Around the time the Taurus Mountain Race was cancelled, my friend Adam Myerson posted an instagram story about looking further beyond yourself and how that widens your perspective. It struck me as I suddenly found myself out of race mode, with no clear goal due to circumstances beyond my control.
Simultaneously, racers & commentators had already begun taking potshots at a clearly unfortunate situation that, despite managing to prioritise participant safety, somehow was both guilty of climate crimes and harshing vibes. 🙄
To me, it feels like almost an intrinsic side-effect to gain a wider perspective by exploring the remote corners of a new country and interacting with locals hundreds of kilometres. That enlightenment is apparently not a given. Some, namely one racer, were sorely and vocally disappointed about the cancellation. Sure, we all wished for more, but we got the adventure we came for.
Other talking heads online chimed in with claims about the carbon footprint of such events. Especially of those riders doing 'The Full Nelson' (all 4 Mountain Races – Atlas, Hellenic, Silk Road & Taurus) in a single year. Their criticism is misguided imho.
While some of the most vocal even organise their own events and arguably have a little ground to stand on, my take is that Nelson's accomplishment of 19 races and only having to cancel one after going on a decade of bringing together such an eclectic community for competition, passion & fun, is simply an incredible feat.
He has carved a stronghold niche on this rugged fringe of cycling culture that is easy to critique from afar but, for many, too intimidating or simply bizarre.
In a world where experience & expertise are too often gleaned through a screen, maybe the best way for us all to win is to challenge ourselves somewhere that we have never been.
Does that have to be an ultra-distance bike race? No.
But it sure is a great reason to go!
I'll write more about my experience here in the future, but I have a roll of 35mm film and my thoughts to process first. ; )
Thank you for reading & wishing you a nice week ahead,
Jon
p.s.
🎵 Some artists I had on deck during the race: Barış Manço, Rancid, Erlend Øye, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Erkin Koray, Özdemir Erdoğan, Poison Ruïn, The Mars Volta, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Robocop Kraus, Blue Druids, Depeche Mode, fIREHOSE, Modest Mouse, Nirvana, Pixies, Tocotronic, Turnstile, Klaus Wunderlich, Refused, Refused, The Libertines, Adam Green, At the Drive-In, Frank Black and more! (Check this 70'2 & 80's Turkish music playlist too!)
p.p.s.
I'm being harassed by an image rights attorney in Germany over an embedded thumbnail from a linked Substack many issues ago and need an attorney's support auf Deutsch. If you're reading this and have a referral, holla atcha boy!
October
November
- 🇳🇱 1 AMS Cross Comp | UWTC – UITHOORN
- 🇳🇱 3-5 ISPO
- 🇳🇱 8 AMS Cross Comp | HSV DE KAMPIOEN
- 🇬🇧 12-14 Rouleur London
- 🇳🇱 14 Lowlands Fixed Gear 2 Year Bday
- 🇳🇱 15 AMS Cross Comp | WV DE AMSTEL
- 🇳🇱 22 AMS Cross Comp | FC TRAPPIST – ‘T TWISKE
December
- 🇳🇱 4 Twotone Turns 12! Music, Food, Drinks, & Tattoos!
- 🇳🇱 5 Cyclezirkus & Twotone Hangover Ride
- 🇳🇱 6 AMS Cross Comp | ASC Olympia Sloten
- 🇳🇱 13 AMS Cross Comp | ARC Ulysses
- 🇳🇱 19 AMS Cross Comp | Avondcross ZWC DTS
- 🇳🇱 31 AMS Cross Comp | Oliebollencross
Bikes
TMD Locks Announces 3 New DE Sales Agents & SILCA Re-Releases OMATA
For TMD Locks, Frank Hanewinkel, Jürgen Moch and Peter Schmidt will look after specialist bicycle and e-bike dealers across Bavaria and South-West Germany, giving dealers local, face-to-face support in Europe's leading e-bike market. [Mehr Infos hier] And SILCA announced its acquisition of OMATA, the world’s first analogue cycling computer with internal GPS. Along with the acquisition, SILCA will release an exclusive, limited quantity of the iconic OMATA devices. [Read more here]
Gallery: Cyclocross culture in the spotlight at Nacht van Woerden
Amanda Crow
Friend of Twotone, Amanda Crow makes her editorial debut covering this unique local 'cross race. Awesome images and words, Amanda!
Reader's Rig: Bikepacking.com Featured Jon's SOUR Pasta Party
Lucas Winzenburg
Thank you to Lucas at Bikepacking for doing a Reader's Rig feature on my SOUR!
Ideas
Phase Shift: The Taurus Mountain Race
Jackson Long
Jackson Long of Mountain Athlete Journal offers a reflective recap of his own effort and rumination of ultra cycling at large. I look forward to reading the followup piece in the Journal, Jackson!
Taurus Mountain Race: The Scariest Day of My Life
Chris Mehlman
Chris share a raw insight into the conditions at the pointy end of the race. A reminder that, in the end, nature will always win.
The Rise of China’s Independent Outdoor Brands
Gene Han
Thank you, Jost, for the tip on this one! "The traditional relationship looked something like this: Western brand → Western design studio → Chinese manufacturer. The emerging version looks different: Chinese outdoor community → Chinese designer → Chinese manufacturer → Chinese brand."
Friends
SOULCYCLE BMX 🎃 HALLOWEEN RIDE OUT 💀
Keep members renewing with Andy van Bergen of Escape Collective: Weds Oct 28 4PM PT
The Monday Media Diet with Jeremy Smith
Why is this interesting?
I've known Jeremy since before I moved to Amsterdam. He owned Cedar Cycling and I use one of their collab bags with ILE to this very day as my sewing kit that I brought on the Taurus Mountain Race too! Check out the interview here.
Radness
Lowlands Crew goes to Rad Race Last Wo/Man Standing Part.1/2
Ludek
Rotterdam local, Ludek Jakubiniec, shares his first instalment of images from Rad Race Last Wo/Man Standing in Berlin earlier this year. Check the story & images here and lookout for the follow part two soon!
Thank you for reading!
Here's to getting what you came for this week!