Earth Wind and Fire.  I am starting to wonder why the band didn’t include water in their handle?

Seems to be the predominate natural element as of late. No matter, we will not be riding on Labor Day, but hopefully dryly Drafting in September.

Hey hey hey
Ba de ya, say do you remember
Ba de ya, drafting in September

My wheel is with you
Holding pace with your bike to see you
Only trash talk and love
Remember how we knew drafting was here to stay

We are losing daylight fast.  The AC/DC Back in Black ride last week pushed the limits of visibility for all 17 Drafters, but particularly BrickO, who came in behind Caboose and his newbie friend, S-Cat.  You might imagine that S is short for Scaredy since he came late and left early, avoiding detection from anyone other than Caboose. Or maybe S is for Smart as he successfully avoided our slipstream bantering. Hard to say, but I hope he returns to Draft another day.  No doubt you are wondering why I was the Lantern Rouge on Monday night?  Well, maybe that isn’t a mystery that needs solving.  But, I will say that my new gravel bike, “Jessie“, a wedding gift from Z Rex wan’t to blame. (Who wants diamonds when you can have gravel? And with enough compression and shifting of my tectonic plates, it’s bound to form a diamond eventually) Jessie took inventory of the other gravel bike, ride by B2 Bomber, and went directly to the back of the line.

Exiting to the back of the paceline may have been a bit premature (which implies it was premeditated and therefore under my control- none of which are true), as Bomber was a bit beat up from his Race the Lake excursion the previous day.  The lead peloton took a horrific crash with only a few miles left to go.  Bomber left it on the course, literally, and still managed to finish in the top 20%.  Praise be to the Integument System.  Jessie missed her chance to go gravel to gravel with Bomber, but had a lovely time catching with with Coach Arms, who made her first post-baby Drafter debut.  In the words of Captain Joe, “I can’t even tell she had a baby.”  For those of us who were in maternity clothes continually between children, we are insanely jealous, but in the spirit of the Drafters, really excited that you look so damn good a few weeks after labor.

Bomber wasn’t the only one in need of a bandaid after a long ride.  As previously reported, Vilks was in the lead group at the Dairyland Dare 300k before succumbing to what he thought was a monster bonk and intense stomach pain.  A rare but not unique incident (see results from Triple Bypass circa 2005ish), Vilks did not cross the finish line.  This is a legit “I only rode 240k” cycling saga.  Turns out, Vilks had more than a little gas.  Nothing like an appendectomy to remind us to listen to our bodies, especially when they make us vomit.  His biggest obstacle in recovering is mental, after learning whose company he was keeping in the lead group. Vilks had been riding along side Dave Haase, a Fond du Lac native and 5 time Race Across America finisher. If only his appendix had cooperated, Vilks may have gotten some press instead of an ED admission…..  FDL Reporter link

In other endurance event news,  Wandering Slow Cow has taken up cross-training to sharpen his skills for the upcoming Ironman.  My dear friend, Safari Kris, who was present at the Triple Bypass to witness Vilker’s non-appendicitis DNF, endured the long but worthwhile trip to Africa for a hiking adventure.  Arms and Legs still hold the gold medal for capturing a Drafter photo with an elephant, but I would say any Drafter photo from Africa qualifies for competition.  I wish I had a photo of MegaWatt at the finish line of his Cascade Crest 100 mile trail run in Washington.  I only know he finished because I have to be back at work next week, which means he’s alive and still my boss.  Congrats to all on your magnificent feats.

Make new friends and keep the old. One is silver and the other gold.  There is nothing silver about my new friend and Drafter, Formula One.  She’s raw energy and can hold her own on any descent, which I witnessed numerous times at the Haute Route in Norway.  By way of South Africa to England and now residing in the Big Ass state of Texas, welcome Formula One to the Draft!

Formula One

At the Haute

From here on out, the rides will be substantially shorter until we reach the critical mileage of 20, whereby we will deem the miles to beer ratio too small to justify.  Please bring FRONT AND REAR BLINKIE LIGHTS if you have them. If said illumination modules are not part of your Drafter gear, consider investing, borrowing, or riding strategically between Drafters who are in compliance with the laws of the light.  This should go without saying, but please be READY TO RIDE at 5:30.  We need every minute of daylight.  I know there are unforeseen circumstances and unusual predicaments, like Tick Tock finding himself locked in the bathroom (while he is an excellent bike mechanic, I strongly discourage you from calling upon Tick Tock for household remodeling projects), which is why we have set up a hotline.  Nurse Sully will be on call for such emergencies.  Several weeks into retirement, she has taken a part-time job at Pleasant View golf course.  If you call, expect to hear this in a sunshiny voice, “Hello. Thanks for calling Pleasant View where every hole is a birdie.  This is Sully.  How can I help?”

