There is nothing quite like the Driftless to leave you breathless. Between the gorgeous views and relentless climbs, you are bound to be out of breath.
Sunday was an epic day for a finale. 17 Drafters ventured out to Ridgeway to climb some of Iowa County’s finest hills. Never too late to enlist… welcome to the Draft, Tank. He can motor on the flats and descends like a beast, but ask him how he feels about climbing. Tank wasn’t sure he wanted to enlist after learning the Drafter motto….
Vilks, Colonel, Hammer, McGritty, GQ, Car Wash, Knievel, Z, Keez, Herbie, Tank and Hawkeye
When in doubt, climb. And we did, no doubt. 45 miles with over 3500′ of elevation on roads with names like North Clay Hill, Far Look Road, Hill Side School Road, High Point Road, Coon Rock Road, Amacher Hollow, Blue Ridge Road, Ridgevue Road. You get the idea.
Tank settling in on the climb up WyomingVilks pulls Knievel and Z through TalliesinWhen in doubt… climb itMiles and miles of climbs
The most scenic, perhaps, is the historic 1850 Hyde Mill on Mill Creek Road.
Keez, BrickO, GQ and Car Wash
Thank you to Speedy and Skipper for the brilliant design and team t-shirts. The topography of the rides are shown on the front in 50 shades of green, with the names (in order, no less) of every ride this season on the back.
Skipper, Car Wash, Hawkeye, Colonel, Hammer, Z, BrickO, Knievel, Herbie, Tank, Speedy, Vilks, Keez and Lozi
There is much to be thankful for this drafting season. We welcomed 8 newbies: Sherlock, Ruby, Sweeps, Air Bourne, GQ, Maverick, Goose and Tank. 60 Drafters enlisted this season, with an average of 18 and max of 27 drafting responsibly on Monday nights. 25 rides in total, starting on March 23.
The first ride, as many will recall, involved a horrific crash involving 3 Drafters. It was a devastating event that we all wish could be undone. Since none of us have a time turner, we can be grateful for the strong community that supported Z, Hawkeye and Twinkle Toes through their recoveries. Their return to the Draft is the gift we treasure most, though the t-shirts are pretty darn cool.
The Drafters covered 789.25 miles. Shout out to those with 10 or more Drafts: Hammer Time, Twinkle Toes, Ruby, Spigot, Cujo, Queenie, Skipper, Presley, Hawkeye and Duracell.
8 Drafters were 15+ repeat offenders were awarded swag to cover their car seats, cause with that much riding, one can only imagine the smell emanating from their vehicles on Monday night. Shout out to John and SweatVac for making those possible.
For those dirty rides
Congrats to BrickO, Shaq, Speedy, Rimshot, Knievel, Vilks, Keez and Z. On the podium according to volume: Keez, Z and Vilks!
Shaq missed the podium, but did not miss the bourbon bike tour in KY this weekend. Sporting her Tour de Dane Femmes jersey, she did the Drafters proud.
Shaq’s sampling tourDraft responsibly
THANK YOU ALL FOR A WONDERFUL 2025 SEASON! Hope to see you all in the spring (or maybe next Monday. Stay tuned).
17 Drafters came out to play. The sky looked ominous but they rode on anyway.
Cycling to the start, Herbie was nearly the casualty of a woman hurrying to get the mail.
Hammer Time arrived late and had to make bail.
Her penance was pulling BrickO all the way to Riley. Wheeee…..she said, all smiley.
One new Drafter joined the crew. From here on out, handle GQ.
Threading the needle, the Drafters missed the rain.
Twinkle Toes scorched the route without breaking a chain.
Griz came out of hibernation for his first draft of the season. Winter is coming, seems to reason.
Velo made crepes with jam and hazelnut butter. Making Marcé great again, he was heard to utter.
Herbie, Vilks, Sweeps, Car Wash, GQ, Lost Boy, Duracell, Knievel, Cujo, Velo, Octane, Hawkeye, Keez and Twinkle Toes (coming soon… Hammer and Griz)
Pepe, Billy Boy and Loose Screw opted for an alternative route on Monday, climbing Pienza and Montalcino. Word has it they drafted responsibly.
