XMAS RIDE 2018
We officially wrap up the year with a look back at 2018, our Christmas ride, and a Soup wishlist.
Every year for the last few we wrap up the years worth of content with a simple flashback Friday kind of post containing a whole advent calendars worth of content of variety. This year, one that has been trying but freshly successful and vibey is no different.
I: THIS WAS 2018
First let’s take a look back at the year that was. We dropped the first monthly newsletter early in the year to some stoked readers, and since then our subscriber list has slowly but steadily grown. We always have our ear to the ground to find out what you’d like to see on there, so thank you to everyone who has contacted us with feedback good or bad, and pitches for ideas you’d like us to blab on about.
As for the lengthier pieces, we had some of the regulars going on in the second half of the summer, namely the Tour Down Under retrospective day-by-days. A week that seemed to be hotter than the last, if somehow that was possible, was finished pleasantly with a big day out to Willunga with Don who had arrived in town just in time.
Speaking of Don, it would be the man himself that would bring in our first fully dedicated piece of International Coverage, harking back to time spent in Tuscany with touring company A’qto when they took on L’Eroica with their tour guests. Go check out his beautifully shot documentation of this event steeped in history, some of the purest Italian vibes on display.
In the middle of winter (literally) we held our 3rd annual Wntrslstc ride, this time partnering up with Ride High Country for a celebration of High Country Victoria’s 3 finest valleys; Mitta, Kiewa and Ovens. Thanks to some of the most hectic weather the region had experienced in some time, the Ovens valley got omitted, but our biggest crew ever lived through one hell of a story in the process.
In the lush fields of Sam Miranda, rain pouring, us curled around barrel fires in the middle of paddocks, Alice took out the National Championship in Masters Womens 1, her first, and our first National Champs medal as Soup Bæs CX. She got the opportunity to celebrate with prosecco and a fresh gold medal (albeit no chocolate), then behind the scenes we colluded with the legends at Pedla for a one off Green & Gold edition of our kit, just for her.
Collingwood and West Coast lined up for the AFL Grand Final this year, arguably the worst possible Victorian representative to come out of the available options come finals times. Fortunately we had plenty of distraction over the course of the weekend through a couple days worth of sticking tight and partnering up with Washington Cyclisme out of Wodonga for the Gears & Beers Festival in Wagga Wagga. Think pot flares, beers, gravel, technicolor canola and clear blue skies. Spectacular.
Melbourne Cup weekend marked the commencement of our biggest project to date. Launched a few weeks prior, we were gathered in Bright in the heart of Victoria’s High Country not just for an all important Soup Boys meet up, but to help host the first of four 7 Peaks rides with the folks at Ride High Country. The follow up guide to that first ride up Mount Buffalo is live now, and we will have some all important tips and tricks to taking on Mount Hotham dropping just in time to motivate you for your Festive 500 efforts. Go visit the information page and join us for the last 2 dates across this summer.
II: OUR WISHLIST
Fame, fortune, platinum records, it’s every boys dream. Okay maybe not, but through a group chat call out we’ve put together a few select Christmas wish lists from the crew. We asked people to get back to us with a bike, life and world wish, a favourite moment from the year of Soup, and as an alternative to the Cycling Australia awards, an avant garde award to give out to the world of cycling.
Kind of the same, maybe just a little less prestigious.
BIKE THING: Custom #steelisreal shiz. Insert Prova.
LIFE THING: My kids to not inherit my fiery temper.
WORLD THING: Those damn wars across the world and everywhere else, ya’ll need to CHILL.
FAV MOMENT: Descending in the snow of #wntrslstc18 with frost bitten fingers and toes. Favourite because I survived the day.
CYCLING AWARD: The Bricked Garmin Award. Handed out to Jonesy for his immense effort to beat everyone else’s Hotham PB but left out the details that he cramped for 10 minutes and questioned the validity of his Garmin data.
BIKE THING: Fox Factory Suspension (Kashima Bling)
LIFE THING: A Man Cave for tinkering.
WORLD THING: Trump copping a pie to the face.
CYCLING AWARD: Best Podium Location goes to Losinj DH World Cup (see attached).
BIKE THING: Pinarello.
LIFE THING: Surround myself with happiness and positive vibes (and get a career job).
WORLD THING: Leave it as we found it.
FAV MOMENT: Meeting Vas on the Ride High Country Ride up Mount Hotham. I found out he had lost 85kg in 3 years so he could go outside and play with his son. Incredible journey and commitment.
CYCLING AWARD: The Fire Thru The Lens Award. Given to Harry for supporting and leading the team car logistics, and of course shooting that mad fire behind the lens.
BIKE THING: Enduro 2 Stroke. Think Dakar.
LIFE THING: Positive vibes, always.
WORLD THING: Go back to analog. No more screens.
III: JUST FALAFS
When putting together ideas for our annual Christmas ride a few of the things that stuck out from previous editions were 1) the wait times for food, and 2) the fact that the Ivanhoe Christmas Lights really suck, it just took 2 visits for us to realise. As a work around we decided to ditch the lights altogether, meet in a park central to most of our homes and indulge in some hearty food. Theres point 2 addressed, but how about point number 1?
It took a photo shoot at Adrian’s work to first receive an introduction to Just Falafs, and given their proximity to the Central Park of choice (Edi Gardens) it seemed like the perfect fit. Soon a relationship between caterer and hungry cyclist was borne, an offering placed at their Conor Murtagh in-store shrine. A small promotional photoshoot conducted in the middle of St Georges Rd during the afternoon peak hour, and tickets to cover meals put on sale.
IV: XMAS PICNIC RIDE
Come ride day the weather was less than ideal, but our friends still showed up! The CBD meeting point this time was on the banks of the Yarra, where people could take bike paths to the spot, or as an alternative pull up in their rowing boat brought down the Yarra from the bougie upstream.
This year things were wildly simple. There were no complicated turns, no heavy distances. Our first Christmas ride was an almost 50km affair, a distance deemed much too far about half way through. The following year was around 30km, the ride between dinner and the Christmas lights negligible and almost entirely bike path. This year however with the lack of Christmas lights, and the focus being on a picnic in the park we would cover a total of 12km. Following this emerging trend next year our Christmas ride will actually be held on Skype where we will make Zwifting optional.
A light sprinkling of rain along the way and a double puncture for Will who exclaimed he “was risking it all when I left the house on this bike” aside, we arrived at Edinburgh Gardens in high spirits. Within a few minutes a picnic blanket was spread, Just Falafs pita plates of choice handed out among snacks, and San Pel flowing, none of which could have been achieved without the immense work of our Business Development Manager, Lauren. Due to the heavy cloud cover things got a little dark sooner than expected, but the evening still allowed us a few hours of chatting, eating, posing for some pics by Ben and celebrating the year that has been, rounded out in typical Italian style with an Amarene Cherry Panettone. Bellissimo!
V: JUST FOR SRS
And so the year comes to a close. There will still be one more piece of content before the clock strikes 12 we head into 2019, so you can keep your eyes peeled for that one, particularly if you have a vested interest in becoming a World Tour Climber.
It’s bee a fun year with plenty of challenges and triumphs, meaning we are only going to be aiming for the same results this time next year, maybe just a little heavier on the triumphs. We’ve got some exciting new things lined up for 2019, we hope you’ll continue to stick around and show our crew and this weird sport we all enjoy some more love over the festive period and into the new year.
Ride safe, eat large, Merry Christmas.