The September 10 route is named after a cocktail which I’ve never imbibed.  Next year I will come up with a Sazerak route, for which I am fluent imbiber.  The Tom Collins route is a 30 miler, which can easily be cut to 25 by taking the bike path home.  It occurs to me that the Missouri Tavern is a historic landmark along the bike path that should be visited, for educational purposes, of course.  I propose we arrange for such an interlude, but only if we have blinkie lights and Nurse Sully on call.

Download map PDF: Tom Collins 30 25

Garmin link: Tom Collins Cocktail Ride GPS link  

Garmin link with bike path home: Tom Collins mini-cocktail Ride GPS link

HINCAPIE JERSEYS ARE EN ROUTE, arriving today through Wednesday. If you will not be home to sign for your gear, sign onto the FedEx website and give permission for delivery sans signature.

Draft responsibly,

BrickO

Do you remember how nice and sunny it was for the Draft one week ago?

Well, we aren’t so lucky tonight, which is a bummer for a variety of reasons: 1) we can’t raise a beer glass to toast Tobacco City Boy’s birthday.  Actually , we can raise and drink said glass,  just not together at the Free House post-ride, 2) Pipes put on an extraordinary Drafter yoga class this AM and my posterior chain is in prime flexible form to tackle Black Hill, 3) all of the rain gear I ordered while in Norway has arrived.  I’m wondering why I ordered it at all, given that I am quick to cancel the first opportunity I have to try it out?  Oh yeah, rain gear looks good in my closet.  Maybe I will put on my neon green VeloToze and walk through some puddles, just to test them out (see matching neon green POC gloves and socks in photo above- also part of the retail therapy post Haute Route).

I hope to see you all next Monday for the Back in Black ride.  There will be NO RIDE the following Mon, Sept 3 as it is Labor Day WEEKEND.

REMINDER: Hincapie orders due Aug 22.  Orders placed in July will be sent Mon Aug 27. You must sign for FedEx or go online once you get the notice and give permission for it to be left without a signature.

Looking for a bike event?  Consider riding Tyranena Oktoberfest on Sept 15.  Great music and food, not too many hills.  Register here: Oktoberfest

Draft responsibly,

BrickO

I love people with passion.  Janis Joplin had passion.  Eddy Merckx has passion. The Drafters have passion.  And if Janis Jopin had written a song about the Drafters instead of Bobby McGee, it might have gone something like this (inspired by the ever growing Flat Tire club and our newest Drafter, the Cannibal, who was unknowingly yet appropriately   granted the same nick name as Eddy Merckx).

Busted a flat on Schneider Road, waitin’ for the rain
And I’s feelin’ near as faded as a Souse
Tick Tock thumbed the Cannibal down, just before he gained
He rode us all the way to The Free House

I pulled my CO2 out of my dirty jersey pocket
I was pantin’ soft while Tick Tock sang the blues, yeah
Tube and tire slappin’ time, I was holdin’ Tick Tock’s CO2 in mine
We swore every word that biker knew

Draftin’ is just another word for nothin’ left to lose
Draftin’’, don’t mean nothin’ dude’ if it ain’t free, no no
And, feelin’ good was easy, oh oh, when Cannibal led the way
You know, feelin’ good was good enough for me
Good enough for the Drafters, BrickO and Z.

From the Wisconsin farm line to the Katzenbuechel sun
The Drafters shared the secrets of their soul
Through all kinds of weather, through everything we done
Yeah, Drafters baby kept me on the road

La da da da da da da
La da da da da da da
La da da da da da da

Our most recent additions to the Draft have upped the game a bit.  I think KickAssK may have stirred the testosterone pot a bit, being the only XX to challenge Tick Tock, Skeeter Bait and Bomber.  But her departure back to the Dolomites has left the boys hungry, and our newest newbie, The Cannibal is eager to serve them up.  In true Drafter spirit, Monday nights is about laying down the hammer until it isn’t.  I’m continually awestruck by the camaraderie and conviviality of this group.  Flat tires are a group effort (and if the pit crew consists of 5 orthopedic surgeons, it becomes an all night affair), sharing beers and pulls, pushing one another to generate more Watts than we think possible, and picking up one another when those Watts really aren’t possible, and never putting down anyone who has the spirit to Draft.  We have found a way to not only co-exist on the road, but to form a Drafter family that gives me more pride and joy than I can begin to express.  So, thank you.  As our family grows, there will be Yellow Jerseys and Lantern Rouges. No matter the color at the start.  In the end, we all have earned the Drafter Green Jersey and a chair at the bar as passionate pursuers of the power through the pedals.

