Read all about it

There is great news today. I am of course referring to Vino's monster jump in UCI ratings. The former tour contender jumped 21 places to land in the top 10, thereby displacing the lone US entry, Chris Horner. And that on the eve of the infamous Tour of California and that minor Italian race known as the Giro.

The soon-to-be oldest winner of the Tour day France also made headway and is now sitting in the third spot, behind Swiss megastar Cancellara, and none other than Philippe Gilbert, who has won every classic and semi-classic in recent memory.

In other news, I am recruiting juniors for the Ster van de Vlaamse Ardennen, a 2.14. IC NAT, to be held in Belgium, June 11-13. All you eager youngsters take note. While you may have enjoyed the thrill of riding in a 100 man strong Cat whatever field, just remember that 100 masters with a wife and kids and a job on Monday ride very differently from a 200 strong field of invincible, testosterone-soaked 17 and 18 year olds trying to impress their prospective girlfriends. There is simply no comparison. Add to that the narrow roads, the cobblestones, the road furniture, and the steep climbs of the Ronde and you have an explosive mixture that has no equal on this side of the Atlantic -where eager tort lawyers would quickly bankrupt anyone even considering to provide such spectacle.

Here, to whet your appetites, is the course and the profile of the team TT. 10K of pure blood, sweat and tears.

Ster van de Vlaamse Ardennen TT

And in a final note, it appears Bin Laden is dead. But don't hold your breath or think you will now be allowed to bring your water bottle onto the plane. Bin Laden may well be gone, but TSA is here to stay.

To the land of (milk and honey) beer and speculoos

Soon I will be traveling to the land of my forefathers (and foremothers). A land known as Belgie/Belgique or Belgium that was founded in 1830 by the English to contain French imperialism. Those wise English also provided our forefathers and foremothers with a king, Leopold Georg Christian Friedrich, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duke of Saxony, and even more importantly, uncle of Queen Victoria.

Blanche de Bruxelles

Leopold Christian etc. etc. was a lieutenant general in the Imperial Russian Army and distinguished himself in the fight against Napoleon, whose advances and job offers he had previously snubbed.

Things have changed quite a bit since Leopold Georg etc. etc., and the king, whose Prime minister Charles Rogier once said, "La Belgique sera Latine ou elle ne sera pas," would be shocked to find out that most people now speak Dutch and that the economic well-being has shifted from the French-speaking parts to the once poor Flemish region.

The Walloon region, the former economic center of gravity is now decidedly impoverished and in the country-side the difference between the two regions is quite visible. As one drives over the so-called language frontier (taalgrens), the scenery changes rather dramatically. Walloon cities such as Liege and Charleroi are also plagued with high unemployment, overrun with immigrants, and as a result look quite destitute compared to say, Brugge and Gent. Walloon cities also have more crime than their Flemish counterparts.

Brussels aka Bruxelles, on the other hand has become quite wealthy with NATO and the EU and its citizens still seem to prefer the Latin ways, leaving many overseas visitors with the impression that Belgium is a French speaking country. However, outside Brussels, speaking French is now invariably associated with lower economic status.

I have earlier posted intros to Belgium, interesting tidbits about Belgium, as well as provided checklists for those considering to visit the country to race their bikes. I have provided ideas on places to stay and provided links to cyclist housing in Belgium.

In total I have published nearly 50 articles with information on bicycle racing in Belgium, much of it targeting younger riders, known as juniors in the US, but better known as nieuwelingen and juniores in Belgium. Here is the index with pointers for the first 32.

If you just joined us

If you just joined us, I want to let you know that I am still on blogular holiday. Hence the short posts and updates. Normal coverage will resume sometime next month (I hope).

If you are looking for information on racing in Belgium, cyclist housing in Belgium, racing accommodation, or other things Belgian, follow the respective links.

Today I leave you with a picture and short video of Alistair doing his recon of Glendora Mountain Road for the San Dimas Stage Race. More about that race at a later time. Video to be posted later.

Glendora Mountain Rd.

A quick note: race results

When you run a marathon in the US, your family and friends can get race updates while you run, in real time. Every time I ran Boston, my wife would get an update when I passed a 10K marker, and after the race I would grab my cellphone out of my bag and check my result, accurate to the second.

Not so in bike racing though. Not only do you have to travel miles into nowhere land, and rise at some ungodly hour to race in front of a stack of windmills, or -if you are lucky- a herd of cows, but you won't see results until hours later. And most likely these results will be wrong to boot. Your friends and relatives on the other hand will have to wait several days for those results to appear on the web. And that in the land of Google!

NCNCA has only recently discovered the race chip and even with that chip, it still took several days before the results of the first race, the Snelling road race were posted. Since I did not go there I don't know how accurate these results were, but if history is any indication, then don't hold your breath.

When you race in Belgium however, your friends and family will get accurate results within hours. Because of the time difference, these people will often find results as soon as they wake up on the very day you raced. You will get results within 15 minutes. Unlike cows, people do not like to wait around for podiums!

To find results for your loved ones who race in Belgium, go to wielerbond vlaanderen  and look at the bottom right under "Wedstrijdkalender en Resultaten." Find the city where the race was held and look for a star icon. As soon as results are official they will appear there. You click the star and voila, accurate, up to date results.

To find out about categories and the race calendar, check this out.

And finally, a few pictures of Annelise climbing a 50ft indoor wall.

Annelise taking on the 10a/b

 Here is another one:

Going to El Norte

The focus of cycling is finally shifting away from the troubled regions in the Middle East and Northern Africa to friendlier places such as Andalucia, Sardinia, and the French Riveria. There, the sun is still warm enough for a short sleeve jersey and shorts but there is no need to dodge road pirates, tear gas, tanks and stray bullets. Although an occasional flock of goats and a few badly behaving dogs can add some spice to otherwise mellow pre-season favorites.

Another advantage of moving North is many more spectators.

Oscar Freire took his first win of the season in the Ruta del Sol, while Damiano Cunego scored a double in Sardinia. So far we have not heard anything about the earphone protests that were predicted to paralyze European races. It appears riders are happy to be out and about.

All that sounds good and well but what has Belgian aficionados really riled up this week is the absence of the big names for the upcoming opening weekend. 

