Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Breakdown was the theme song for the Formidable Festge route. 21% had mechanical issues. Luckily, 28% were engineers so there was a 100% return rate.

It’s alright if you draft me
It’s alright if you don’t
I’m not afraid of you bikin’ away honey
I get the feeling you won’t
Say there ain’t no sense in pretending
Your quads give you away
Something inside you is feeling like I do
We said all there is to say

Baby
Breakdown, go ahead and give it to me
Breakdown, honey, take me through the night
(Take me, baby, breakdown, ooh)
Breakdown, now I’m standin’ here, can’t you see?
Breakdown, it’s alright
It’s alright, it’s alright

14 Drafters combined to stand as one team. For the remainder of the season, that’s the way this will roll. No A Team. No B Team. Just one Team. It is a good thing the Team held up for Dan-yelly, who came in hot, wearing her helmet while driving to minimize the transition time from car to bike. We needed every engineer for this ride!

It was a slow start to the Draft. Keez was tracking the team, as she was waiting to jump on in Cross Plains, and wondered about the long stop in Greenway Station. Missing the light on Deming Way and 14, the group was further held up as an ambulance required them to sit through a green light. Two red lights later, the team powered across the intersection, only for Dan-yelly to drop her chain. As she frantically dog paddled her way across the busy intersection, the group waited for what was to be the first of three mechanicals.

Not sure if inability to use an iPhone camera properly qualifies as a mechanical or just technological incompetence? Either way, Keez rescued BrickO by taking a Team photo at Festge.

The group had some relief climbing Table Bluff as Hawkeye flatted for the second week in a row. Nobody complained as a breather was enjoyed at the very top. Spigot, one of the team’s 4 present engineers, came to the rescue.

It took two engineers to problem solve Z’s mechanical. Both Z and Dan-yelly are biomedical engineers. Rear derailleurs were not part of their curriculum.

Twinkle Toes felt badly being the only engineer not to contribute to the mechanical issues. As an act of penance, he offered his cabin up north to any and all Drafters. Key code and address to follow.

WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS:

Congrats to Hawkeye on his effort at Race the Lake. Despite another flat, he flew.

Congrats to Keez on a very hard day at CORE4. Sometimes the hardest part of racing isn’t turning the pedals, it is deciding when not to turn the pedals. She came away with some bruises, but also some clarity. Congrats!

NEW PLAN FOR NEXT WEEK. EVERYBODY will depart at 4:45 TOGETHER. A, B, Short Pour will ride at 4:45. The group will naturally split up, but we will start the ride together.

The route is Far Far Farview, a 34 mile hilly endeavor with a 28.7 mile short pour option

RidewithGPS link : Drafters | Little Less Far View Short Pour

RidewithGPS link: Drafters | Far Far Far View

Draft responsibly,

BrickO