The near super blue moon brought out the magic as 22 Drafters, including 2.5 newbies, made their way through the historic viaduct. The real magic started before the moon rise, with both teams leaving promptly at 5 and 5:15PM without any mechanicals. Granny did flat over the weekend. Waiting impatiently for her tubeless tire to reseal, she finally realized (after two seasons with her new bike) that she actually is running tubes.

A newbie found the Drafters with a little bike shop sleuthing (or stalking?). Following the trail of Drafter breadcrumbs, she put together the clues at Wheel and Sprocket and Trek West, about the secret location of the green team. Elementary, my dear Watson!

The B Team had a magical send off by Gopher, Badger and their beautiful lil’ Drafter who were out for a stroll. Cottontail joined his first outdoor Draft (hence newbie 0.5), but is no stranger to the indoor cycling torture this group succumbs to when the snow flies. There was no missing the other newbie in his high vis fluorescent yellow kit and bike. He definitely embodied the “draft responsibly” mantra from a clothing perspective. The Colorado native was also part of the Dirty Draft Tour of Blue Mound with Skipper and Octane on Saturday.

While BrickO and Z Wrecks clambered over the rocks and roots, the very accomplished (understatement) newbie was very gentle and tolerant. Fully capable of rolling over huge rocks and transcending steep slopes, Griz used his strength and power to make us feel part of his mountain community. Welcome high vis Griz.

Cottontail hippity hoppitied like a jackrabbit, with Squirrel and Granny in hot pursuit. The A Team drafted as best they could behind the energized bunny. Duracell was the only hope, but he had ridden earlier in the day, a final ride on his ol’ Trek. New bike day is coming for Duracell. And when that happens, we will use all his copper top power to take down the energizer bunny.

Drained from Cottontail’s lead out, Team Spoke’N Four (BrickO, Slim, Skipper, Vilks) stopped at the Ranch Saloon in Dane for refreshments. Rimshot became an honorary member of Spoke’N Four when he spoke up and ordered a shot of Jameson.

You could have heard a pin drop when the 5 Drafters walked into the Ranch Saloon. For a hot minute, it felt like a brawl between spandex and Levis could break out. But Vilks broke the tension when he held up his credit card and declared, “A round of beers for the bar, and shots of Jameson for the bikers.” Vilks was quick to spot the one non-beer drinking patron at the bar and amended his offer. “And one fancy drink.”. The not-so-small man drinking the Seven and Seven cocktail misheard Vilks as saying “And one pansy drink.” Again… silence. The misunderstanding was explained, and from then on, team spandex and team Levis were one.

Seven and Seven relaxed a bit and asked where we came from and where we were headed. The answer prompted a karyoke version of Jerry Reed’s theme song for Smokey and the Bandit.

East bound and down, loaded up and draftin’
Oh, we gonna do what they say can’t be done
We’ve got a long way to go and a short time to get there

Back on the road, the Spoke’N 5 took their sweet time riding through Viaduct, twice. It IS a historic landmark, and this draft was history in the making. Two rounds through Viaduct was setting the tone.

Two rounds through Viaduct just begged for two rounds at the Ranch Saloon.

This time, no pin could be heard. Walking into the Ranch Saloon was like walking into Cheers, where everybody knows your name. This time, Vilks didn’t need to pull out his credit card. Delores paid it forward- no longer able to enjoy biking, she bought a round of Hamms and shots of Jamo. There might be an addendum to this blog, written by the Spoke’N Five about their adventures.

All’s well that ends upright.

Safely back at the the other ranch Z Wrecks had a fire blazing and Drafters enjoying non-pansy cocktails.

A few notable Drafters were absent, still on holiday from their amazing athletic feats.

Congrats to Squeak on her 70.3 World Championship finish in Lahti, Finland. And to Footer for her silver medal in barefoot tricks, wakes and all around at US National Barefoot Championships in Helena, MT.

And not too tired to Draft responsibly Monday on the Route of the Hiawatha Trail.

In the spirit of the previous draft, we will be drafting 30 miles to Riley Tavern via the backdoor on Monday, Sept 11. Departure times 5 and 5:15PM. NO RIDE ON LABOR DAY.

RidewithGPS Drafters | Backdoor Riley

For those seeking a short pour at Riley Tavern, here is a 25mile beer run:

RidewithGPS Drafters | Short Pour Backdoor Riley

REMEMBER TO MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THE END OF THE YEAR DRAFTER RIDE ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 15. Awards for the Tour de Dane Femmes will be given, but little else. The budget was happily depleted on the Funtathalon.

Draft responsibly,

BrickO

Lucky 13. Maybe not so lucky. The Drafters were plagued with a slow start due to nearly a quarter of the crew experiencing mechanical difficulties.

The 5:08 team left unscathed, but a trail of debacles followed in their wake.

The A and B teams combined for a 5:15 departure, delayed a bit by last minute oopsie-mechani-doodles.

