawrr

Happily my friend has updated her facebook to say all injured are out of hospital, so none too serious.

The articles seem to suggest it was an accident, in reality my friend reports an angry driver accelerating thru the mass as they set-off, they'd only been riding a few hundred metres.

Undeterred, they're gonna reclaim the streets again on Monday.

looks intentional to me - no attempt to stop. Driver removed license plates and ditched the car.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZARjUMaOfyQ&feature=player_embedded#at=137

http://www.verbicidemagazine.com/blog/tragedy-at-critical-mass-bike-ride-in-porto-alegre-brazil/1341

Pussies*... Happy birthday, Velomancer...

*44 in three weeks...

Congratulations Velomancer btw, wasn't trying to threadjack.

Happy Birthday Velomancer, I'm over 7 months younger than you Old Man, Sherrit stop whining, you're a young man yet.

im 16 :P

Happy Birthday

Thanks! :D

oh, and happy birthday

Fanx

Happy birthday.

Cheers lynx

Made it to half a century today.

Still feel (and act) like a teenager.

Roll call.. how many other "old" folk on LFGSS?

So far i think Velomancer is winning on this page. Got any photos of what your wheels looked like afterwards?

Nah. Saved the hubs and spokes but the rims were fooked.

Downhill on a road bike at around 55mph I hear "ching-ching" as I run over a sharp piece of metal. Instant double puncture. I touch the brakes and hear a ghastly grinding as the wheels lock and rims get ground down by the tarmac. Can brake, can't steer! Still going over 40 I try and coax the bike toward the grass verge so when I come off it's not on the asphalt. I manage to stay on to the bottom of the hill riding on the rims. Unclip and nearly fall over... legs turned to jelly. Later I see HR monitor reads max 226bpm!!!

My mate's Dad's a butcher down @ Borough Market, he gave me some pork chops yesterday - LUST!

Mustard mash, spinach then topped with cinnamon spiced apples!

That is fukin' torture

Ritchey Breakaway Ti
S-Works Roubaix
Salsa La Raza 853
Fetish D&S MTB
06 Langster
Steel Fixed
Langster London
Masi Specialé
Jamis Eclipse 853

+
S-Works Langster
Giant CRX City Pro

Can't imagine stopping, really. My mum's mid-60s and rides daily, albeit sedately on whichever of her Hercules Balmorals is least broken that day.

My mum rides her dad's bike which he bought in his teens. He was born in 1903 and she's a very sprightly 74.

internal gear hubs

There's one on ebay right now. Seller in London. I'd buy it cos I've been looking for a replacement for mine (7 years old and seen better days). The only reason I don't fancy this one ... it's gold...
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Nike-EPIC-Backpack-Notebook-Rucksack-/220708495578?pt=US_CSA_MWA_Backpacks&hash=item33634060da#ht_4835wt_1141
If anyone sees a black one, please let me know.

If it ain't broke...
...fix it 'til it is.

if its not a special seatpost. lighter.

Campy Record :|

carbon breaks easier, so that bit.

:(((((

Thanks Sumo... it may com to that. I may have to destroy one to save the other. But which to chose???