Heinrich Haussler, Fabian Cancellara, Tyler Farrar, Alessandro Ballan and Nick Nuyens all bailed out of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Brussel Kuurne Brussel. Blame the weather says Greg Van Avermaet of team BMC, "Not everyone has an appetite for a serving of narrow roads, Flemish hills and rough cobblestones. Certainly not in the pouring rain and icy wind."

Traksel, victory at the end of misery

Many probably remember last year's Kuurne Brussel Kuurne, won by Bobby Traksel of Vacansoleil, a race so miserable only 26 riders finished. At one point a chase group split up and 40 riders called it quits. This type of suffering has lost a lot of its luster and today's favorites prefer Milan San Remo or the Tirreno Adriatico where the sun adds warmth and glamour, over the mud and sleet on the cobbles of Flanders.

Racing Flemish style

The forecast for Saturday is rain with highs hovering in the low 40s (4-9C). Sunday will supposedly be better with some sun and only partly cloudy skies, but in Belgium such forecasts always err on the side of optimism.

Speaking of weather, although Northern California is warmer right now, it is not by much. Plus we are looking at a cold Alaskan storm that will bring rain and snow to the area in the upcoming days. Today is overcast and cold, although yesterday was very nice. I have been riding on rollers pretty much every day of the past week, except for Sunday and yesterday, when I went on 8 mile runs. 

Bike racing in Belgium, a check-list

Here is a checklist for those of you who are considering going to Belgium to race their bikes in 2011. I will briefly discuss each topic and link to the earlier blog posts that explain that topic in greater detail. Most of those write-ups were posted from September to December of 2010 so you can also check the archive or use the search option.

Anyone, (racing) age 15 and up can go to Belgium to race their bikes if they so desire. All that is needed is a bike in good working order and some paper work. You also need to find a flight and housing. Finally, it is really helpful if you know how to read the Belgian race calendar so you can find appropriate races.

Going to Belgium to race your bike may sound crazy and horrendously expensive but it is neither. Going to Belgium is cheaper and will get you more races than flying across country. Although anyone can go the people that will benefit most and for whom a trip is really worthwhile are men ages 15-35. Women and masters racers will find plenty of opportunities too, but US riders especially, will find that these categories are well represented over here and the level of competition is often not that different in Belgium. 

There are many reasons to go but the main reason is critical mass. If you are a junior and considering a career in racing, here are the reasons why you should go.

The infamous Koppenberg. Don't worry it looks much better now!!

To go to Belgium you need a passport, a UCI license, a foreign permission letter and if you are under 19, a kalenderkaart from the Belgian Federation. US, Canadian, and most European citizens do not need a visa for stays of less than 90 days. If you think you need a visa, check here.

To get a UCI license, go to USA Cycling (or your national federation) and apply on-line. You can also request a foreign permission letter this way. For younger riders a kalenderkaart can also be ordered online. For information on these documents and how to get them, check here.

To find out more about flights, good airports to fly into, what to bring, and ways to ship your bike, click here.

If you are a "junior" you need to know the special rules that apply to you. There are many restrictions, ranging from how often you can race (hence the kalenderkaart) to what distance you can race and what gear you can use when racing. If your racing age is 15-16, read nieuwelingen (novices). If you are 17-18, read junioren (juniors).  

If you want to know about hotels, rooms, vacation housing and rentals, read housing for bike racers and where to stay. If you want to know how to get around, read how to get around in Flanders.

To find races, here is how to find the on-line calendar and how to read it. Here is some useful information regarding the calendar.

To find out what to expect when you go to your first race, read Belgium, the race layout.

There are many other topics that I covered going from things to know about Belgium, to cuisine, haute cuisine, cartoons, beer and chocolate.  Hopefully these will strike your fancy but they are not required reading. But I do suggest you read the posts on liability issues and medical care before you leave.

Happy reading and please feel free to leave some feedback.

Racing in Belgium in 2011

I have options available for juniors (racing age 17-18) to race in Belgium next season (2011). These include hard to get team slots for stage races. Please contact me for more information. Thanks!

Why you must race in Belgium if you are serious

In earlier posts I have discussed why Americans are often reluctant to go race in Belgium or let their children race in Belgium. I have attempted to show that most perceived obstacles (expenses, long travel, safety, language, etc.) are not serious impediments and that cycling in Belgium is really a bargain compared to anywhere else in the world. I have laid out the many advantages of racing in Belgium (competition, critical mass, etc.) versus other places.

But there is one key reason why juniors must to go Belgium if they are serious about cycling. Anyone with Olympic aspirations or anyone considering a career in cycling needs to go to Belgium as soon as possible. The reason is very simple: cycling is a European sport and it will be that way for the foreseeable future. Much like aspiring baseball players flock to the US, aspiring cyclists flock to Belgium.

While American cycling has made great strides and continues to do so, it is clear that for anyone who is old enough to involved in it now the future lies in Europe. Perhaps the only exception to this is for women's cycling. Although women's cycling has gained in Europe it is nowhere near as popular as men's cycling and this is the one area where the US is highly competitive.

For all others, junior racing in America can serve only one purpose apart from entertainment: to convince USA Cycling coaches and-or local sponsors that one is good enough to go to Europe. To repeat that bluntly: the only reason why juniors compete in big events in the US is so that they can impress the national coaches and be taken to Europe -i.e. Belgium.

However, if one aspires to be on the National Team selection to go to Restricted Events, one should race in Europe as much as possible. USA Cycling's guidelines for selecting members of the National Team makes it clear that placing in a European event is preferred over a similar or better result in a US race. So why follow a circuitous path of traveling all over the country -which is quite expensive by the way- so as to impress people so they take you to Europe, if you can just go to Europe on your own for a whole lot less money. Why not cut to the chase?

Rest assured that whatever you accomplish in Belgium will be visible, whereas your wonderful performances in the US may easily go unnoticed. You may think that going to Europe and disappearing from the radar screen in the US will be bad for your career, but you could not be more mistaken. When you are in Europe you are on everyone's radar. When you are here on the other hand, you are practically invisible, and certainly invisible to most people who matter in terms of cycling careers. Because all those people are in Europe. And they or their talent scouts are attending junior races (and even nieuwelingen races) over there.

More on school and holidays

The school year in Belgium starts on September 1 and runs through June 30th. Universities and other institutions of higher learning follow the "akademisch jaar" (academic year) that starts on October 1 and runs to the end of the first week of July. The academic year is a bit out of synch with all other calendars and it allows young adults to travel during the month of September when the big holiday rush is over and prices are cheaper.

