Come ride with Chong
Written by Bruce Rollerson
It’s good to see the term epicicity taking off. I’m sure you’ll agree with me that it is so much more poetic than the commonplace epicness. Slip it into a conversation today: ‘The facial hair on that man has a certain epicicity’, ‘There was a wonderful epicicity about our ride today’.
But back to last Sunday’s epicicity, I took along my point and shoot camera for photos but I did a bit of videoing with it as well. It’s probably not fashionable to admit it, but I really quite like the Rapha videos. I think they are well made and the scenery is always stunning. They really inspire me to ride. However, they do have more than their share of epic facial hair and legendary tattoos. And I generally cringe as soon as anyone opens their mouth. I’m jealous of the people in the videos because they are getting to go on a wonderful ride but at the same time, they need reminding that they are not the first people ever to go on a long ride or, indeed, to exert themselves a little while doing that.
When I looked at the videos I took last Sunday, because it was just me and Chong riding, it is basically a documentary of Chong going for a ride. I was trying to get him to grimace and pretend he was Raphaesque pain but when I looked at those bits, they just looked a bit silly, so I cut them out. I couldn’t find any music that seemed to fit well, so I had the idea of compiling all the silly things that people say on the Rapha videos and using them instead. While I was looking at the videos for the best quotes, I found a link to the website of the guy who does the background music for the Rapha videos – Keegan DeWitt. He even lets you download his stuff from the website. I’m not sure this means he lets you use it in your crappy cycling video but then I’m mildly confident the following video will be looked at fewer than 20 times before disappearing forever into the obscurity of the internet. I present to you Chong’s ride in the Perth Alps last Sunday: (Better to click on the vimeo link, though and watch it full screen – it’s HD, you know)
Blog o' Rollo 
Chong invokes the matinee idols of yesteryear, although I somewhat doubt we would ever find Clark Gable swanning around in a tight lycra bib. Seriously, love the vid especially the fact that you’re driving on the wrong side of the road. Wow – who’d have thought that I’d ever say that. I’ve been over here way too long.
I’m surprised he’s let his hair get as long as it is, considering he’s found a barber who gives him a beer while he’s getting his hair cut. I’d’ve thought that would be incentive for a weekly trim. There was such little traffic for most of last Sunday’s ride, I don’t think it would have mattered which side we were on. I must go back that way again soon.
I’m ever so thankful you edited out my poor attempts at looking like I’m suffering. The fact is that I’ve never suffered so I don’t know how put it on. Thanks Warney for the acknowledgement of my nod to the past. I am actually quite a fan of of the resurgence of hairstyles where men are actually combing their hair as opposed to seeing how many different directions they can spike it to show how original they are. Unfortunately though a lot of it is being incorporated with epic facial hair as mentioned and I just can’t compete with that.
Thanks for the video, Bruce. The music is just fine, but I thought that you might have gone for something else. In the fashion of a reputable cycling blogger (recently de-throned by a perverted photographer posing as a cycling blogger), I suggest you load your video, mute it, and have this playing in the background: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjSTiUgsEpU
You’ll probably think twice before going on another ride with me exclusively. Or not. There’s nothing wrong with that.
I bought some new razor blades the other day and I’m now not so surprised at the amount of epic facial hair out there. I was disappointed to open the packet and find they weren’t made of gold. But yes, we need to do some grimacing training. With a bit of practice, people won’t know if it’s a smile or a look of intense suffering. And maybe I will have to invite someone as a chaperone on our next ride.
John Lamb likes this.
Darn WordPress won’t let me like your comment. Doesn’t everything come with a big thumbs up button these days?
I would like a thumbs up button in my car to show my support for the good, honest citizens of Perth who let me merge on the freeway. Not sure what button I’d have for the road ragers.
http://gopro.com/
Your videos make me feel like riding!
I just watched it again and had the same feeling. Must be time for another nice, long ride.