07 Friday Jul 2017
Mike Hall The IPWR has been an amazing experience but everything has been overshadowed by Mike Hall’s death on the …
27 Saturday May 2017
This gallery contains 4 photos.
Mike Hall. You were a truly passionate that inspired me to go further. How did you find your way into cycling, I …
30 Monday Jan 2017
Posted in Riders, Blogs and Links
Factory Five is the first choice bike shop in Shanghai. To be honest, this is the place where it all began. Jeff is one of the founders of F5 and that is where we met. Having met in the shop quite some time and finally rode a day trip from Shanghai to Moganshan together in 24 hrs. Actually this ride made me think about riding longer distances on a bike. So to say this ride had been the moment of birth for all my long distance thoughts.
During the ride to Canakkale, we met surprisingly often. I did expect Jeff to be off the pole right from the beginning. We met on top of the first check point, and later on in Interlaken we climbed together to get up to Check point 02.
Jeff, thank you for inspiring me!
Transcontinental Race No4 Recap
30 Monday Jan 2017
Posted in Riders, Blogs and Links
As one of the Shanghai Four, Nelson is also one of the two Shanghai veterans that already participated in the third TCR. Meeting Jeff and Nelson in Shanghai and cycling with both of them for a longer while in China, this was my actual inspiration to join the TCR of 2016 and prepare myself for that ride.
Together with Stéphane, Nelson set up soundproof.com also to bring their memories onto paper. Finally we can see and read his notes.
30 Monday Jan 2017
Posted in Riders, Blogs and Links
Patrick and I met in Zabljak, the first time. The last evening before Camille has left the scene. It was pretty freezing up there and after our early dinner, I tried to get down from the heights we had been. Wet and cold for the night, was not my first choice at that time.
Some days later Patrick helped me out with some drugs. As the french regulations for medications, he had some really good stuff for me so I did not feel any further pain from my achilles.
Both of us made some nice short cuts in Greece. We met a third time in the heat of a greek afternoon. Sharing a huge water melon and some coffee, close to nowhere. Some hours later, I stopped for some hours having quite a heat stroke.
30 Monday Jan 2017
Posted in Riders, Blogs and Links
As I met Frank several times during the time from Geraadsbergen to Canakkale, he sent the link to his memories about the transcontinental race.
First time we met on a climb in Switzerland. The longest time for sharing thought was in Croatia, Macedonia as well as Greece. It is really surprising how such a crowd can start at one point and after less than a day, you can ride this race almost by yourself. Soon you meet the usual suspects that obviously have a similar speed as yourself.
Frank’s blog, as the picture link may sometimes not work in the responsive version.
What a wonderful writing! I really enjoyed flying with you, again! It was funny reading and recalling so many moments of these almost two unique weeks! The respect about the dogs is a big difference between you and me, for me goose bumps every single night! I am just realizing you had much bigger self discipline than I had during this ride. When I felt like having a break -and I often felt like that- I took a break, no matter where and what for. The summary is pretty similar: you usually need way less of equipment than you think you may need.
Thank you for sharing your memories in such an adventurous and detailled way!
18 Thursday Aug 2016
Almost ten months ago, in October 2015, Nelson Trees #TCRno4s80, Jeff Liu #TCRno4s37, Joshua Rea #TCRno4s64 and myself met for racing from Shanghai to Moganshan and back within 24hours. I assume for two of us, Josh and myself, this was the starting point for longer distances. At that time Nelson and Jeff had already finished their first TCR no3, in 2015. This event had been held by F5, FactoryFive, webuildweride.
This year we met the day before the race started and shared some time and for me -the last beer- before two weeks of abstinence. During the ride, Josh, Jeff and myself met quite sometimes. Nelson was out for racing, as his target was to fight for top ten. Totally different preassumptions for this race, my plan was to ride it and to reach the finish line, no more, no less.
15 Monday Aug 2016
And there were the riders, that I met from time to time. In the early days there had been more riders, the closer I got to the finish line the less people I have met.
In France it was almost crowded by people and it was not really easy to get relaxed. The more we headed on the more relaxed I got. Also I turned away from the idea of looking at this thing as a race way more to a ride.
I had my three boys from Shanghai and we chatted regularly. In the early days I also met with Josh and Jeff sometimes, by chance. At least for me as I did not know where the other dots had been moving.
For me it is still a bigger things to get rid of the racing gene.
The riders I met most had been Jeff and Josh in the beginning.
Also Gerkö crossed my way for several times, but he was already in France talking about scratching from the race, so it is quite possible he did not make it to the finish line.
Already on the second day, I met James. I think we met the most during this ride, had some talks, rests and drinks together. In Andermatt we invaded the cemetery of a church to have a good rest after a rainy descend from Furka. The last time I meet him was the CP04 Durmitor.
Frank was the rider I met second most on the roads, anywhere. We spend longer times together on the roads. We met in almost every of the countries after Italy. During the early morning towards Canakkale I met Frank for the last time really struggling with his tiredness on the road.
With Patrick I met first at CP04. We spent time for dinner together. Then we met again in Greece, for breakfast and he helped my out with his medication, as I was still suffering from my achilles pain. This was kind of salvation for me as I could carry on cycling from this point. The night before I did only stopp to do some lymph leg massaging to relax my feet, but not sleep. Then we met again during the biggest heat close to Viotopos lake for lunch. During that time I repaired my only flat. It had been a great company as we all come down to the level or real persons and not what we used to be in our daily lives. I can only speak for myself, but try to interpret this to some of the other riders.
During the last night ride from Alexandroupolis to Canakkale, I met Dario and also Emily for the first time. As I had a special arrangement with Nico early the next day, I had to carry on. Carl woke me up during one of me two or three short stops in Turkey, but also he carried on.
Bela, I think we met three times, before the race, before and after CP04. He reminded myself that we already knew each other from hardcro, which I did not remember, unfortunately!
I would have loved to spend some more time with all these people in Canakkale but to be honest, I am sure the best and most special time is the time out on the roads!
Thanks to all of you, that made me enjoy these days so much.
A big thank you also to Anna and Mike and all your supporters as Leo, Jamille, John, etc. pp. You all made this experience possible!
I am more than happy to join you again, as soon as you decide to go for the next round!
Thanks a million times!
Best wishes
.max
29 Friday Jul 2016