Pepe and Billy BoyLoose Screw
WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS: Congrats to Pit Stop, McGritty and Shaq for completing a century over the weekend.
Pit Stop and McGritty at the Badger ChallengeShaq Rides the Ridges
USA Gravel Nationals in La Crescent, MN was enjoyed by a few Drafters. Congrats to Spigot, Hammer Time and BrickO. Only one was brave enough to take on the Tilt-A-Whirl. This ride sponsored by Dramamine.
BrickO and Hammer Time at the startSpigot, sponsored by Dramamine
Columbus and Gopher ran the Yellow River Half Marathon, with nearly 2000 feet of climb. By foot or by bike, when in doubt….. CLIMB.
Gopher and Columbus, no doubt climb
Tour de Dane Femmes Final Results
It was a wild tour, with the green and polka dot jerseys changing shoulders several times. The yellow jersey was never in doubt. Cujo started the Tour with the Dairyland Dare, and finished with Wright Stuff Century, accumulating 1114.35 miles in the month of August! BrickO was a distant second with 720 miles. Speedy lived up to her name during Stage 4, with a Stagecoach Sprint time of 2:38, 13 seconds faster than any other Femme! During a post-race interview, the Speedster credited Crossroads Coffeehouse for their double espresso for fueling her sprint. Speedy also recruited her son to do a stage, his first time riding the road clipped in. This is the spirit of cycling! Hammer Time left no doubt about the polka dot jersey, climbing Stage 8 Alp d’ Blue segments in 19:20, with the next Femme enduring 41seconds more of pain. Hammer’s selfie on top has been touted as the Mona Lisa of Blue Mounds. Shaq was prolific in pink, spreading cycling love throughout the community. From local bike and coffee shops to DNR kiosks, she brought cheer and left beer. While several Femmes accumulated all 45 pink points, Shaq’s touch reached the furthers corners of Dane County. This was the first Tour for newbies Sweeps and Ruby, who conquered more than miles. Congratulations to all of our Tour de Dane Femmes!
Speedy, Shaq, Cujo, Hammer, and Sweeps (Ruby not pictured, but there in spirit)
NO DRAFT MONDAY SEPTEMBER 29. A Monday draft on Oct 6 will be weather and daylight dependent, and will be posted on GroupMe.
The Drafter Finale will take place on Sunday, Sept 28 in Ridgeway. There is limited driveway parking, so please park on the west side of Ridgevue Road, south of Dream Acres. Bring a lawn chair and a lunch for after the ride, and hiking shoes if you would like to explore the springs and cave. See GroupMe for the address.
Insomnia. The publisher couldn’t sleep last night, and released the blog in an unprecedented Monday night release. Cobwebs were thick, so despite honorable intentions, some honorable deeds were not mentioned.
V2.0
….. and the Short Pour lit up the north bound lane.
The group enjoyed more than just a fire. Hawkeye brought his whole flock, including 2 Junior Drafters, and snacks! Much thanks.
WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS:
Shaq could make a quilt with all the t-shirts from the century rides she has done just this year alone. She rode the Peninsula Century on Saturday and is gearing up for Ride the Ridges next weekend. Spoiler alert: she isn’t done.
Shaq takes charge of directions
Spigot was included in the Chequamegon 40 shout outs, but it should be noted this was his inaugural Drag Race from Hayward to Cable… and he did it on a 40 pound (rounding) fat bike. Granted, he swapped the tires, but those fat tires ARE the shock absorption! The fact that he had enough power to capture this photo of a Badger fan playing the bag pipes while climbing a monster hill is a testament to hit grit. And appreciation for talent.
Climbing music?
Drafter Finale. Confused? In past years, the Drafter Finale is not always the final draft. The Finale takes place on a weekend (Sun Sept 28) so that we can 1) ride/ climb longer than on a Monday evening and 2) enjoy socializing after the ride. No plans for awards this year, aside from the Tour de Dane. Just bring whatever food and beverage you would like to enjoy and a lawn chair. The venue is our barndominium in Ridgeway. Twinkle Toes has verified its structural integrity. Bring hiking shoes and enjoy exploring the cave and springs.
Oh what a night. Late September on a Mo-on-day. What a very special time for me. As I remember, what a night.
