#jet morro you will exist one day

[un-pearable]

aggie allowed me to finally release skateboard morro onto the world…

[lunarifie]

Rewatching Ninjago

(With no context other than the episode)

Day of the Departed

Im gonna be fr I didnt even know wtf Day of the departed was until i watched the first episode of Hands of Time and was like

“COLES HUMAN AGAIN?!?!???!?”

Did some googling, and bc i dont have Tubi or Amazon, im being forced to use an illegal pirating site 😔

Hdjsbfjdirbr

jk lol

idgaf

I use wcofun.net for cartoons and shit if anyone wants to know where to watch it

I feel like ive seen this movie before…

Was day of the departed on netflix for a while????

Lloyd: I dont get why you get have the Sonic Radar Jet 😒

Jay: Uh, Duh, bc I called dibs 🙄

Bfjsnfjdnsn

Jay: Right Cole?

Jay:… Cole?

Cole: (freaking out and unable to control his car)

Damn, they did rlly good with that beginning. Making it seem lighthearted and then subtly panning to Cole who’s panicking bc he cant get ahold of his car

Awww so day of the departed is like a mix of Halloween and dia de los muertos

Museum exhibit guy: Its spooky time! BOOGLY BOOGLY!

!?!?????!?! im sorry 😭?

That was just so random

…

Why cant they see Cole.

I dont like this WHY CANT THEY SEE COLE.

They dont realize Coles not with them :(

How is that even possible

Were their memories wiped????

Like what?????

Lloyd and misako lit a lantern for Garmadon 🥺

Kai and Nya for their parents 🥹

ZANE MADE AN ICE STATUE FOR HIS DAD?!?!?

Im am just NOW realizing how many people who are close to the ninja have died

“stay close with the people we are still fortunate to have”: (pans to Jay having the best time with his loving parents)

Except Jay. Jay hasn’t had the trauma of someone permanently die on him.

Okay so everyone forgot about Cole except his father. How does that even work.

Coles dad and his singing group are actually pretty good-

Dareth: Kids… always disappoint you. Thats why I dont have any! And because Gayle keeps turning down my marriage proposals….

HFHDJFBJDBF

its canon that Jay and Dareth both know how to do makeup. Dareth and Jay ALSO both have a similar sense of showmanship.

Which means Jay and Dareth are uncle and nephew besties who bond over their shared interests of performances.

Its canon bc i said so.

RONIN?!?? What are you doing here 💀

Honestly, I was gonna be like “Cole. Dude. Chill.” But if I was a ghost I would also go batshit murder crazy if I caught eye of the person who TURNED me into a ghost

….

Why is Yangs temple floating.

1. Didnt it fall from the sky and back to the ground after Nadakhans power was weakened?

2. THE SKYBOUND TIMELINE WAS ERASED. Shouldnt it be BACK WHERE IT WAS.

Why were the villains souls in a vase in Yangs temple

I cant get over the fact that these villains souls just possessed these plastic statues of themselves.

Like, my guys, you don’t have organs.

MORROS BACK BABY

Cant believe these goofy ass goons traumatized the ninja in some shape or form

The departed realm…

Okay. So the cursed realm DIED right, it no longer exists. So did the departed realm replace it?

Pythor?!??!?!

Pythor:… chen…

Chen: Pythor. 🙄💅

Lmaaoo Chen and Pythor having beef is hilarious

JFNDJFNDJDNJFNS The two villains fighting over who gets to kill Zane 😭😭😭

Nindroid: Hes MY clone!

Pythor: technically your his clone

Chen: The blacksmit brats are mine

Pythor: How come you get two?!?!?!

Yangs painting looks so silly being animated 💀

What does Chen have against nya?

Oh wait is it because she disguised herself as one of his lady clowns?

Morro. My man. Didnt you like, redeem yourself by giving Wu the crystal instead of letting him save you? I mean yeah it was a shitty redemption but shouldn’t you be a little nicer?????

Its funny how none of the villains have deep beef with Jay. Theyre like, “uhhhhh, theres one ninja and two of us, lets rock papers scissors for him?”

Wait none of the villains called Cole either-

Is Cole THAT forgettable 😭

Okay headcannon time: Cole never liked fame which is kind of shown after Zanes death. He doesnt like to be recognized. I headcannon that as the ninja got famous and Jay + Nyas relationship became wide spread news, everyone just, FORGOT about Cole. Like no one gave a fuck about him, and thats kinda his own fault too by not going to interviews or putting him out there other than to do his job. He probably just went invisible anytime the paparazzi came close.