July and August are known as the "grote vakantie" (big holiday) in Belgium. Apart from the grote vakantie there are a number of "kleine vakanties" that last for 2 weeks. Belgium has a strong Catholic heritage and all the holidays in Belgium are linked to religious festivals on the Catholic calendar. Nearly all of Belgian life is synchronized to that calendar and the degree of synchronization is much higher than in the US. Most businesses are also tied to the same calendar and the period known as "congés payés" or paid vacation periods also occurs in July-August.

It is important to know about this because it will affect you when you stay in Belgium for an extended period of time. You will soon find out that there are times to do things and times when nothing can be done because all the shops and businesses are closed.

Closed for vacation

Hotel room prices are higher during the school vacation periods and so are rooms for rent. It is also more difficult to find rooms during those times, especially in tourist spots and near the coast.

Starting at the beginning of the school year, students have a herfstvakantie (fall vacation) at the end of October and de kerstvakantie (Christmas or New Years vacation) during the last week of December and the first week in January (when all the big cyclocross events are).

In Spring there are krokusverlof (Crocus vacation) and paasverlof (Easter) both tied to the Easter holiday. Since the Easter holiday is linked to Jewish Passover and a lunar calendar, it shifts around from year to year. In 2011, krokus will be 3/7 to 3/13 and paasverlof 4/11 to 4/24. It will then gradually shift back into March over the next five years.

In addition to religious holidays there are holidays where everyone takes a second day off (typically called 2nd<holiday name>). So we have 2nd Christmas, 2nd Easter (4/25 in 2011) and 1st and 2nd Ascension (6/2-6/3 in 2011), 2nd Pentecost, etc.

There are also prominent non-religious holidays such as May 1, and November 11. When these fall on a weekend, usually people take Mondays off and when they fall on a Tuesday or Thursday, it is customary to "bridge" to or from the weekend.

A school calendar can be found here.

Promising young Belgian racers often take a week-long team retreat ("een stage") in Italy or Spain two or three weeks before opening weekend. The retreat usually coincides with a school holiday although it tends to run longer so students need a letter from their team. If you plan to see if you can find a team to ride with, you may want to find out about team retreats before you travel to Belgium.

There is one other quirk in the Belgian school system that you need to know about. Belgian schools have week long exam periods twice a year. First, ahead of the Christmas vacation, and second ahead of the grote vakantie. Unlike in the American system, the grading in Belgian schools is totally skewed towards the second exam period. More than 90% of a student's grade is determined here and there is no way a student can move up unless they pass all the tests in the May-June exam period, no matter how well they did earlier in the year. That means the May-June period is one of extreme stress for most students.

The situation only gets worse as one progresses to higher education. Here the entire grade is determined by one final oral exam. Course work at universities usually stops in early May and students spend 2 months studying for their final exams. The period from the end of May until the middle of July is one where university students are focused on one thing only: passing their exams. It is a time when student bars are empty and weekend partying is postponed until summer starts.

Abbey retreat to study for finals

The period is called "blokken" or "den blok," which means to lay bricks or the brick. It is interesting to note that "a brick" in triathlon means a workout with more than one sport back to back (i.e. ride-run, or swim-run). No doubt the analogy is one of putting bricks up to build a wall or achieve something big.

Visiting Belgian families with school aged children in June is NOT a good idea. Unfortunately most American schools end their year in mid May or early June and many young American racers are eager to go to Belgium at that time. End of May and June are also not good times if you want to go to Belgium for parties or festivals or anything else young people are interested in.

One reason the pressure is so high is that students who fail to pass one of their final exams have only one option: to take another set of exams held at the end of summer before the new school year starts. This so-called "second period" is their last chance to avoid having to do their year over again. What that means is no vacation and spending an entire summer studying.

Junior racing in Belgium: schools and holidays

Belgium is one of the few countries where school is mandatory up until age 18. Homeschooling is virtually non-existent in Belgium. That means every youth racer goes to school and youth racing is dependent on school schedules and vacation times. Fortunately there are a lot of holidays and vacation periods.

Although promising young racers can occasionally get time off from school to compete, in general this is not the case, and Belgian kids need to wait for school holidays to race. As the majority of racers in any local race are Belgian, foreigners too have to live by the school schedule.

It reads: on the bike to school

The Belgian school system up until age 18 is divided into six years of elementary school and six years of middle school (middelbaar or secundair onderwijs), starting at age 7. The older distinction of low-middle (laag middelbaar) and high-middle (hoog middelbaar) is no longer apparent and both grade groups are part of the same school. In the early part of the previous century students would sometimes leave school after lower middle (at age 15) to go to work in a factory or farm but that is no longer allowed.

Belgian schools count up in elementary school and down in middle school. So you go to grade 1-6 first and then down from 6 to 1.

Elementary schools tend to be small and local and keep restricted hours. Most close at 3PM. Middle schools are larger and located in cities. Middle school is typically divided into two tiers of difficulty: an upper level (humaniora) and a lower (technical/art) level. The higher level prepares children for further study and is required to enter University while the second tier is either terminal or followed by a few years at a Hoge School (literally High School). At the end of humaniora students take a maturiteitsexamen similar to the French baccalaureate- although it is more of a formality in Belgium. Nevertheless, passing that exam is required for higher education so everyone from a technical/art school is precluded from entering a University.

Belgian schools are more demanding than the US equivalent and students leaving the humaniora at age 18 are nearly on par with US undergraduate B.S. or B.A. degrees. About 1/3 to 1/2 have a classical education and study Latin and Greek. The others follow a "modern" curriculum, which is seen as less demanding. In the 1940's through 80's many students would leave a humaniora at age 18 to get a white collar job. That is no longer the case, and higher education is now the rule for everyone aspiring to make a decent living.

Transfers between tiers are rare in Belgium and nearly always are downgrades. If a student cannot do well in classical studies, they get downgraded to "modern" and if that fails they get sent to a technical, art or trade school.

Middle school hours usually run from 8 in the morning until 6 at night. Classes often stop at 4 but students are required to attend study hall until 5:30 or 6:30. The upper tier nearly always enforces the study time so students do not get out until dinner time. Wednesdays are short days but most schools have a mandatory sports program that lasts until 3:30 or 4:00. Although students manage to come home with their "home" work done during study hall, the long hours leave little time for training. During much of the year students go to school when it is dark out and return home at dusk. Winter day time hours range from 9AM to 4PM.