18 Drafters rode to Springfield on Monday- and thanks to Dan-yelly and Cookie Monster’s hospitality, they recruited another Drafter who they came upon during the ride.  The route was new to many of us, and despite doing recon only 4 days before, the unfamiliar turn onto Loper Rd eluded me.  The only clue I had as to my misdirection was lack of underwear.  Of course underwear isn’t allowed during cycling (Hincapie would take back our kits), but I had noticed a pair of boxers just off of Hwy V during recon, so when I didn’t see the tell “tail” sign after a few miles, I figured I had missed the turn.  Interestingly, the boxers also caught the attention of Billy Bob McC (this is not a typo- but rather a reassignment of a few Drafter handles- see next paragraph), who thought the waistband read “BrickO’s Boxers“.  He figured since I have supplied headbands and socks in the past, boxers were a natural progression.  I will talk to my distributer.  I know… all the women are XS and all the men are XL.  I can see the problem with collecting the order already.

Drafter names are sacred.  They capture the essence of the Draft and protect our identities from those who don’t appreciate tan lines and power to mass ratios.  However, I acknowledge that on occasion, they need to be revisited.  I’ve heard numerous Drafters call Billy Boy Billy Bob, and I think it just fits, especially when he rides his Parlee, “The Stallion” like a Cowboy from the Wild Wild West.  Next up is Tobacco City Cousin.  Cast in the shadow of Tobacco City Boy, it is time to come into the light.  The red light, to be precise.  Typically the last rider in, it is fitting that our Lantern Rouge be appropriated as the “Caboose“. Embracing his new title, Caboose negotiated with Tobacco City Boy to ride 15 minutes.  It is unclear if Caboose was negotiating 15 min out AND back, or 15 min total.  Ice Queen objects to her name, mainly as it draws attention to her superior athletic talents as a hockey player and coach.  I can’t fault modesty, as it is a dying trait.  On a routine basis, Ice Queen has convinced the wait staff at Free House that she needs to have her food and be done eating before Caboose arrives so that she can be home to put her kids to bed.  “Speedy” it is.

Speaking of Speedy, a quick shout out to Cookie Monster for speeding by her hubby, E$ at the Shell Lake Triathlon…. a first.  I interviewed E$ and he generously complimented CM on her victory, noting it wasn’t an official triathlon distance and had an extra long swim and run.  So, technically, he still hasn’t lost to her in an official sprint triathlon.  Another shout out to Sandlot and Whamo on their 100k Dairyland Dare, and Vilks who stayed with 5x RAAM finisher Dave Haase for a good chunk of the day.  Sandlot is still recovering from her T-bone incident with an inattentive driver, and found the strength to finish the 100k.  Well done, Sandlot. She exempliefies The Velominati’s Rule V (which coincidently happens to be the Roman numeral on Billy Bob’s license plate).  In case you aren’t familiar please read here: Velominati The Rules.

HINCAPIE KIT UPDATE:  look for an email about FedEx delivery on Aug 27.  You will need to sign for the package unless you go onto the website and give permission for the package to be left.  NEW orders can be placed through Aug 22 at this link: Hincapie Order Aug 22

As we head into next week, PLEASE BRING AT LEAST ONE IF NOT MORE BLINKIE LIGHTS.  And please bring a healthy appetite for beer, as we celebrate Tobacco City Boy’s Birthday (I’m not sure he will be Drafting, but we will be drinking regardless).  Which brings me to my favorite Velominati Rule #47: Drink Tripels, don’t ride triples

Cycling and beer are so intertwined we may never understand the full relationship. Beer is a recovery drink, an elixir for post-ride trash talking and a just plain excellent thing to pour down the neck. We train to drink so don’t fool around. Drink quality beer from real breweries. If it is brewed with rice instead of malted barley or requires a lime, you are off the path. Know your bittering units like you know your gear length. Life is short, don’t waste it on piss beer.