Cant believe they remembered Dareth and not COLE.

Yangs backstory lets gooooo

Yang: ah yes, time to conjure this spell of immortality with the ancient precious Yin weapon. (Starts viciously swinging it like hes attacking invisible demons)

Cole: my friends will come for me!

Dude your friends forgot about you. Im genuinely sorry but i dont think theyre coming ☹️

That feeling when you have to fight your girlfriends abusive dad whos supposed to be dead

that ones for the Kai x Skylor shippers AND the Nya x Skylor shippers

NO. YOU MOTHER FUCKERS. THEY DESTROYED THE STATUE ZANE MADE FOR HIS DAD

Nindroid: Oh Im sorry! Did I hurt your dad? Or should I say OUR dad?

Fuck you.

I hate when Ed and Edna get attacked they dont deserve this :(

Why cant pythor just leave Lloyd the fuck alone 😭😭😭

Wu: the eclipse is an omen, but is it one of good? Or bad?

Morro (sneaking up behind him and whispering): Bad. Very bad…

Cole: Why did I use the Yin blade and release the ghosts!

Yang: Well, you were scared you were departing, so I used your fragile mental state- oh wait, you weren’t asking literally were you.

Why do the ninja never use their powers when they need to.

Why are there so many plot-holes in this movie.

Cole: So I uh, didn’t get your name!

Yangs student:…

Cole: Okay, lets call you Chuck. Chuck! Ik you think your yangs student, but you can help me and we can escape together!!!

Yangs student:…

Cole: Okay… no pressure! But you have 3 seconds to decide.

Cole: 1… 2…. 3. (Knocks them tf out)

Cole: Guess im doing this solo.

Jfndjfndjdnt coles great I love him sm

FINALLY SOMEONE USES THEIR ELEMENTAL POWERS.

Good job Jay for actually having some sense for once

Jay: what do you want with my parents!

Skeleton samukai: its not your parents I want! Its you!

Jay: 😶

Im in love with the person who animated Jay in this scene. Having Jay hop back and forth between his two feet like hes ready to fight and then having him fumble with his nunchucks is just, 👌

Thank you for your service random animator.

Why is Coles dads singing group holding replicas of Garmadons evil helmet 💀

COLE JUST STOPPED A SWORD WITH HIS FUCKING THIGHS.

WTF

Morro: No you dont understand! Im not here to fight you. Im here to warn you….

Ohhhh so this is Morros true redemption

Hes gonna die again isnt he…

Okay, so Yang did make all of them forget Cole.

Cole (fighting all of Yangs students): You guys are more tiresome than Jay!

HFNSJBFNSN

Why do the ninja always bash Jay just out of nowhere 😭

Skeleton samukai: If its worth anything. This isnt personal.

Jay: It kinda feels like it is 😀

RONIN?!?

Ronin: yeah… I came to help… definitely didnt think your parents would be at the concert so I could steal some free scrap metal….

Dude. My man. You could quite literally just ASK. Ed and Edna are so nice theyd probably give you free scrap metal and some tea while theyre at it.

I forgot Pixal was still in Zanes brain-

Uncharacteristically, Lloyds fight with Pythor is the most boring fight in this movie.

NOOOOOW THEY ALL USE THEIR ELEMENTAL POWERS.

Pythor: No… just time for a spectacular exit! (Falls of the cliff and crashes through the fucking floor)

Ronin: Happy day of the departed guys! And uh, thanks for the scraps…

Ed: All you had to do was ask 😌

SEE.

Museum guy: My museum!!! What have you done!!!!

Dareth (holding the helmet that controls the stone warriors): Hehe! sorry…

Cole (after knocking out Yangs student, absolutely exhausted, and sounding legitimately sorry and pained): Dont make me hurt you too… ☹️

Last of yangs students: …. (Skedadles)

Morro: Yang tricked Cole into opening a rift to return to ninjago…

Jay: Coooole! Howd he trick you!

Zane: Jay, Cole isnt here 🤨

Jay: Are you sure? Hes been fading a lot lately. Hes easy to miss.

The ninja: WE FORGOT COLE!!!?!!

Yeah. Dipshits. Now its time to save him. AND APOLOGIZE.

