[HAMR] Tarzan (Kurt Searvogel)

[Greenbank]

As CF succinctly argues in his book, there's no way that anyone can recreate the 1939 environment (roads, weather, etc) that Tommy set his record in, so why bother claim that it is unfair to challenge it in 2015 with 2015 technology? The same can be argued about Godwin's 1939 record as he (Godwin in 1939) had many benefits that weren't available to the previous holders of the record.

[jsabine]

TBH the very nature and title of the article offends me. Why does one need to put forward their opinion on why Kurt's record should be respected?

Well, fairly obviously, because it fills a column, but I think it's a legitimate question in any case.

Granted, I think it's got a fairly simple answer ...

(click to show/hide)

i) Because it's the new record, and he's still working on it
ii) Because it's fucking magnificent

[Ningishzidda]

1% of the population give him big congratulations. 0.5% complain he’s cheated somehow. 98.5% done care.

[Clemo]

The article is a classic case of never read the bottom half of the internet.

There are some very sad, bitter folk out there.

+1 couldnt agree more 

[red marley]

In this case I think it is one of not reading the top half of the internet too. Kurt and Alicia's achievement and dedication should rightly be celebrated, but responding to a succession of straw men in the form of trolling armchair experts is unnecessary. Take any theme you like and it will be "questioned on social media". There will be Adam Days wherever you look, but there are not many of them and the volume of their shouting is way higher than the respect their positions deserve.

[Ham]

I've been looking around at the news coverage for Kurt (basically Google news search) and it is interesting to note that apart from the US media (mostly local) and the cycling press, it is Germany that has most stories on him.

My fave headline - https://www.ruhrnachrichten.de/blogs/sport/Kurt-Searvogel-ein-Hamster-auf-zwei-Raedern;art145863,2914421 "Kurt Searvogel - A hamster on two wheels"

[orraloon]

Reading the comments to that article. There really are some sad, mean spirited bastards on the Internet.

To quote Bradley Wiggins TdF press conference 8/7/12... Ach you know the one I mean.

[Citizenfish]

In my view the tragedy of the Year Record has always been the lack of recognition and reward for its endeavours. Without exception this happened to all riders throughout history and I sincerely hope the trend stops right here.

[Clemo]

In my view the tragedy of the Year Record has always been the lack of recognition and reward for its endeavours. Without exception this happened to all riders throughout history and I sincerely hope the trend stops right here.

I think you are spot on there 

[MikeH]

200095 Views 

[Hummers]

The article is a classic case of never read the bottom half of the internet.

There are some very sad, bitter folk out there.

Indeed there are.

H

[L CC]

My 'Steve-Bias' was such at the start that I didn't think Kurt could do it. I thought he was a racer with no concept of the day-in day-out slog required.

He's grown on me. How can anyone not be impressed by what they've achieved?

[Exit Stage Left]

My 'Steve-Bias' was such at the start that I didn't think Kurt could do it. I thought he was a racer with no concept of the day-in day-out slog required.

He's grown on me. How can anyone not be impressed by what they've achieved?

'Dog in the Manger' comes to mind. A begrudging envy born of shortcomings. Kurt's got a a lot going for him, a business, enough time and money to take this on, his own hair, the love of a good woman.... The 'haters' want to use Tommy as a shield between their own self-loathing and those actually having a go. The actual meaning of 'Dog in the Manger' is interesting.

All these authors follow Steinhöwel in interpreting the fable as an example of envy, but later on the dog's behaviour is seen as malicious, a reading made very clear in Roger L'Estrange's pithy version: 'A churlish envious Cur was gotten into a manger, and there lay growling and snarling to keep the Provender. The Dog eat none himself, and yet rather ventur’d the starving his own Carcase than he would suffer any Thing to be the better for’t. THE MORAL. Envy pretends to no other Happiness than what it derives from the Misery of other People, and will rather eat nothing itself than not to starve those that would.'[9] Samuel Croxall echoes L'Estrange's observation in Fables of Aesop and Others (1722). 'The stronger the passion is, the greater torment he endures; and subjects himself to a continual real pain, by only wishing ill to others.'[10] It is with this understanding that the idiom of 'a dog in a manger' is most often used currently. However, a recent study has noted that it seems to be falling out of use, in America at least, concluding that 'the majority of [respondents] do not know it or even recall ever having heard it'.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dog_in_the_Manger

Moral tales are unfashionable, they're 'judgemental', in an age when self expression is paramount.

[simonp]

I said Kurt should save the beers until after 365 days are up. It does look like he's switched off a bit now that it's in the bag. "Only" 160-odd miles yesterday.

[Mr Larrington]

Should this board be renamed "2016 Kurt Searvogel Record Attempt"?

[simonp]

Today Tarzan has done 91 miles in around 4h30 according to the tracker. That's quite impressive at this stage.

[citoyen]

I said Kurt should save the beers until after 365 days are up. It does look like he's switched off a bit now that it's in the bag. "Only" 160-odd miles yesterday.

Someone commented earlier that he'll need to wind down rather than totally stop riding. Maybe he's already started the winding down process?

Can't begin to imagine how he's feeling right now, but he must have mixed emotions at the prospect of getting out of bed and going out on the bike when he wakes up in the morning.

[Jacamo]

I said Kurt should save the beers until after 365 days are up. It does look like he's switched off a bit now that it's in the bag. "Only" 160-odd miles yesterday.

Can't begin to imagine how he's feeling right now, but he must have mixed emotions at the prospect of getting out of bed and going out on the bike when he wakes up in the morning.

I'm sure that Bruce Berkeley's strong start provides him with a little extra motivation.

[toontra]

There's something satisfying about the symmetry of Kurt's south-north-south routing.  He's back riding the Keys today - last time he was here was 10 months ago.  One can only imagine what thoughts he had in those early days, and how different things must feel now riding those same roads.  It must seem a lifetime away.

[Ivo]

I wonder if he would pop over in this thread after he finished his year. That would certainly be interesting.

[Von Broad]

I wonder if he would pop over in this thread after he finished his year. That would certainly be interesting.

This thread? Are you kidding? It's 128 pages in duration......that's a moving average of about a page every three days  to get the record.
I'm not sure he could cover that amount of ground that quickly if he was really paying attention to the nuances of the traffic on the road.

[Wowbagger]

He'd be better off coming over here to see us and go for a ride. Probably take less time.

[clarion]

That is planned.

[Martin]

That is planned.

I hope so! he should be on the cover of Feb's Arrivee (doing his last 300k to seal the record)

[canny colin]

I hope so! he should be on the cover of Feb's Arrivee (doing his last 300k to seal the record)
 Quote > martin
And riding along side Alicia. Congratulations to you both  a wonderfull Achievement .