rapha (no L)

rapha rapha rapha.

it was back in 2005 when i first heard about rapha. whitney, famed austin framebuilder now nuclear button pusher, told me about their website. he had ordered some gloves and hat from them. at that time they only had a jacket, gloves, hat and a cute little satchel. i really wanted the satchel.

to me, they were this far away cycling company that seemed to center around riding their bikes all over the mountains of europe and creating very fine and lovely looking cycling clothes.

one of the first articles i read on their website was about glory through suffering.

Behind glory lies the misery of training, the slog of getting through bad days, the torment of going at less than your best and the absolute conviction that giving up is never an option. Herein lies the heroism of this beautiful sport the inner revelation that makes the cyclist impervious to ordinary weakness because every ride he has ever made exposes him to that defeatist voice; he has known it, faced it and conquered the fear of it, again and again and again.

kinda romantic huh. plus every guy pictured was an italian or belgium or spanish dream.

i began to get their catalogs and could see myself whisked away into the black and white photos drinking coffee on a sidewalk cafe with Gavino alongside our italian bikes about to take off for a 6hour ride though the countryside. i'd have my rapha satchel filled with bread and cheese, some apples and raisins. we'd stop for wine here and there. sit under trees and watch the clouds roll by.

see rapha has a way of doing that to an american girl whos never been across the big giant pond. when they came over to portland for the Handmade Bicycle Show, i was so envious. rapha? in america? putting on roller races and leading rides? delightful....

well. now here they are in austin. this weekend. roller races and a gentlemens ride in the hill country.

mellow johnny's will have a photo exhibition of six of the photographers from their magazine, Rouleur from july 11 through july 31.

the roller races will be SATURDAY, JULY 12 7pm-12am. it looks like you have to do a qualifying race friday - today. check with johnnys. i dunno.

here's to imaginary long glances from one side of the coffee cup at a street cafe someplace in europe.

p.s. photos not by me at all. they are from my mind.