The majority of middle school students walk or bike to school and middle schools have large bike parking areas. Students typically use cheap commuter bicycles to go to school and get around in general. You rarely see even moderately priced bikes in a school bike rack.

Fietsenstalling at school

Belgium has private, mostly religious, schools and public, agnostic, schools. There is some distinction but it is not nearly as prominent as in the US. All schools are subsidized and although attending a private school is more expensive and more prestigious, no schools charge tuition and the differences are marginal.

Belgian school life, like so much else is dominated by its Catholic heritage, especially in Flanders. Nearly every private school is a catholic school here. Although religious signs are everywhere, the country is largely agnostic and definitely a few orders of magnitude less religious than the US. Although most Belgians are baptized and go through religious ceremonies (first communion, communion, marriage and funeral in church), church attendance is low in Belgium except in small villages, and for holidays and festivities (baptism, marriage, funerals).

Upper tier schools de-emphasize sports (and anything "manual") and so it is not surprising that most aspiring Belgian racers (or other sport practitioners) do not attend an upper tier school. Racing in Belgium has a distinct blue collar connection. Youth racers are typically introduced to the sport through camps. When they are good they flock to sports-oriented middle schools where a lot of time is spent on physical education. They also join a team early on and go on retreats and camps with their team. In Belgium, cycling is a team activity from its very inception. There are no 15 year old independent or unaffiliated racers here.

There are also no school teams and no school team competitions of note. Certainly nothing that comes even close to American high school or college sports. The latter is especially different since higher education in Belgium totally shies away from sports. A high school (middelbaar) may have a soccer team but no college (university in Belgium) has a team of any kind.

Miniemen Team (8-11)

More on schools, holidays, and vacation times tomorrow.

November 11 in Belgium

While Americans celebrate November 11 in a generic way as Veteran's day, and typically do not even bother to take off from work, Europeans see November 11 in a very different light. To begin with, November 11 is a bona fide holiday across most of Western Europe and there are big celebrations in every village and town in Belgium.

To Belgians, November 11 commemorates the armistice in the Great War. The Great War of course is World War 1. November 11 is therefore known to Belgians as Armistice Day, and 11 AM is remembered as the hour when fighting stopped across the Western front. Nearly every village, town and city has a monument honoring their victims of the great war.

Waardamme plaque listing WWI victims, both soldiers and civilians

World War I left a devastating scar all across Europe and England. An entire generation of young men, driven by romantic ideals volunteered and ultimately largely perished in the trenches across France and Belgium. Hence the poem, In Flander's fields the poppies blow.

Flanders has very visible scars of World War I and it is possible to this day to visit (restored) World War 1 trenches in the southwest corner (Westhoek) of the country. There the Belgians -but in reality the Brits- held on to what was probably, in the overall scheme of things, a strategic mistake, but nonetheless a highly emotional bit of territory.

WWI Trenches Diksmuide

It was emotional to the Belgians because it represented a small part of the country that was free of enemy occupation, a well deserved piece too because the Belgian king, Albert I had been one of the few who saw what was coming in 1914. To the Brits it was highly emotional because they, after all, were responsible for the creation of Belgium and the ruling family were relatives of the British monarchy. So too was Wilhelm by the way, but Wilhelm, Der Kaiser, was clearly the bad apple now.

The Belgian organization fietsroute has a 60 km (37 mi) ride called Dwars door het IJzerfront  that visits all the important spots of the WWI battlefield. There is no GPS map yet and all the info is in Dutch but you can buy a gadget, called bikepointer that will guide you through a series of milestones (knooppunt) all along the route. The numbers are listed on the fietsroute website. The website has another 24 km route in Diksmuide, that avoids the battlescars but nonethless gives a great overview of the landscape. There is a Google map here. Just north of that route you will see the dodengangstraat, where the above shown trenches are, and just below and southwest of the southernmost tip of the same route you will find Westvleteren, where the famous Trappist beer brewing abbey is located.

World War I destroyed several of Belgium's great treasures. The library at the University of Leuven, one of the oldest on the continent was burned to the ground by invading Germans. It was an act that was widely condemned across Europe and did much damage to the reputation of Das Deutsche Heer. The Lakenhalle in Ieper (Ypres), a splendid medieval market hall succumbed to repeated bombardments and ultimately had to be completely rebuilt after the war.

The Ypres salient was the site of many famous battles. It is also the place where poison gas was used for the first time in modern warfare.

Lakenhalle Ieper

Ever since Ieper remembers the fallen and every night a bugle plays the Last Post under the Meense Poort (Menin Gate) to remember the missing of World War I.

World War I also left other deeper and lasting scars. Many believe it sowed the seeds for the Nazi movement and World War II. WWI was also the time when Flemish separatism took hold, a movement that aligned itself with the Nazi occupiers in WWII. Many took part in Operation Barbarossa, which the Flemish catholics viewed as the best way to destroy communism. Volunteers were often recruited by parish priests who believe it was their duty to destroy evil.

To remember the roots of the Flemish movement, supporters built the ijzertoren in Diksmuide. The original monument was destroyed after WWII -many Flemish militants were collaborators- and a new tower was built later on the same site. Every year in July the movement holds a pilgrimage (ijzerbedevaart) there that has attracted various extremist groups and is still viewed with suspicion by many Belgians.

The Westhoek is rich in war history -it also has many American and Canadian WWII grave sites. The country is below sea level, totally flat and exposed to a constant sea breeze. It is a favorite among local cyclists and an ideal place to practice waaiers or echelons. It is also a place with many excellent local beers and famous beer-lover's bars. It is a region of hops and a place to savor Poperings hommelbier.

Ora et labora, the trappist rule

Benedict of Nursia, aka St. Benedict inspired the most successful order of monks in the Catholic church, known as Benedictines. The order was formed long after his death and it is unclear whether or not Benedict intended to form an order, although he founded a monastery and wrote rules of monastic life.

The Benedictines live by these rules and one of these rules says: ora et labora, or pray and work. The Benedictines (cistericians) believe that they have to work and be self-sufficient. Hence the Benedictines started out doing manual labor and sell the fruits of their labor. Pretty soon though the good intentions went out the door and Benedictines refocused on spiritual work and teaching instead. That did not sit well with some who considered it frivolous, lax and what have you, and in 1664 a reform movement took hold.

