The Adventure Dispatch: Ultra Romance

compose Logan Watts
time May 24, 2016
comment 6

Deep in the remote wild of New England lies an enigmatic figure, with piercing eyes like the Night’s King, to which many names are attributed. Boltar Benedict, Poppi, Juan Cool Romance, Turbo Romance—it’s all really beside the point, as it’s his message that’s truly important. It’s a tale told through unbridled, unpretentious adventure. No, he doesn’t ride for Insta-likes, he’s spearheading a movement of living simply and getting out in nature. And even if you’re not daring enough to tromp through the bush to find him, you’re still invited along for the ride.

A lot to do with my lifelong fascination with cycling is just how perfect the bicycle is. It’s so simple, so elegant, so brilliant… it’s probably one of the only things we’ve invented that can help humankind…” – Poppi

Oh, and here’s a few words on the subject from Kuuhl himself, unedited… Poppi likes lowercase letters:

when mike sinyard snap chatted me and was like “poppi, come to hollywood. were making movies now!” i was on the next concorde to LAX. after dumping the excess fuel into the L.A. river, we landed, and i was greeted by a handsome HOLLYWOOD documentary crew, an excelsior blue Chrysler sebring convertible, and back seat full of unopened White Zinfandel boxes. we then set up the New England backwoods set, and began filming with my stunt double in the tanning booth.

all jokes other than the handsome crew and the Chrysler full of White Zinfandel aside, we set out to the New England forests on a route i had made through the connecticut river valley, deep into the green mountain national forest. the entire valley, from shoreline connecticut up to it’s origin on the canadian border, is overflowing with a spider web of olde carriage roads forgotten by time, but not google maps. this is my home if i were to have to call a place home, and also my favorite place to ride a bike. so naturally i was thrilled to have a huge HOLLYWOOD company like Specialized highlight this quiet corner of the country.

if you were to plan a trip in the valley i would recommend taking the amtrak up from new haven via NYC or DC. the line that runs north is called “the vermonter”, and for $10 extra, you can just roll yer bike right on. this line takes you through the best of the best new england has to offer. just get off in one of the small picturesque villages, hit the local coop, drink sum maple syrup, and point yer wheels towards the endless maze of manicured dirt roads that meander through dense hardwood forests and centuries olde farmsteads. if quaint isnt yer thing, then im sure there’s a triathlon or tuff mudder going on up at lake champlain outside burlington.

A final note from Specialized: We tried, tried, and tried again, but helmets kept melting when placed upon Bene’s head. He’s just too damn hot. That said, we strongly recommend the use of a helmet whilst riding your bicycle.

We’ve had a blast with this series, and have enjoyed showcasing adventure riding through its many unique faces, life experiences, and personal philosophies. No matter who you ride with, where you’re going, or what your goals are, we’re stoked to see you on a bicycle and will support you along the way.

For more Ultra Romance, follow his always entertaining Instagram feed; to read his thoughts on the Rivendell Atlantis, click here; for more on Benedict’s backstory, check this article in Bicycling Magazine.