Octane called for a retraction on his admission to the Flat Tire Club. Instead, he has proposed a new, more sophisticated club for full blow outs. His request is currently under review by the board. While making his case, Octane experienced pedal failure. He seems determined to be the solo member of multiple clubs.

Skipper’s new stead rode flawlessly through the Ride Across Wisconsin, but came up flat on Monday night. Already a card holding member of the Flat Tire Club, it was a bit anti-climatic.

Lastly, Z Wrecks had a pedal- cleat mismatch, causing a failure to disengage at the first stop sign. Less than a mile from the start, he was able to circle back and make a quick bike shoe exchange. Skipper and BrickO followed the Drafter code, waiting for Z Wrecks and gratefully riding the Short Pour (post RAW legs and jet lag, respectively, made for a slow roll).

Skipper wasn’t the only Drafter to conquer RAW, though the only one crazy enough to draft two days later! Congrats to Knievel, Shaq and Special K on riding across Wisco.

Further west in Colorado, Belle and Cujo rocked 142 miles of gravel at SBT GRVL. True grit and probably a bit of grime embodies these Drafters.

Closer to home, but just as dirty, Momma Monster stepped out of her comfort zone and onto the podium, riding more single track MTB miles in one day than she has in her lifetime in the Seeley Lions PreFat Bike Race.

Sometimes the greatest achievements come from simply carving out time to spend together.

And sometimes happen off the bike (gasp). Congrats to Mario on his first day of Medical School. He’s got Thing 1 up ahead so he can Draft responsibly.

Hard to believe next Monday marks the last Draft of August. 100 mile is deceiving. The full strength route is ~34 miles and the short pour ~30 miles (and skips the big climb up Viaduct). Let’s plan to leave at 5PM and 5:15PM, given the shortening daylight hours. The alternative 5:08PM and 5:18PM options have been eliminated. Again.

RidewithGPS Drafters | Viaduct 100 Mile Grove

RidewithGPS Drafters | 100 Mile to Easy Street

THERE WILL BE NO DRAFT ON LABOR DAY. September typically brings some gorgeous fall rides, and we will wrap up the season with the End of the Year Draft on Sunday, October 15.

Draft responsibly,

BrickO

Time to get back in the saddle! Mother Nature foiled the Draft last week, along with an opportunity to christen Columbus and LuLu’s new deck. A huge thanks to our generous hosts for agreeing to share their space and issue a rain check for next season. And also to Crossroads Coffeehouse for hosting the week before.

Congratulations to Octane on his induction into the Flat Tire Club. Less messy achievements to note: Squeak and her son competed in the Age Group Triathlon Nationals in Milwaukee. He stakes claim to being the 7th fastest 7 year old in Wisco! Squeak isn’t one to brag. The only hint that she had raced was found on her left upper arm!

Bomber got high in the Leadville Trail 100 MTB event, bringing home some serious hardware. He no longer will require bibs to keep his chamois in place now that he has earned a Big Buckle.

A bit premature, perhaps, but there is little doubt Skipper will crush the Ride Across Wisconsin today. Especially since he is riding his new decked out BMC bike.

Let’s take advantage of daylight and squeeze in one last 40 mile Draft before tapering our routes. Too much church? Check out the 33 mile Drafters Confession Short Pour Church Session.

RidewithGPS Drafters | Moe Church

RidewithGPS Drafters | Confession Short Pour Church Session

Draft responsibly,

BrickO

Creedence Clearwater Revival had the Drafter’s number.

I see the full moon a-risin’
I see drafting on the way
I see big quads and lightnin’
I see Lodi Canning today

24 in number, to be exact. A fabulous turnout for an absolutely glorious ride: clear skies, low humidity and wind, comfortable temperatures and silky smooth pavement. And just when the Drafters thought it couldn’t get any better, Kick A** KK dropped in from Italy. No big deal. Just a former professional rider, so humble that you’d think she needed help shifting gears.

Who did need some help was Cookie Monster. With her bike still in the shop, Footer loaned her a spare. While the bike had no mechanicals, the shoes requires some medical attention. Cookie Monster put her recently defended PhD in biomedical engineering to work. There is nothing a little duct tape can’t cure.

The D team was delayed even further when an egregious map error was discovered. The Back in Black short pour GPS indicated 27 miles, while the printed map showed a 34 mile excursion. There will be a formal investigation conducted into the matter. The board anticipates a forthcoming resignation and will post a PVL for a competent administrative assistant.

Octane rolled into the B Team starting line straight from the corn fields of Nebraska. “I pulled over to get some sleep after making a precise calculation as to how many hours I needed to get to the Draft. I drove straight here!” Dedication. Nobody questioned his lack of baked goods.

Vilks and Skipper joined the B Team shortly after the photo shoot. Unlike Vilks to miss a photo opportunity.

Per norm, the A Team convened with a vow to “go easy.” The excuse of the week came from Cannibal, who claimed to be struggling with a recent bout of food poisoning. Apparently, there wasn’t enough food or poison consumed to slow down the A train.

