The Mamas & The Papas and at least half of the two dozen drafters who came for the Final Draft broke into song at Missouri Tavern.

Actually, it was the Happy Birthday song to Vilks, but it could have been these lyrics:

All the leaves are brown (all the leaves are brown)
And our kit is green (and our kit is green)
I’ve been for a ride (I’ve been for a ride)
On an October’s day (on an October’s day)
I’d be safe and warm (I’d be safe and warm)
If I was in L.A. (if I was in L.A.)

Drafter, drafter dreamin’ (Drafter, drafter dreamin’)
On such an October’s day

Stopped into a bar
I passed along the way
Well, I got down off my bike (got down off my bike)
And I decide to stay (I decide to stay)
You know the drafters like a beer (drafters like a beer)
He knows I’m gonna stay (knows I’m gonna stay)

Drafter, drafter dreamin’ (Drafter, drafter dreamin’)
On such an October’s day

15min later and the low sun has already cast the A Team into shadow.

The rode is sometimes a lonely one. Sort of the anti-draft for our team photographer, Skipper. As a tribute (and apology), a homage to some of his work Monday night.

STAGE 1: Denial

STAGE 2: Anger. Mostly with Vilks, who had made a pact (in addition to all Drafters who swore to uphold the code, “No Drafter left alone”) to never leave his wingman.

STAGE 3: Bargaining

STAGE 4: Depression

STAGE 5: Acceptance

Twinkle Toes was also riding solo due to a technical issue. He’s had a few this season: forgetting his cycling shoes, throwing his derailleur into his spokes, innumerable flats (20?). This one, however, was a cruel twist of fate. Better late than never, Twinkle Toes figured out how to load the course onto his Garmin. The course did not follow the bike path to Missouri Tavern.. that was an optional route deviation.

Twinkle Toes did ultimately find his way to a cold beer and warm fire. The conversation around the fire pit somehow turned to wood ticks. Skipper and Z Wrecks showed their tick shedding moves to the Brazen Ballerinas.

Catching the Tik Tok fever, Rimshot showed his gangsta moves, sporting his new headwear. Thanks to our friends at SweatVac for creating this small tribute (no reference to the size of the brain in the headwear) to those 21 Drafters completing 10 or more rides: Hammer, Midas, Twinkle Toes, BrickO, Pit Stop, Speedy, Duracell, Rimshot, Octane, Presley, Knievel, Slim, Shaq, McGritty, Cujo, Queenie, Skipper, Vilks, Keez, Z Wrecks and Car Wash.

Not making 10 rides, but making something pretty special….. congrats Squirrel and Granny! And no Vilks, you had nothing to do with this.

It has been a wonderful season. Heartfelt thanks to every single Drafter who drafted responsibly, building quads and community. The season saw the births of two new Drafters (congrats again to Cannibal & Jen and Vintage & Thing1), with two more on the way (congrats Granny & Squirrel and Hawkeye), marriage of Bomber and Belle, retirement of Pit Stop and Cujo and new knee for Z Wrecks (and he only missed 4 rides!). And some Drafters lost loved ones. We stand as one through it all.

Here’s a look at the books.

Treasurer’s report: rich beyond compare with community. Special thanks to our friends at Hincapie Sportswear, Online Cycling Gear (Funtathalon and Tour de Dane), Sweat Vac (headbands), and the local bike shops who keep us rolling.

Secretary’s report:

24 rides covering 771.9 miles.

69 Drafters on the roster, with 19 newbies enlisting (Tinker, Hammer, Twinkle Toes, Rocky, Unicorn Blood, Car Wash, 9 Volt, Spigot, Marko, LaFleur, Fab, McGritty, Colonel, Slimmer, DJ Jazzy, Grit, Hawkeye, Herbie, Lost Boy).

30% of roster made 10+ rides, and 16% made 15+ rides

Slim made all but 1 Draft! Special mention to Vilks (because he begged) who was up from 9 rides in 2023 to 16 rides in 2024.

Average draft size 21, max 29

Flat Tire Club Induction: Coach Arms (Twinkle Toes, despite 20 flats, avoided an episode on a Monday night so technically was not eligible, although losing a derailleur has merit).

That’s a wrap!

Dirty Drift MTBing, Drift Draft fat biking, UW Women’s Hockey games and other shenanigans will be posted on the blog and/or GroupMe. Look for our outdoor road season to resume in March. Until then…. thank you for sharing your Mondays with the Drafters.