Morro returned his plastic statue body to the museum 🥺

He finished what he sought out to do 🥲

Yang: What are you even fighting for. Your friends have abandoned you! You are all alone.

Damn.

Cole probably has abandonment issues doesn’t he…

His mom, then his friends…

Im getting all emotional I need some good Cole hurt/comfort fanfic recs right this instant😭

HES FADING NO

STOP HIS SIGH SOUNDED SO WEAK AND DEFEATED

COOOLE 😭😭😭

COLES LAVA HAND POWERS HELL YEAH!!!!

Yangs pupils actually look so cool. I wanna draw them.

His pupils are alive again 🥹

Yang: My students, are leaving me… I … failed….

Cole: Yeah. Ya did.

Yang: I always fail…

Cole: Yeah, Ya- wait what?

Cole: (having an emotional talk with Yang about how he’ll never be forgotten and that he knows how it feels to be independent and alone.)

Jay: COLE. WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK ARE YOU DOING THE RIFT IS CLOSING GODDAMMIT.

The curse stating that someone has to stay behind and be the ghost of the temple is so stupid.

Au where Morro snuck into the rift and became human again.

God that would have been such a good excuse to have him back as a permanent character

I hate that they didnt do that

Lloyd: Wheres Cole!?!? Did he make it?

Jay: Oh no…

Jay: Its too late. He’s gone forever.

Jay: Id give anything to have him back… (Wipes a tear away)

Cole: Anything?…

Jay (with his eyes closed): Anything.

Cole (jumping out from behind a rock): Even the Sonic Radar Jet? :D

Everyone: COLE!!!!

I love them sm

THEY DID A TIMESKIP!!!

Cole: So was I right or was I right!

Jay: Goddammit Cole are you gonna tell this story every Day of the Departed 🙄

That was a sweet note to leave it on :)

Headcannon that Cole goes to visit Yang and his temple all the time

My only complaint is Morro not slipping through the rift and becoming human again.

[piperchu]

DotD rewrite Episode 1: Day of the Departed

It’s here! There are a few minor tweaks in this one, like dialogue changes, plus Yang isn’t evil. Go ahead and read!

Episode 1

Day of the Departed

The sun shone hot down on the pink dunes of the Sea of Sand. The sky was turning shades of pink and purple. The rocks in the desert cast long shadows across the ground. Sunset was fast approaching.

Suddenly there was a rumbling sound somewhere in the distance. The rumble turned into a roar, and a large motorcycle tore across the ground. The Raider Bike’s driver was a young man dressed in a ninja gi. “Move, move, move! We’re running out of time! Pick up the pace!” Kai yelled into his radio.

Another large vehicle, the Rock Roader appeared behind it. “Kai’s right, we’re already cutting it close!”

Two more vehicles appeared. “Roger that, Cole!” Nya said from the second Raider Bike. “Zane, do you have a read?”

“It may be too late,” Zane replied from the Titanium Ninja Tumbler, “unless we break all speed limits! Increase velocity!”

“Already on it,” PIXAL confirmed. Another vehicle suddenly appeared out of the dust, Lloyd at the driver’s seat.

“Ninja, I’ve reached the rendezvous point. Where are you?” Wu asked from the screens on the vehicle’s dashboard.

“The museum is still five clicks away!” Lloyd answered in his Ultra Stealth Raider Bike. “We’re on our way.”

Suddenly a small craft caught up to them up in the air. “Look up, kids! Jay to save the day! Race you there, Lloyd!” Jay called from the cockpit.

“I still don’t understand how you got the Super Sonic Raider Jet,” Lloyd said, shaking his head.

“Uh, ‘cause I called dibs! Guy who calls dibs first gets it! Right Cole?” No answer. “Right Cole? Cole?” Still nothing. A sudden realization hit Jay. “Lemme go get him! He’s drifting off again!”

Cole looked at his hands. They were fading again. Not another one of these episodes! “No. No! Come back! Come-” he pleaded.

Jay was heading back, only to see Cole’s tread assault hurtling through the air straight for him. “Cole! Look out!” He cried. Jay took a quick dive and only just missed it.

Cole regained control finally. “S-sorry Jay,” he apologized.

Jay sighed. “I know you’re a ghost, but I’m still in the living world, and I’d kinda like to keep it that way!”

“Ninja! Time is of the essence!” Wu exclaimed.

“He’s right!” Cole said. “Engage!”