Queenie had been banging on the drums all day. Coming in late to the Draft, he found his rhythm with Duracell. They quickly formed a quartet and rocked to Back in Black.

While Queenie was hoping to catch a glimpse of their Fan Club, Footer thought he said “FLAT TIRE CLUB” and joined up.

Skipper summed up the essence of the Draft beautifully with his photos and words (taken without permission from his social media post):

“I enjoy road riding more than I could ever imagine and why is that the case? When riding solo you push your limits in a measured way. Riding in a group, strategy comes into play. There is a lot of performance data to geek out on. And maybe most important to me, I turn my Trail Brain off and just enjoy the spinning. Tonight was one of those special rides. 7 riders, working together, spinning along picturesque roads on the Driftless fringe, catching up on life, all while pushing our watts.”

Back at base camp, the Drafters enjoyed an array of beers and blueberries, compliments of Cookie Monster.

She couldn’t stay long enough to enjoy them, however, as she needed to pick up a new toilet before Home Depot closed. Can’t put a lid on good fun.

The Tour de France Femmes wrapped up Sunday. Missed it? Catch Out in Front or the Uphill Climb documentary to learn about the first women to compete in the historic Tour de France. Inspired by these women, a dozen Drafters set out to test their strength in the Tour de Dane. Over 8 days, these fearless women made riding a priority, balancing cycling with the demands of work and family and the intense heat and smoke blowing in from Canada. Flash hoped on her trainer between All City swim meet events, Keez squeezed in the sprint stage after a 7 hour car ride to attend a wedding, Cujo jacked her fitness for SBT GRVL, Belle nailed the Tour despite no rest from her Thunderdown 125 mile race, and Animal battled her way through Covid to finish. Shaq creatively staged her own tour while completing RAGBRAI, Sandlot had the best photo finishes, and Coach Arms got up at dawn to complete the Mountain Stage before feeding her kiddos breakfast. Granny, Nemo and T1 completed some stages as well, spreading the green all over Dane County. Congratulations to all the Drafter Femmes who support and encourage women in cycling.

A quick review of the 2022 Tour de Dane winners:

On the podium in 2023….

In the polka dot jersey, turning in the fastest Mountain Stage time… KEEZ!

And wearing the green jersey, demonstrating blazing speed on the Sprint stage…FLASH!

And in yellow, the winner of the maillot jaune, drafting nearly 400 miles… CUJO!

Special recognition goes to Sandlot as I think she may have been the only one to snap a photo with Drafter gear on and treat in hand.

A shout out to Shaq for most miles (515) during RAGBRI. While it wasn’t part of the Tour de Dane, Shaq did more than her fair share of promoting women’s cycling and reaching her own lofty goal.

Thanks to all who rode to support and promote women in cycling.

Awards will be given at the end of the year Drafter ride.

On a different podium… congrats to Footer on her night time lap in the Wausau 24 event on Saturday at 9 Mile County Forest. Footer and BrickO battled it out in the 12 hour 2-person Masters (read: old) division.

Looking for a Gran Fondo? Give this a try. The routes over the next two weeks will prepare you well.

Looking for a wheel set for your gravel sled? BRAND new, never ridden HED Belgium G 700C rims, tubeless set up with DT Swiss 350 Straight Pull hubs (accommodates 11 speed Shimano cassette) . Built by Cronometro, painted by NFY. $1100 new. Asking $600.

There are lots of changes coming your way in the next two weeks, so read responsibly.

The Draft on Monday Aug 7 will depart from Crossroads Coffeehouse/ Creekside Scoop located at 2020 Main St, Cross Plains. There is plenty of parking in the lot adjacent to and behind the building.

If you would like to order pizza from Crossroads to enjoy upon completion of your ride, please fill out this survey NO LATER than noon on AUG 3.

This 34 mile route will definitely work up an appetite for pizza and a beer float.

RidewithGPS link Drafters | Crossroads Coffeehouse

drafters-crossroads-coffeehouseDownload

The 24.5 mile short pour is worthy of their famous beer float, too!

RidewithGPS link Drafters | Crossroads Coffeehouse Short Pour

drafters-crossroads-coffeehouse-short-pourDownload

The following week, Monday Aug 14, LuLu, Columbus and Wyatt have generously invited (or gently coerced) the Drafters to christen their new back deck. The Draft will start from there new home (please see GroupMe for address) in Middleton. There will be a 38 mile full pour to include Barlow (ouch).

RidewithGPS link BD: Beast of Barlow (Lulu and Columbus Ed)

bd-_beast_of_barlow_-lulu_and_columbus_ed-Download

There is a 19 mile short pour option paying tribute to the mighty Barlow in name only. This drink isn’t to be taken likely (bring your Brawn).

RidewithGPS link: BD Beast of Barlow Short Pour

bd-_beast_of_barlow_short_pourDownload

The Draft will be back to its typical hub on Aug 21. Until then…

Draft responsibly,

BrickO