We are going to cannibalize the Rock of Ages Route, turning Def Leppard into AC/DC as we go “Back in Black“.  For those of you who have not climbed Black Hill before, be ware.  The false flat is long and 8%.  Beyond that, you are looking at a long 14% ascent.  You will be in the red while you are back in black.

Garmin link: Garmin link to Back in Black

Download PDF: Back in Black 38

Draft responsibly,

BrickO

It feels good to be back on this side of the pond.  A big thanks to Cookie Monster and Tick Tock for keeping the Draft drafting while I was in Norway.  I will try to piece together the highlights from the last 2 rides based on photos that were shared in my absence.

14 Drafters enjoyed a colorful Lodi Canning adventure.  They rode fearlessly into the dark, only to be rewarded by a brilliant spectrum of light.

Captain and Tick Tock

Green headed into black

We have already inducted a Rainbow Maker into the Draft, so our Newbie who succeeded in summoning the red to violet path will require a new name.  Welcome Roy G Biv, friend of Skeeter Bait. Doesn’t hurt that his real name is Roy. The rest just came naturally.

In other sporting news, Cookie Monster and E$ took the Shell Lake Triathlon by storm while Momma Monster lit up the Firehouse 50 and Keez took second overall in the Tobacco Days 10k (sorry, I guess the official PC name is now Edgerton Heritage Days).

C Monster and E$

Bringing home the gold

2cd place. What was missing?

The Drafter hat!

The following week was no less colorful when it came to characters.  The Indian Lake Extended Loop pushed KickAssK to her limits, thanks to Newbie known as the Canibal who reportedly put the hammer down. Word of the Canibal spread as far as Oregon (as in the WI community, not as far west as the Pacific coast. Come on, people, he’s just a man), scaring Drafters Dan-yelly and Tobacco City Boy into drafting from home.

10 brave Drafters managed to survive the Canibal and live to tell tales over a beer.

The most amazing ride this week came from Coach Arms, who claimed the KOM award (King of the Mommas). Welcome back to the saddle.

Z Rex and BrickO survived the Haute Route Norway, a three day stage race in Stavanger.  While the “hills” were challenging, they would have been better served by growing gills than bigger quads. The first 100 mile stage offered solid rain, and the second 75 mile stage wasn’t much drier.  When BrickO asked, “Why don’t we have cool rain gear like everyone else?”, Z responded, “Because we don’t choose to ride 6hours in the pouring rain at home.”  This experience prompted retail therapy.  Amazon has been busy delivering cycling rain gear to my house, in the case we ever loose our minds and enter such an event again. The 3rd stage 18k time trial was finally dry.  Short and sweet, the Haute threw in 3 climbs over 20% (my Garmin said 26% at one point, and it felt all of that).  Do we know how to honeymoon or what?  In case you are wondering, we are still married.  I thought it best to test our relationship right out of the gate with this event.

Riding a 3 stage tour gives me a sense of the chasm in abilities between someone like myself, and someone like KickAssK, who does this for a living.  I’m sure more retail therapy will aid tremendously in closing that gap. The wind tunnel experts at Cronometro assured me that my non- form fitting wind breaker cost at least 100 watts.  I’d like to think it cost more, based on the money I just spent on a “real” big girl cycling rain jacket.

We are going to be up against day light, especially with the high enrollment in the Flat Tire Club.  I am proposing the 38 mile Spring Valley to Springfield route, knowing we may end up taking the bike path home (Tick Tock has to have some sort of pay back for helping running the Draft).  There is another major short cut for those wanting a less demanding distance.

Download map PDF: Spring Valley to Springfield

Garmin link : Spring Valley to Springfield Garmin link

Last order of business:  Good luck to those riding the Dairyland Dare this Saturday.  Z Rex and I are downgrading our 200k to the 50k thanks to soft tissue damage caused by said 2 days and 175 miles of rain.  Key ingredient for the week is Bepanthen Nappy Care Ointment.  I’d bet my ass on it.

Also, the folks in Norway were impressed with our Drafter kits and I had several requests for opening another order.  The Hincapie site is open for business until Aug 22.  Follow this link and email me with questions:

Hincapie Custom Order link

Draft responsibly,

BrickO