“We have one last shot if we want to make it. Combine for maximum impact!” Lloyd commanded.

The vehicles began to converge and combine. “Locked!” Kai confirmed.

“Loaded!” Nya added.

“And, jet speed reporting for duty, sir!” Jay piped. He lowered the jet and latched onto the combination. Cole and Zane also put their vehicles in place.

“Fire all engines!” Lloyd directed, and they all zoomed off.

The Ninja sped toward the city, tore down the streets and finally skidded to a stop at the Ninjago City Museum. They jumped out of their vehicles and rushed over to Sensei Wu, who was standing on the front steps of the museum. “Sensei Wu!” Jay panted. “Are we too late?”

Wu looked up at the sky where the moon shone bright green. “There may yet be time,” he answered.

The ninja raced up the steps. “NINJA-GO!” they shouted, and Spinjitzued inside, Misako and Wu closely following.

Moments later, the Ninja walked out of the gift shop, carrying orange lanterns and now feeling much more relaxed. “Haha! Mission accomplished!” Jay laughed.

“Good thing we got to the gift shop before it closed!” Lloyd remarked.

“Yes,” Zane agreed. “A Day of the Departed celebration is incomplete without a Day of the Departed lantern.”

“I don’t know about you all, but this has got to be one of my favorite holidays! There’s lights, there’s costumes, but the best part is the candy!” Jay exclaimed. He turned to a kid with a pilot’s helmet on. “Go long, kid!” The boy’s eyes widened in terror, and he ran to the front of the group. “Hey, what was that?!”

Lloyd put his elbow on Jay’s shoulder. “Jay, take it from me,” he began, almost as if he were a wise old man teaching him a valuable lesson. It was so dramatic it was comical. “Candy is a child’s greatest treasure. No kid is going to be willing to give up that sweet, sugary goodness for free.”

“Yes, enjoy the fun and festivities,” Wu encouraged, “but never lose sight of the true meaning of the Day of the Departed. Today is about remembrance. We light lanterns to remember our ancestors… and to settle our debts.”

“Yeah, got it, got it.” Jay babbled. “Lanterns, ancestors, debts, but candy too, right?”

Suddenly a voice that sounded like it had a slight cold came up behind them. “The Ninja! The Master Wu!” The speaker was a man in a red suit with glasses and a very long grey mustache.

“Dr. Saunders,” Wu acknowledged.

“Oh, please, we are all friends, ah, you must call me by my first name, yes, Sander, yes?”

Kai snorted softly. He leaned over to his sister. “Dr. Sander Saunders?” he whispered into her ear.

Unfortunately, Dr. Saunders heard it, but didn’t seem to take offense. “At your service!” he laughed cheerily. “I am so pleased to be seeing you at this now. We are opening our new exhibit. Come! You see! Come!” He led them over to a set of double doors. Opening them, he announced, “Might I be presenting… the Hall of Villainy!” Everyone gasped. All the mannequins looked very realistic. He pointed to each one and introduced them. “Cryptor!”

“Very realistic,” Zane observed.

“Kozu!”

“Uncanny!” Lloyd remarked.

“Chen!”

“Oh, don’t remind me,” Nya groaned.

“Samukai!”

“...Is he looking at me?” Jay asked nervously.

“Maybe from the past,” Wu reassured him.

“And Morro!” Dr. Saunders finished. “Checking this out! We don’t just open on Day of Departed. It’s Day of Departed lunar eclipse! A special eclipse!”

“The rarest Yin Yang eclipse,” Wu informed, looking at the moon chart Dr. Saunders was pointing out. “Unlike most eclipses, it lasts for two weeks instead of one night.”

“Ah, poetic, is it not? Scary holiday, scary exhibit, scary moon, there is magic in the air… BOOGLY BOOGLY!” None of the ninja were impressed by Dr. Saunders’ attempt at spooking them. However, the exhibit was a different story.

“It’s… every villain we’ve ever faced,” Kai breathed.

Cole walked toward a specimen that caught his eye. “Not every villain….” he corrected more to himself than to Kai. He was facing a weapon encased in glass underneath a painting of a familiar face.

“No, there are many more to unpack,” Dr. Saunders continued. “Overlord, Golden Master, all the ones who tried to destroy you. Exciting!”

“Uhh, yeah, e-exciting…” Jay agreed nervously.