The reform movement created a new order of cistercians of strict observance. It all began at the abbey of La Trappe in Normandy, France. (not to be confused with many La Trappe's in existence today) so the strict monks called themselves Trappists. The movement spread and their Belgian brethren quickly began brewing beer. The Trappists also started wearing a white habit -as opposed to former black- and are therefore known to some as White Monks.

A White Monk practicing Ora

Just this weekend I read about Benedictines who founded the monastery of Christ in the Desert in New Mexico and these monks too brew a Belgian style beer. They are not the only ones apparently and monastery brewing is on the upswing in this and other countries.

That said, Trappist is a synonym for Belgian beer to many people. To others it is a style of beer and some breweries that have no affiliation with a monastery brew what they call Trappist Ales.  Even so, "authentic trappist beer"  is a designation of origin similar to Appellation d'Origine Controlee (AOC) for wine.  A hexagonal insignia is added to the bottle to prove authenticity.

It just so happens that only 7 breweries are thus recognized and 6 of the  7 are in Belgium. The breweries are: Achel, Chimay, Koningshoeven (La Trappe), Orval, Rochefort, Westmalle, Westvleteren. La Trappe is the Dutch entry and for a while it lost its license.

Chimay Beer

Although most people equate Trappist with dark beer out of short fat bottles, there are quite a few authentic blondes in the line-up. La Trappe even makes a wit (literally white) wheat beer.

Apart from color, Trappists typically come as singles (often not named), doubles and triples, depending on the alcohol content of the brew. The breweries also put out specials such as Reserves, Extras and Dorees (golden) and all have some brews that are only available at or near the abbey. That is no doubt in response to the enormous success of Westvleteren, a brand that can only be bought at the abbey, and in limited production, and by jumping through various hoops.

Recently however, the abbey of Westvleteren upgraded its facilities and now the monks are considering selling their beer in the supermarket to pay for the expenses. There were rumors they had signed a deal with Colruyt, a low cost provider, but so far the issue is up in the air. The "move" made serious waves in Belgium, not in the least because it would take Westvleteren's status from highly exclusive to rock bottom in one fell swoop.

Although Trappists are probably the most famous Belgian beers, they are not my favorites. I find most of them too thick or too bread-like and too chocolatey. The ones I like the best are the blondes and Westvleteren blonde (green caps) -if you can get it- is definitely worth the price. Coming to a Colruyt near you??

Although I do not recommend overindulging in Trappist ale while racing in Belgium, I do recommend visiting the various abbeys on rest days.  Here is some great information about bike routes and Trappist (in Dutch). Westmalle is spectacular with lots of art deco, while Rochefort in the French speaking part is considered by many the most spectacular of the abbeys.

Oh and do remember, the Trappists are not supposed to talk much on mostly only when spoken to, and laughing is considered in poor taste. These are all part of the rules of humility devised by Benedict.

A season in Belgium: are you ready?

Before you embark on a season-long trip to Belgium, ask yourself this simple question: are you ready for the challenge? Being ready doesn't just mean being physically fit, although being very fit is a prerequisite for success. You also need to consider other issues such as your financial fitness. Although it is possible to survive in Belgium by being frugal and doing well in races, not everyone can do both. Living off your racing is something that is only feasible for those 19 and older. It is not an option for junioren or nieuwelingen. It is also quite difficult for first-year beloften (racing age 19).

Race entries in Belgium are EUR3 plus a refundable EUR5 and prizes often go 20 deep. If you manage to place you will easily get your money back. Many American juniors who go to Europe in summer are able to race at least one event where they come out ahead. But that is a far cry from making a living, or even paying for the other race-related expenses. You can save money by riding to the venue as most towns are within riding distance. That will save gas money but you still need to eat and pay for your stays. Bringing home EUR12 may sound impressive but it isn't going to pay for the day, let alone a three month stay.

If you really want to make ends meet simply by racing, you need to join a local club. Not only will the club pick up most of your expenses, and often pay for bike maintenance as well, joining a club is the only way to enter the more lucrative interclub events. Joining a club and getting a spot on their team is only realistic if you have a respectable race resume so it is typically not something first time visitors can do. Interclub races have bigger pots and they often have prizes for sprints, king of the mountain competitions and the team as a whole. For a good team that can quickly add up to a respectable sum.

Another way to make a living is to sell your races. Although you can argue that selling races defeats the whole purpose of going to Europe, it is a common practice among expatriates. It is something you can't really plan for and it is only an option for riders who are in a winning break and are known to be good sprinters.  They can often sell their spot for much more than the winning prize money.

Foreigners also survive by taking on odd jobs such as bike mechanic, soigneur or waiter but this is something that cannot be legally done without the appropriate visa and permits. Although the government is cracking down on the practice, there is still a lot of under-the-table work in Belgium.

Apart from fitness and finances, the other key issue is separation. There is no doubt that cell phones and the internet have made things easier, but many people still have a hard time being away from family and friends for an extended period of time. Many experience culture shock, and go through several phases of adjustment, often without their knowledge. Symptoms of the honeymoon phase are clearly evident in facebook postings from nieuwelingen attending European camp or juniors racing for the National Team. Many of these kids are simply in love with Belgium and all things Belgian. Even the rain and the wind have a romantic charm to them. For someone like me, who was born and lived in Belgium and wanted nothing more than to escape the miserable weather and trade it in for California sunshine this is a bizarre thing to witness.

Culture shock can cause many other problems, but the one most often seen is excessive racing and overreaching. More than half the U23 racers I met who were staying at a popular cycling housing outfit last summer were suffering from overreaching. Many were exhausted and burned out and quite a few admitted that they were overdoing it. The resident coach told me this happens every year and despite his best efforts and frequent admonitions people repeatedly ride themselves into the ground during the season.

One way to prevent overreaching is to take some time off to go sightseeing, or partake in other activities such as kermesses, the beach, and one of the many festivals.

Belgium: bike clubs

Belgium has hundreds of bike clubs that are members of the Wielerbond Vlaanderen. You can find a complete list on the website. You will notice that clubs are listed as clubs met renners (clubs with racers), wielertoeristenclubs (cycling tourist clubs) and organizerende clubs (clubs that organize events). Check one of these options and click the zoek (search) button to see a list of clubs in that category. The listing shows the club's location and the contact information.

You can select alle provincies (all provinces) or choose your favorite province. You can also sort clubs (sortering) op postnummer (by zip code), op gemeente (by town), or op stamnummer (literally by tribe number).