Draft responsibly,

BrickO

Earth, Wind & Fire were singing to 23 Drafters on Monday night.

There was a
Ba-dee-ya (dee-ya, dee-ya), say, do you remember?
Ba-dee-ya (dee-ya, dee-ya), draftin’ in September
Ba-dee-ya (dee-ya, dee-ya), never was a cloudy day
And we’ll say
Ba-dee-ya (dee-ya, dee-ya), say, do you remember?
Ba-dee-ya (dee-ya, dee-ya), draftin’ in September
Ba-dee-ya (dee ya, dee-ya), golden dreams were shiny days

The B Team formed a tunnel of love. Duracell’s battery was so full, he wanted to ride (and pose) in both the B and A teams. We welcomed a Newbie, Herbie, who lined up in the tunnel, but her quads were quickly detected and she was extradited to the A Team. It was good to have Captain Joe back from his junket in Montana. Clearly, more stringent border patrol will be implemented as we can’t have our Captain flying out of state so often.

And then there was one, late to the tunnel of love. Welcome, Dan-yelly! In hot mess mode that we have all come to love, she forgot her water bottle (Speedy was happy to render hydration aid) and suffered a failure of the mount for her phone, which was luckily recovered. There is still an APB out for her car keys, however, from last season.

After a hiatus for Ironman, we were happy to welcome Tinker back to the line up. Also on Dan-yelly time, so not in the photo, but in our hearts. Hawkeye flew in after receiving confirmation from the stork that his daughter wouldn’t be delivered until after the Draft.

Two things were off with the A Team, both much appreciated by all in the peloton. First, our newbie was having some serious mechanical issues. Not for lack of proper bike maintenance, as Herbie had just come from the bike shop. As the line of Drafters listened to her bottom bracket creak and clank, it was a relief to have watts fall away as she climbed up Twin Valley. Just like the Love Bug, her mechanical issues did not deter her from crossing the finish line right up there with Slim, Keez and Vilks.

The other thing off was Vilks. Having just returned home at 1AM from a 2000 mile trip to watch the Badgers play the Trojans of Southern California, he was not in typical form. Or he was, but not typical for a Monday night Draft. BrickO, fulfilling her relegated role as caboose, passed him just before the climb up Mid Town and shouted some sass, thinking that was the last she would see of Vilks. True to form, he decided to punish himself for the days of imbibing, and turned up the watts. BrickO tried to be the little engine that could, but a red light on Pioneer Road ended her tortuous failings. Gratefully, she joined the B Team, where Z Wrecks had been leading the charge only 2 months after his total knee surgery. Gritty guys, both of them, battling back from elective procedures. Nothing a little yoga can’t fix.

WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS: Congrats to all those Drafters who “competed” in the 3rd annual Funtathalon, and a shout out to all of the volunteers who made it possible. 9 teams divided up 4 cycling segments: 8 mile MTB ride, 13 mile road race, 24 mile gravel grinder, and a final 24 mile time trial to test their metal. When not riding, they were challenged with corn hole, Kubb, monkey tail, puzzles and trivia. Huge thanks to SweatVac for the volunteer t-shirts and OCG for the custom jerseys.

No ankles were turned with the running Le Mans start. Luckily, Twinkle Toes remembered his shoes.

The transitions were well rehearsed.

Oddly, the women proved to be better at monkey tail than the men.

Everyone had an opportunity to (moon) shine.

Everyone was a winner. After an exciting day of back and forth, these 3 teams were on the podium:

All good things must come to an end. Or at least hibernate over the winter to recharge. Monday, Oct 7 will conclude the 2024 Drafting season. This is a very short route (21 miles), reversed from the typical chapel ride in order to provide an opportunity to wash away those sins just confessed. Option: skip the turn onto Lodi-Springfield/Woodland Rd and take the bike path home, stopping at the Missouri Tavern. Departure times 4:45 and 5PM.

For those Drafters completing 10 or more rides, headbands from SweatVac will be awarded. Congrats to: Hammer, Midas, Twinkle Toes, BrickO, Pit Stop, Speedy, Duracell, Rimshot, Octane, Presley, Knievel, Slim, Shaq, McGritty, Cujo, Queenie, Skipper, Vilks, Keez, Z Wrecks…. and Car Wash if he makes the last draft!

Link RidewithGPS Drafters | Reverse Chapel

Draft responsibly,

BrickO