Cole walked nearer to the weapon and painting. He began to read the description. “‘Although known to some as the Master Without A Student, Honakuna Yang will be remembered by most as the creator of airjitzu, the most powerful martial art in history.’ Huh, actually, I remember Yang as the guy who turned me into a ghost.” Then he called behind him, “Hey, uh, Dr. Saunders, what’s the story on this thing?” He put his hand through the glass. “Hello? Dr. Saunders? Anyone?” No one answered.

“Hey, what’s that?” Nya rushed over to the case.

“Ah, you have a good eye, Nya!” Dr. Saunders complimented.

“Wha- her?! I’m the one who spotted-” Cole stopped. No one seemed to hear him. In fact… “Hey! Watch it! You guys are walking right through me!”

“The Yin Blade belonged to Master Yang, eh, it is said to possess much dark magic...”

Cole came to a realization. “They don’t hear me… or see me… it’s like I don’t exist anymore… And it’s all your fault!” He finished by yelling at the painting.

“Cole… come… come to me….” said a voice.

“Uhh, tell me you heard that?” he asked Jay. Jay didn’t notice.

“Come Cole….”

Dr. Saunders was still talking. “...which is why it is in this case made of clearstone, the hardest substance known to human, impenetrable by any living being…”

“...Cole…” The painting called.

“Yang…” Cole responded softly.

“...Close the circle…”

“Close the circle?”

“...Close the circle…”

“Close the circle…” Cole shook his head. Then he realized he was alone. He walked over to the window. To his horror, he saw his friends outside, saying goodbye to Dr. Saunders.

“Thank you so much for such an informative tour, Dr. Saunders,” Wu said. They shook hands. Then Wu turned to the Ninja. “Ninja, tonight is the first night of the eclipse. At midnight we will return here for the concert. But first, we must go forth and honor those we have lost… those who have departed. We honor our ancestors because if we never look to the past, we cannot envision the future. On the Day of the Departed, we pause to remember those we have lost, and enjoy our time with those we are still fortunate to have.”

Reality came crashing down on Cole. “They don’t realize I’m gone… maybe… I’m departed….” As he stood there in the window, watching them go, his sadness turned to anger at a certain someone. Yang was at fault. It was all his fault. And Cole wasn’t about to sit here while none of his friends could see or hear him. Cole had never wanted pure revenge on anyone before. It wasn’t the way of the Ninja. But I’m not a ninja. I’m a ghost. Cole’s fists balled up. He turned to leave. He didn’t care about what anyone said; he had a debt to settle.

Back in the Sea of Sand, the other ninja rode away. “See you soon!” Kai shouted to everyone over the noise of the engines.

“Happy Day of the Departed, everyone!” Nya waved. With that, everyone left for their various destinations.

In the Corridor of Elders, Lloyd and Misako lit a floating lantern. After making sure it had enough hot air in it to let go, Lloyd released it. Slowly it rose up into the sky. As it passed Garmadon’s stone statue, it cast its warm glow across his face.

Back in Ignacia, Nya held up a lantern in front of Kai. He lit up his hand and used it to light the lantern with a warm red glow. Nya placed the lantern on the table under a picture of their parents, the masters of water and fire.

In the Birchwood Forest, Zane walked toward the ice statue of his father. He placed a lantern in his open hand, and stepped back for a moment of reflection. This was his creator. He touched the snowy floor with his shurikens, and the ice power traveled across the ground and encased the statue with a fresh layer of ice.

Back in the junkyard, Jay sat on a bench outside the trailer where he grew up. They were looking at photos of Jay just after his parents found him on the porch. “Aww…” Edna cooed. “That’s when I gave you your first teddy bear.”

“Well, yeah, that thing was your best friend,” Ed agreed. “You took it everywhere.”

Jay laughed at a picture of him refusing to eat peas and carrots baby food. “I never really liked vegetables, did I?” he chuckled.

“We still loved you, Jay,” Edna said, her head on Jay’s shoulder.

At the mountain on which sat the remains of the old monastery, Wu made tea next to a picture of his father. “I raise this cup of Remembrance Tea to you father,” he said, holding up the tea cup. “We never forget.”

It was only a few minutes until showtime, and backstage, Lou was beginning to worry. Where was his son? “Cole, Cole where are you? You were going to light a lantern with me before the show!” he lamented. Lou’s quartet slid in.