Flemish provinces are West-Vlaanderen, by the North Sea and around Brugge, in the upper left corner; Oost-Vlaanderen, home of de Vlaamse Ardennen (Flemish Ardennes), Oudenaarde and Gent, to the east; Antwerpen, the Northern most province around the port city of Antwerpen. Limburg in the upper right hand corner around Hasselt, and Vlaams Brabant, the Flemish part of the central province around Brussel.

Zip codes are four digit codes that start with 8 in West Vlaanderen, 9 in Oost Vlaanderen, 2 in Antwerpen, 3 in Limburg, and 1 in Brabant. The provincial capital has three zeros so Brugge is 8000, Gent is 9000, Antwerpen is 2000, Hasselt is 3000 and Brussel is 1000.

Also note that a club with racers has separate teams for every age group they serve. Most clubs that support youth racing do so from miniemen up to the junioren level. They will usually have an aspiranten team, a nieuwelingen team and a junioren team. Some of the best nieuwelingen and junioren  team clubs do not have a beloften (U23) team and so riders are forced to switch when they reach 19. In most races beloften race with Elites z/c (amateur riders).

It is possible to join a team for a race or a set of races if you contact them beforehand and they have slots available. Usually a team will have many more riders than they can field in an interclub event and internal competition for these events is fierce. However that does not mean you can't get a slot. Due to age restrictions, younger riders will often have to give up a spot in order to remain eligible for other events. Sometimes riders will give up prime slots in stage races (where they are restricted to just a few events per year) in order to race in other countries with the Belgian national team.

For youths it is generally easiest to join a team for a junioren event. Here is where you often find the optimal conditions in terms of age restrictions, number of available team riders, and number of available events. It is also fairly easy to join a team for a Elite z/c event (i.e. amateurs in the open category). Furthermore, by age 17 most solid riders have enough of a resume to convince team managers that they will live up to expectations. Without a resume that shows at least some racing in Belgium, convincing a manager may be tough to do.

The various cycling houses  have affiliations with local teams and if you show good race results while staying there, you may get a slot for a team-only event. But it is not required that you stay at one of these in order to make a team. Getting yourself noticed during a race and talking to potential managers and riders afterwards is often enough to do the trick. Nearly all big races from the nieuwelingen level on have talent scouts in the crowd. At a nieuwelingen stage race last summer I noticed Omega Pharma Lotto, Rabobank, and RadioShack along the course.

Going on training rides -almost always welcomed- with a team is another good way to become visible. Many teams are attached to a local bike store and hanging out in the store (especially in the back where the mechanics are) will get you connected to the right people pretty quickly. Although nearly everyone speaks English, it is definitely helpful if you learn some words in Flemish. And the best place to learn relevant words is to go on rides with people.

Visiting Belgium: visas etc.

If you are traveling to Belgium for bike racing, there are a few things you should know about passports and visas.

Belgium along with 24 other European nations is part of the Schengen area. Belgium was one of the original signatories to the 1984 agreement that is named after a small town in Luxembourg and created a border-free travel zone within Europe. The Schengen area was created independently of the European Union but the agreement has now been incorporated in European Union Law. Even so, the Schengen area does include countries that are not part of the European Union such as Switzerland, whereas other EU member states like the UK are not part of it.

The Schengen Area

Under the Schengen agreement, anyone can travel to any of the 25 Schengen countries with just one set of documents. In some cases that means just a passport, in others a  Schengen visa is needed. American citizens can travel to and from the Schengen area with just their passport, but other nationals may need a Schengen visa.  The latter group includes Russia and many Caribbean and South American nations. A list of Schengen-visa countries can be found here, but it is always wise to check with the consulate or embassy to obtain the latest information as things do change from time to time.

This is what a Schengen visa looks like. This one issued in the Netherlands.

If you need a Schengen visa, you can apply to the consulate or embassy of any of the member states. You will need to apply in person and bring certain documents. For a list visit the website of the embassy of country you will visit first. For people residing in California, the Belgian Consulate in Los Angeles is the place to go. The Belgian embassy is in Washington D.C.

Armed with a passport that is valid at least 6 months beyond the projected stay, American citizens can enter the Schengen area and stay for a maximum of 90 days within a six month window. They cannot work or conduct business there. They also have to provide evidence of sufficient funds and a return airline ticket. Although not strictly required it is good to have evidence of emergency medical insurance as this is considered a key part of "sufficient funds" by many border patrol agents. Schengen area policies are sold by most insurers. As in the US, the immigration agent at the port of entry has the ultimate power to grant or deny access to anyone.

Individuals who want to study in Belgium or conduct business there need special visas. Business and trades people who want to hire citizens or be self-employed and conduct short term assignments need to file a Limosa declaration.

Remember that, while in Belgium you need to carry ID at all times. The only valid ID for non-citizens is a passport. Some riders take copies of their passport on training rides and most of the time this has been acceptable to Belgian police but be aware that you do so at your own risk. I would certainly recommend that you take your passport whenever you drive a car or whenever you put yourself in situation where ID checks are likely -such as going out late at night in a major city.

Belgium racing series: an index

I think it is time to bring some order to my posts about Belgium and bike racing in Belgium. So far I have posted 32 articles about Belgium, life in Belgium, how to get there, local customs, and what bike racing in Belgium is like. Here is an overview of those posts:

If you wonder why so many people dream of racing in Europe but never seem to be able to get there, read
Racing in Flanders, and Racing in Flanders continued.  Racing in Flanders: critical mass, explains why you really should go to Flanders if you want to experience bike racing, especially when you are a junior.  Junior racing in the US tells you why racing here is different and how it can be changed.

It is not hard to organize a trip to Belgium. What you need tells you about the license and documents you need and where to get them. Traveling to Belgium for bike racing explains how to get there, how to ship your bike and what items to pack. Where to stay looks at what cities and regions are best for cycling, and How to get around tells you all you need to know about public transportation and car rentals. I discuss cyclist housing in Belgium as well.

A closer look at the calendar teaches you how to read the WBV calendar on the web, while Liability and medical issues tells you what you should know in case a problem develops.

If you want to know about Belgian laws, habits or understand why some things are different, read Riding a bike in Flanders, Belgian cuisine, Shopping or Ordering drinks. These are based on real life experiences of Americans visiting Belgium. They can save you a lot of headache and avoid nasty surprises.