25 Drafters came out to play. Dan-yelley came in hot, nearly crashed the driveway. Speedy was was acting a little cray’– making crazy hand signals to warn of grasshoppers gone astray. Duracell charged up Black Hill, blowing everyone away. Skipper stretched his quad with one leg still pedaling, looking like Gumby on display. Z was so strong the medical director ordered a blood test right away. Twinkle Toes sprinted, winning the town sign but losing his chain along the way. Those are all the things that happened on Monday.
Keez, Midas, Speedy, Watson, Velo, Twinkle Toes, Pit Stop, Nemo, Presley, Sweeps, Car Wash, Octane, Pepe, Loose Screw, Queenie, McGritty, Z, Hawkeye, Rimshot, Knievel, Shaq. In hot, Dan-yelly and Skipper. Duracell still at the charging station.
The outbound train picked up Duracell at the charging station on Pheasant Branch.
Duracell drafts responsibly behind team photographer, Skipper
Might be one of the only rides whereby the pace was sustainable, at least for those running on geri-gas.
Full Strength: Left line Car Wash, Knievel, Velo, Z, Hawkeye. Right line: BrickO, Twinkle Toes, Duracelle, Queenie, Keez, Rimshot
Approaching the widow maker, Black Hill, Keez and Hawkeye were battling the beast, when Duracell took charge. His first Drafter KOM of the season!
Hawkeye, Twinkle Toes, Knievel, Skipper, Velo, and Keez
Home stretch on Hyslop. A rare descent for the Drafters.
Keez, Rimshot, Hawkeye, Velo, Car Wash, BrickO, Twinkle Toes and Z
The short pour Drafters were bravely holding their ground, fending off mosquitos while they waited patiently for Slim to build a fire.
McGritty, Watson, Presely, Nemo and Pit Stop
Build it and they will come. Thanks Slim and Lozi for keeping us safe from those little beasts.
WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS: The Drafter Den in the north woods was full of activity. Momma and Pappa Monster took great care of all their cubs. Congrats to 14 full grown Drafters, 3 junior Drafters and 2 BABES (bad a** bitches exploring sh*t) who had fun getting dirty at Cheq40. The initiative was clear from the start…..
Momma Monster, Cookie Monster, E$, Z, BrickO, Speedy, Vilks, Bomber, Belle, Spigot, Ninja, Fish, Hammer Time, the Colonel get dirty at Chequomegon MTB festival
Mother Nature spared the Little Loggers race Friday night The rain hit further south in Hayward, but the dirt stayed dry in Cable. These 3 junior Drafters shredded the course. Minnow Monster and Mellow Monster were dazzling in their purple accessories. Dyson cleaned house, coming in first overall in the junior female division! Check out the monsters in the recap video.
Cookie Monster and E$ go over strategy with the Lil’ Monsters
The temperature would rise upwards of 80 on Saturday, but a fleece jacket and coffee offered welcomed warmth at dawn.
Draft responsibly. Always good to have a law firm on your team. Thanks to Janssen Law for their support.
The Full Fat lined up in Hayward, early enough to avoid the lines at the portos. Speedy and Joyce made the ultimate sacrifice, risking pole position at the Short and Fat to drop off their fellow Drafters. The reunion with Belle and Bomber was sweet. It was hard to miss Belle in her floral shorts, which were just as bright as her attitude about the day to come.
Spigot, Ryan, Jen, Belle, Bomber, BrickO, Z and Vilks
More Northern Contingent Drafters lined up at the Short and Fat.
Northern Exposure: Ninja and Momma MonsterE$, Speedy and Cookie Monster
They say up north provides excellent fishing opportunities. We reeled in FISH AND BOOTS!
Ninja, Spigot, Bomber, Hammer Time, Colonel, BrickO, Fish&BootsBomber and Belle
A few Cheq newbies to congratulate. Hammer Time and The Colonel in their first and last Cheq40 before they say “I DO”.
Huge shout out to Vilks, who borrowed a MTB just to spend the day in the north woods. Skipper, be sure to check for damages. See Janssen Law to make a claim.
Vilks with a strong first Cheq40 debut
Not his first Chequamegon MTB Festival, but his first Full Fat, congrats to Z. He overcame more than 41 miles and 3500 feet to finish this race.