“He still not here, Lou?” Gary asked. “C’mon, put a few notes to it! It’ll make you feel better! Bum bum bum bummmmm! Gave you your voice… gave you your soul… gave you your heart, now my heart is goooone…”

The others joined in. “To pieces!”

“Pieces!”

“Pieces!”

“Pieces!”

“Ooo la la la la la oo la la la la la!”

“Ooooooooooooooooooooo!”

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

Just then Dareth entered. “Hey, guys?” he said, trying to get the four performers’ attention. But they seemed entirely absorbed in their art. “Hey! Guys, listen!” Still no answer. “Guys. Guys! GUYS! STOP IT!” Finally they finished. “Ah, kids! Always letting you down! That’s why I don’t have ‘em. Not because Gail keeps turning down my marriage proposals even though I’m an excellent provider.” He cleared his throat. “Anyway! It’s a good thing your manager is here to help you focus on the important things!”

“What’s more important than family?” Lou asked crossly.

“A paying gig for a festival audience! Have a good show, boys.”

Dareth raced onstage. “Hello Ninjago!”

Lou sighed. What could have happened to Cole?

Cole drove through the desert in his Raider. He had to do this. He drove for what seemed like hours. Dry desert turned to fluffy snow, fluffy snow turned to grassy plains. Finally the visibility dropped, for fog was closing in. He’d have to go the rest of the way on foot. Cole exited the Raider and walked through creepy, skeletal trees until he finally found it. Yang’s temple.

Cole burst through the door. “Alright, Yang! Show yourself!” he shouted into the empty entrance hall. He walked further in. “You hear me? Show yourself!”

“Cole,” a deep voice suddenly said. Cole looked to the right and saw Yang emerging from behind the staircase. “You received my message. I have something important to speak with you about.”

“Really? Well I’ve got a message for you. It’s direct from the business end of your own weapon!” He pulled out the Yin Blade from behind him and pointed it at Yang.

Yang gasped. “The Yin blade! But, how? It’s encased in solid clearstone! That case is impenetrable-”

“Not to a ghost. Which thanks to you, I still am!” Cole didn’t care if he was sounding scary even to himself. Yang was going to pay.

“W-what are you going to do?”

“There’s magic in the air. You know, eclipse and all?”

“Please, where is your holiday spirit? It’s the Day of the Departed.”

“Uh-huh. And I’m settling my debt!” Cole let out a vengeful cry and leapt toward Yang, blade in hand. But Yang jumped out of the way, and the blade hit a large vase instead.

“You foolish boy!”

“What?” Cole asked. Suddenly the vase began to let out an eerie glow.

“You’ve broken the seal on the Vase of Wicked Souls Past!” Yang yelled as the light from the eclipse shone a beam down on the broken vase. A sickly green gas started to swirl around inside of it.

“Woah! What’s happening?!”

“The consequences of your rash behavior!” Yang responded angrily. Streams of green smoke began to escape from the vase. They slithered out of the temple doors and into the surrounding woods. Quickly they made their way across the land and toward Ninjago City. They weaved through the streets and snaked into the Ninjago City Museum. As they went, the lanterns they passed turned green. The smoke soon made its way into the Hall of Villainy exhibit. Each strand of smoke began to circle one of the villains. At first nothing happened.

Then they all blinked.

[mrjohnangulo]

Nova Eroica California 2019

Photo: Paolo Penni Martelli

  Now I’m a mother, I’m trying to decrease the amount of time I spend travelling, or more accurately,  minimise the length of trips that I go on. I’m fortunate in that I have an understanding husband who races bikes himself, but nonetheless, I don’t want to spend more time away than I do in Devon – I love my life here and my little girl.

Saying that, an invite to ride Nova Eroica in California was one I just couldn’t turn down; I’ve always been a big fan of the west coast of America and I’m feeling an ever increasing draw towards gravel racing.

    Saying yes to the trip, a week long adventure that would include bikepacking, Nova Eroica itself and vintage ride Eroica California meant I had to wave goodbye to any idea of racing Mission Crit  as two visits to the US in one month were out of the question. But honestly, deciding whether to do a 40-minute crit in San Francisco or several days of bikepacking and not one, but two gravel events didn’t take much time.

The bikepacking trip I’ll get around to writing about – it’s kind of a daunting prospect given how epic it was. I have so many ideas for articles to share with you guys but no time to write them. But anyway, back to the topic at hand – Nova.