For the better things in life, check out Belgium: haute cuisine, Belgian Beer, More on Beer, and Belgian Cartoons. I will post on chocolate soon.

Enjoy reading.

More on beer: de bierkroeg

For my personal take on Belgian brews see, after the race: Belgian Beer. Here I want to focus a bit more on where you get the liquid gold. As I mentioned in my earlier post, most traditional Belgian beers are rather delicate and don't travel well. They need to be taken care of and such special care can only be provided in special places. If you wanted to skip the bars altogether and buy beer to consume at home, be advised that local brews are also hard to find. You could easily visit a dozen grocery stores (beer is sold in grocery stores in most places) and never see one. Even specialty liquor stores may not have them, focusing on wine and spirits instead.

Your average neighborhood bar, called a cafe in Belgium will only have a limited selection of beers. Furthermore, they may not be very brand conscious and just serve you what they think is a regular beer, or a more fancy upscale beer, or even a Trappist, regardless of what and how you order it. Truth be told, with the large influx of tourists, most places in bigger cities and tourist hangouts will usually ask you if a substitute beer is OK. But it is not like you will have much choice.

Fortunately you can get a decent Duvel anywhere in Belgium. That is another reason why I like this beer so much. You don't have to go out of your way to get it.

Contrary to what you might think, tourist hangouts are to be avoided. If you want to go there, go there for the sights and sounds, but don't expect the really good stuff. Also expect to pay through the nose for whatever it is you order. Some places, like the Markt in Brugge simply focus on charging the highest price for whatever item, while others, like the Markt/Grand Place in Brussels, seem to specialize in serving odd looking contraptions that make foreigners pause. One such contraption is Kwak, a fairly decent brew that comes in a special glass that attracts tourists like honey attracts bears.

While tourist hangouts may serve Lambic, Kriek, Cassis, and Peche, all of it will be artificially sweetened stuff -usually from Lindemans. Not that that is necessarily bad, and I too enjoy a Kriek after riding up the Kapelmuur in Geraardsbergen, even if it isn't the real thing. The exhaustion and the setting take care of that and any Kriek I have had in Geraardsbergen has tasted as good or better than the real thing.

When riding remember to visit the Cafe of the Ronde Centrum in Oudenaarde after your ride and taste the Flandrien on tap. The Ronde Centrum is an ideal spot to start and end all your rides because all the major tourist routes originate and end here. Here you can access the blue loop, the green loop and the orange loop I mentioned before. You can also take a shower and use the facilities before indulging in some local brews. The cafes on the Markt in Oudenaarde are more scenic, but the Flandrien is a beer worth trying and you can only find it here. Plus you can buy the glass with the bicycle wheel on it.

That said, to drink the real thing, go visit a bierkroeg or streekbiercafe. Some are easy to find and easy to get to. That is the case with Herberg De Dulle Griet on the Vrijdagmarkt in Gent or the nearby De Trollekelder by St. Jacob's church. Also in Gent you can find good food and excellent drink at Brasserie Deus in de Vlaanderenstraat.


Cafe de la Paix on the Grote Markt in  Poperinge has a great selection of both speciality and regional beers but you will probably want to drive there. As the Michelin guide would say, it is well worth the detour. On sunny days there is a nice outdoor area where you can sit and watch the townspeople go about their business.

In Bruges, your best bet is 't Brugs Beertje in the Kemelstraat. That is easily accessible and close to the underground parking 't Zilverpand.

There are many excellent bierkroegen in and around Antwerp and Brussels but to go there you will probably need a car. If you go in summer and race the kermis races of Hoeleden-Dries near Leuven, be sure to make a slight detour and visit the town and brewery of Hoegaarden. You should also go by Leuven. Leuven is a wonderful town with beautiful buildings and if you have time to spare you can visit the Stella brewery there.

Finally a tour of the Lambic area in the Zenne/Senne valley, Southwest of Brussels is a must for the true connoisseur.

My favorite climbs (in the Ronde)

The Ronde website lists 59 hellingen (slopes or climbs) that have appeared in the Ronde throughout its history. Fifteen were part of the 2010 edition. Nine of those were cobbles, the rest are asphalt or concrete. Apart from cobbled climbs the Ronde also features flat stretches of cobbles. For a review of those, see my favorite cobbles.

Most climbs are called berg. The word berg means mountain in Dutch but fear not. None of these are mountains and none of the climbs are longer than 3 Km (1.8 mi). Although short, most of these climbs are very steep and you are advised to ride a small gear. The cobbled ones are even more tricky and can be very slippery. Good mountain bike technique with adequate pressure on the back wheel is needed for a successful ascent of a cobbled climb.

The longest climb in Flanders is the Hotond or Hoogberg, near Ronse at 105 m/344 ft (total height 159 m). All of it is alongside major roads. The nearby Knokteberg aka Cote de Trieu, situated near the language border, is a much more scenic climb on a smaller asphalt road starting in Russeignies. It climbs 92 m /301 ft over 1,260 m or three quarters of a mile.

Knokteberg

Most die-hard cyclists have heard of the Oude Kwaremont, the Paterberg, the Muur/Kapelmuur and the infamous Koppenberg so I won't review these here. Instead I will focus on some other fun climbs that are easily accessible from Oudenaarde or nearby locations.

The infamous Koppenberg. Don't worry it looks much better now!!

One of my all-time favorite climbs is Nokereberg, a cobbled quarter mile (350 m) climb through the center of Nokere, a part of Kruishoutem. It is famous because of Nokere Koerse and other races that end here. The average grade is 5% and the road climbs 20 m or 66 ft. It is part of the blue loop (blauwe lus).

For something a bit more challenging, try Tiegemberg  aka Vossenhol, a stretch that has been in the Ronde 20 times. It is a shaded, asphalt climb that is 750 m long and climbs 42 m/ 138 ft. The grade is 5% with a maximum of 9%.  It is not part of any tourist route but easy enough to find when you head for Tiegem. It is a favorite with the local bike clubs.

Very close to Oudenaarde is Edelareberg, a road that has been featured 33 times and climbs 64 m over a nearly mile (1,525 m). It is an asphalt climb located in Edelare, a sub-municipality of Oudenaarde. From there you can go to Volkegemberg, another asphalt climb with 200 m of cobbles near the top, that climbs 54 m over 1 km. Also in Volkegem is the Wolvenberg, a half a mile short but very steep (max 17%) stretch that climbs 41 m/135 ft.