Z and BrickO celebrate at the finish
Thanks to the BABES for sticking around to cheer on the Drafters!
Greying and Slaying, pretty much sums up the BABES
The post-race celebration is what keeps the Drafters coming back. It sure isn’t Fire Tower!
Momma and Pappa Monster make this feast look easy. But it took work..
Momma Monster and Vilks armed and dangerousPappa Monster Pizza Slayer
Draft for Monday, Sept 22 will be a short one, for all. Safety first- daylight is fading fast. Departure time 4:45 for all Drafters. Two routes: short pour 21 miles and full strength 25 miles.
The Drafter Finale will take place on Sunday, Sept 28 at 10AM. Rain date Oct 12. Departure time is 10AM for the full strength 45 mile course, and 10:30 for the short pour 31 mile course. Both will start and finish in Ridgeway, just west of Blue Mound. Awards for the Tour de Dane will be presented at that time.
There may or may not be more fall Drafts on Monday evenings following the Finale. Stay tuned.
What’s in a name? Regardless of the name, the inherent beauty of these two rides is essentially the same. The reality of where to turn, however, is very different. Averting potential disaster posed by BrickO’s inadvertent dyssynchronous posting of two routes- Crossroads on the blog and Creekside on GroupMe was beautifully navigated by 17 Drafters headed out KP.
Queenie, Octane, Velo, Ruby, Rimshot, Vilks, Skipper, Hammer, Duracell, Z, Knievel, Hawkeye, Twinkle Toes, Keez (Midas just out of touch of the lens)
Speedy averted the crisis altogether by drafting responsibly, alone.
Speedy’s after school taxi service prevented her from riding with the group, but she still drafted responsibly
The unforeseen bonus of conflicting routes is that the group was forced to stay together, allowing the team photographer, Skipper, so capture the essence of this breathtaking route.
Headed out KP: Keez, Vilks, Rimshot, Knievel, Twinkle Toes and ZUp Pleasant Valley: Hawkeye, Octane, Vilks, Hammer, Twinkle Toes, Rimshot, Ruby & BrickOStill climbing Pleasant View: Keez, Rimshot, Vilks, BrickO, Hawkeye and HammerAnd..still climbing Pleasant View: Knievel, Ruby, Velo, Octane, Z
Keeping with the Shakespeare quote, Forshaug by any other name is F’ Shaug and Forsh*t. With 3 kickers, it kicks your a**.
Forshaug by several names: Knievel, Twinkle Toes, Z and Midas kick a**
“A good heart is the sun and the moon; or, rather, the sun and not the moon, for it shines bright and never changes.” William Shakespeare, J. M. Jephson (1866). “The Works of William Shakespeare”, p.466
The sun and the moon, by Skipper
A huge shout out to Abby at Crossroads Coffeehouse and Creekside Scoop. Ice cream and beer by any other name is simply delicious. The Drafters enjoyed pizza on the patio, along with said ice cream and beer. We are so grateful for their generous hospitality, and look forward to returning next season.
WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS
Our Junior team has been doing the work.
Vintage also doing the workThing 1 making sure all training needs are metBrickO explains the purpose of a headband to Granny and Squirrel’s JR drafter
Dirty Drafter Minnow Monster shows us how to shred. This video didn’t post in an earlier attempt. Trying it again in two formats, hoping at least one gets traction.
Congrats to IronDrafters, Tree of Rown and Squeak. Both brilliantly coached by Midas, these women rocked Ironman this weekend.
Tree of Rown with a smile that says it all
Many Drafter Century riders to celebrate. Shaq, Knievel and Cujo drafted responsibly on the Wright Stuff. Cujo and Pit Stop knocked down the Door County Century while Knievel did the same in Cleveland.
On tap for next week, Monday Sept 15. As the days grow shorter, so will the rides. 4:45 departure time from Middleton Hills. Full strength 27 .6 miles, short pour 21. 6 miles
Weather permitting, there will be a draft on Monday Sept 22 and then the FINAL DRAFT on Sunday Sept 28th. Rain date Oct 12. The final draft will take place from Ridgeway, just west of Blue Mound. When in doubt, CLIMB.
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