  Photo: John Prolly/ The Radavist

  Nova Eroica grew from the original Eroica event in Tuscany, a day-long, fun filled but challenging ride that makes use of the area’s numerous strada bianche (gravel roads), linking multiple fun tracks together with fast rolling tarmac segments. The original event is done on vintage bikes but some clever person had the idea that it would be fun to ride the course on modern gravel bikes too, so Nova Eroica was born. It’s become very successful in its own right, partly due to an increase in people riding gravel but also because the Eroica guys and girls know how to put on a good event and only ever do the rides in exceptionally pretty places.

The base for Cali’s Nova was Cambria, a cute little beach town between San Francisco and Los Angeles with clapper-boarded stores along its kind of arty high street. When I first arrived it seemed so California that I questioned whether it was a real town or the kind of place that only exists to serve tourists. It was almost a pastiche. But this gentle place with its health food store, ice-cream shops, antiques stores and cafes was indeed reality for some lucky people.

    We were staying in a large house away from the town centre but fairly close to the beach so stocked up on groceries at the frighteningly expensive organic store the night before. I’m not a crazy fussy eater but I do like to have granola/oatmeal yoghurt and eggs before I do a long ride; it really helps me out if I fuel properly as I seem to burn through food stupidly quickly. You should see how much I eat.

Down at the event village we attached number and whatnot. I was part of a party of riders that included Sami Sauri, Gus Morten, Bike Snob aka Ebem, Brad Hammonds from Far Ride, Chas of Mash fame and frame builders Mattias (Legor Cicli) and Matty (Crust Bikes) so we hatched a vague plan to take it easy and enjoy the food and wine we’d been promised at the checkpoints. But as soon as we started, several of us got rather overexcited and began racing, legs be damned!

As an excitable bike racer myself, I couldn’t resist going with the front group and blasting straight up the hill out of Cambria. Heading towards Morro Bay, I clung on for dear life riding way above threshold, meaning a far higher power output than I can sustain for a long period of time. It was great fun but I realised after a while that I didn’t want the day to go by in a blur of torturous pain; doing well is in itself fun but this wasn’t really a race I had any chance at winning anyway. I’d seen pro racer Alison Tetrick looking at me in the lead peloton, almost as though she was sizing me up but she really needn’t have worried.

    The route was a little over 125km long with about 2000m of climbing. After the coast road we headed inland, straight up a hill that gave incredible views of the ocean and a first glimpse of what was to come – sun-kissed roads snaking their way through rolling hills. Following Santa Rita road’s undulations, before long the asphalt ran out and we enjoyed a solid ten mile segment of gravel.

After a fast highway segment (and a rest stop) we hit the first tough gravel climb – Kiler canyon – where we slowly passed a bemused looking local family who’d dragged chairs out of their home to watch us. It was hot and extremely tough, and with several days bikepacking in my legs (and jet lag) I found it really hard going but at the top, all was forgiven.

The next segment was on tarmac but none the worse for it – the road took us past picket fences, majestic looking horses and vineyards offering tasting menus. It was clearly a prosperous part of the area; even the grass looked rich. My legs didn’t like it as much as my eyes did – I tried to go hard up each small rise (and managed it) but it hurt.

    After our food stop it was on to Klau Mine road and more dirt then we followed a river through Cypress Mountain Drive. The gravel was hard packed and easy to ride making a ‘gravel bike’ barely necessary though I certainly enjoyed the comfort of the Specialized Diverge I was riding. Unbeknownst to me, there was still a very hard climb to come, Cypress Mountain Drive which felt like the  the hardest of the day, though that may have been as I was tired. The view from the top made it worth it though – luscious plump green hills as far as the eye could see.

The gravel descent that followed hugged the hillsides curves and I grinned by way down, trying not to get too overexcited as the Diverge actually has the brakes the wrong way round (for me). We popped out onto a tarmac road draped over yet more ridiculously perfect green hills, continuing our epic descent further, spirits sky high.

The final segment down Santa Rosa creek road was amongst my favourites – bucolic farmland with hills rising either side. Rarely straight, the road was superbly fun to ride, was traffic-free and just ridiculously scenic. Add in the fact we knew beer would soon be hours and our moods elavated yet further!

All in all, Nov dished up one of the best rides I’ve ever been on. If you’d like to see more, check out my video:

    What other gravel events and rides should I try to do? Got any recommendations?    

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