In favorite cobbles I mentioned the Steenbeekdries, a 700 m climb that comes right after the Mariaborrestraat located in Maarkedal, just south of Edelare. If you like punishment, you can ride a loop over the Oude Kwaremont, the Paterberg, the Koppenberg and the Steenbeekdries. You can ease into this by starting from Oudenaarde, going South along the river ("the canal")  to Berchem. There you leave the canal route and climb through the village and follow the Ronde signs up to the village of Kwaremont.

Oude Kwaremont

If you go up the main road, you are climbing the Nieuwe (new) Kwaremont, a wide asphalt road that climbs 106 m/ 348 ft over a distance of 2,550 m or 1.5 miles. It has been in the Ronde 53 times. If you follow the orange loop signs and go left before going south, you can climb the Oude (old) Kwaremont, a cobbled climb of 89 m/ 292 ft over the same distance. Although more famous, this climb has only been part of the Ronde 37 times.  Both roads join up near the top. From here you can go down a bit and then left and find the road to the Paterberg. Or continue on and climb the Hotond / Hoogberg.

Befuddled and perplexed: ordering drinks

No free water

No simple act is more confusing to Americans than ordering drinks in Belgium. Here is where subtle cultural differences that go largely unnoticed in other areas of life can hit you squarely in the face and they do so when least expect it. Let's start with some ground rules to clarify the situation.

Unlike much of the Western United States, Belgium has a wet temperate climate. There is no imminent danger of dehydration here. Nobody feels the need to walk around with fluids or drink while walking and doing so is generally frowned upon. The only people that walk around with drinks are tourists or teens trying to imitate them. Eating or drinking while walking is not cool.

Nobody needs cup holders in their car or even likes the idea of you bringing drinks into their car. This is not a country where you order drinks for take out. If you want to have a drink you go to a cafe, sit down and order something. Unless you are a child, a woman, or an athlete, you don't order sodas or water either. You drink beer, even at McDonalds.

Here is rule number two: nothing you order, or ask for, or do, in a cafe, bar or restaurant is free, not even going to the bathroom. People expect you to pay for everything. So don't ask for water or inquire about refills. Also, do not expect drinks to come in large sizes or in glasses filled with ice. To the average Belgian, ice is frozen tap water and diluting a drink you pay for with tap water is cheating. Unless you are at a festival or fair, all drinks will be served in a glass and drinking from the bottle is uncouth.

Traditional places won't serve ice cold drinks either. There is a strong belief that cooling drinks excessively masks the taste and is just another way to deceive the customer. The ideal temperature for beer is cellar-cool. That is a bit hotter than the average refrigerator.

In general, Belgians do not order water to drink. You can do so in an expensive restaurant along with your wine, or late at night, when you had too much to drink, but it is not customary otherwise. If you ask for water, the waiter is likely to ask you whether you want plat (non-carbonated) water or spuit (carbonated) water. The water will most likely come in a small bottle (25 cl) that is as expensive as any other drink on the menu. If you ask for ice, you may get one or two smallish cubes.

When it comes to regular drinks -which includes everything but expensive wine and beer, and then  only in specialized places-, Belgians are not brand conscious and you will get served whatever the establishment serves. When you order a cola, or a Coke or a Pepsi, you will get whatever cola drink the cafe or restaurant serves. Belgian cafes and restaurants have business deals with their distributers and it is the distributers who decide what is available. Nobody will ask you to specify your choice, or inform you that your favorite brand is not available. It simply does not occur to them that you could be brand conscious. Nobody will say "Pepsi or Coke?" or ask you if Pepsi is fine when you order a Coke.

The same applies to beer unless you go to a cafe that specializes in beer varieties. At your local cafe you can order generically (een pintje--a beer) or by specifying a brand, say a Stella, but you will get whatever it is they have. The same applies to more upscale brands such as Tuborg. You can order a Tuborg, but you are about as likely to get a Carlsberg or a Becks or any other brand the cafe considers more upscale. Een spa-tje, named after the city of Spa, is generic for (carbonated) water.

In Belgium, SPA is generic for carbonated water

One thing that really throws foreigners for a loop is when they order a Scotch. In most cafes Scotch will mean Scotch Ale and not wisky although most catch the error before the drink arrives. Belgian cafes are not used to serving hard alcohol since it was only recently made legal.

Scotch, Belgian style

As a rule, Belgian grocery stores do not have cold drinks ready to go. It used to be impossible to find cold drinks in a grocery store even if the place had in-store refrigerators. The notable exception to this rule is night stores (nachtwinkels).  These usually have a large selection of cooled drinks.

Nearly all Belgian coffee is dark roasted and most is of decent quality. The cheaper brands are bitter but in general the coffee is stronger and more flavorful than in the US. Contrary to popular belief, dark roasts have less caffeine than the light roasts that are popular in much of the US.

Filter-koffie

The most common way to serve coffee is the so-called filter. Some people just order een filter. When you do so you will get a contraption that includes a cup and a small coffee filter with reservoir on top. It may come already filled or the waiter may pour in boiling water. You wait until the drip stops and enjoy your coffee. A coffee will always come with a small piece of chocolate or a small cookie.

Nearly all other coffee drinks are misnomers and it is always exciting to see what you will get when you  order one. If you want an espresso, order a moka, because espresso (spelled expresso in Belgium) will get you a larger cup that may or may not be filled with coffee from the espresso machine. A Belgian cappuccino is a large cup of coffee with whipped cream on top.  In France, and some French speaking parts of Belgium ordering a coffee will get you a cafe au lait instead.

Belgians are not tea drinkers. Although nearly every place where you sit down and eat pastries with a drink is called a Tea Room, very few people drink tea. When you order tea, you are most likely going to get a cup of warm water with a lipton tea bag on the side. Some fancy places serve many different herb teas -what the French call infusions- but their selection of real tea is generally quite limited too.

Although Belgium has many unwritten rules, there are lots of exceptions too. The rules on walking around with drinks and food do not apply to tourist hotspots, such as the markt in Brugge, festivals, kermissen, and hence most bike races. Here you can order beer and food to go, although you will generally be served beer in a glass, and be expected not to wander too far so you can return the glass to where you bought the beer. At open air festivals such as the Gentse Feesten, you can wander around all over town drinking beer from the bottle, although most will want a glass even here. You can also order Frieten  (fries) to go. But once again, you are not expected to wander around too far from where you bought them.