The 2022 Drafter season marks 10 years as a cycling family, and 150 enlisted drafters since its conception in 2013. While there were no newbies on Monday for the Spring Valley loop, a MIA Drafter reappeared. Unrecognizable in cycling shoes, he quickly fell into line and drafted responsibly. Welcome back, Sandals.

28 Drafters were in the corral. The horse power in the B team was mighty, including 3 of the 4 podium winners from the Tour de Dane Femmes. Pit Stop claimed the yellow, Nemo the silver, Squeak the green and Columbus in the polka dot jersey. Congratulations to all the Femmes and Mennes who supported the Tour de France Femmes on a local level.

The fashion factor was phenomenally high, as the Hincapie kits arrived last week. Han Solo and Nitro were suited up in their new Drafter gear. It appeared as though Pipes had her 7-year-old pick out her kit, mixing and matching. Garanimals has nothing on you, Pipes.

The B Team tried to chase down Duracell and Queenie, but this pair of stallions could not be reined in.

Z Wrecks had enough giddy-up to pull a break away group. Loose Screw had little in the way of horse power as he had spent the afternoon baling hay, but chomped down on the bit and drafted responsibly. Fortunately, he had enough energy to out maneuver a family of raccoons who challenged his bike handling skills.

The A Team had some mechanical issues right out of the gate. Skipper had lost a shifting cable during the Lake Ripley Ride on Saturday, so brought his gravel sled. It is the bike equivalent of bringing a knife to a gun fight. Blurple was the exemplar Drafter, circling back to aid Skipper in the fight. A salute to the entire Drafter Team for drafting responsibly, riding no more than two wide and single file in traffic, keeping Strava segment hunting to a minimum, and helping a fellow Drafter whose machine has broken down.

Granny blew two tires before the A Team even hit the town line. Respecting the Drafter code, several members of the A Team pulled over to lend assistance. The remaining team members stayed just close enough to comply with the code of ethics and still keep their hands clean. There was much suspicion over the close proximity of Squirrel as he arrived on the scene faster than an Uber. Granny earned the Airport Rd QOM (Queen of Mega flats).

The brutal head wind was beautifully broken by Slim and the big boys in front. Riding 60 of his cumulative 100 miles this season at the Lake Ripley Ride two days before, Slim seemed to reach an immediate peak level of fitness and grew stronger as the night went on. Vilker and Skipper, who had also made big waves at the Lake Ripley Ride, did not. Low on quad reserve power, Vilks serpentined up the formidable Table Bluff climb. Disgusted with himself, he turned back half way up to start again. Quad power wasn’t the only force to dwindle. The wind died down completely, offering no assistance to Skipper riding home solo on his gravel sled. Slim was two burritos into his recovery when Skipper rolled in. Better than a burrito, Skipper had a great attitude and an extra Untitled Art beer for BrickO.

Vilks was on board with Skipper’s post-draft attitude, and celebrated of his Table Bluff unintentional hill repeats with a bourbon. The credit for that brilliant idea goes to Billy Boy, who made a post-ride and birthday week appearance. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO BILLY BOY AND COACH ARMS!

A few shout outs to some weekend warriors. Cujo took first place in the 24 hour solo category at the Washington Island Ultra Triathlon, completing 17 triathlons, plus an extra swim. The runner up finished 16 triathlons, plus 3 extra swims. Who let the dog out? She’s frothing at the mouth to compete this Saturday in Milwaukee for Age Group National Championships along with Keez. GOOD LUCK, DRAFTERS!

Far from a race, 16 Drafters participated in the Lake Ripley Ride for JDRF. Congrats to the Monster Family for completing the event with 3 generations of women (well, the third generation being 4 weeks and 2 years old, but you get the idea). E$ provided the horse power to carry the sleigh. There was a Pres and Walton sighting! Squeak arrived early to swim, biked 20 extra miles and then went running in preparation for her upcoming Ironman. There were signs that Duchess and Sandlot were looking dang good. Pit Stop completed the last stage of the Tour de Dane Femmes, earning the yellow jersey. Coach Arms rode twice in the same week without Mom guilt, not a small feat. Slim tripled his total miles for the year. Skipper found the spare key to Footer’s cabin and hosted fun in the sun with Z Wrecks and Octane, who was perhaps more wet in his jersey than standing in the lake in his swim trunks. The Monster Family provided cookies and raspberry tart for everyone, and then an extra plate for Vilks.

And Nemo secured her Silver Jersey by completing the Trek 100 Ride for Hope.

Looking to join the Drafters for another Saturday of fun filled riding? You can still register for the Dairyland Dare. Prefer not to draft? Dare to volunteer!

FOR SALE: if you are looking for tubular wheel sets, here is a lead on HED Stinger 5/7 ($800) and 3/3 ($700) and Zipp Sub 9 disc ($900), OBO.

The route for Monday August 8th will be 34.5 miles BACK IN BLACK. Short Pour option of 25 miles is to follow the route to the intersection of Lodi-Springfield & Black Hill and do a U-Turn, skipping the hellacious climb and northern loop.

RidewithGPS link to Back In Black

PDF Cue sheet

Draft responsibly,

BrickO

The Tour de France Femmes was an extraordinary event, held the first time in 33 years. In order to support these incredible women throughout 8 stages in their pursuit of watts, teamwork, integrity, podium finishes and putting women’s cycling on the map, the Drafters held a Tour de Dane Femmes.

The mission was simple: encourage women to pedal, support local bike groups, bike shops and worthy causes, instill the spirit of racing with time trial and mountain stages, and have FUN while drafting responsibly. In that, we enjoyed tremendous success.

In order to earn the YELLOW JERSEY, a rider had to meet the following criteria: 1) complete 3 of 5 organized events including the N+1 50 mile ride, BrickO’s Drafters Monday ride, Wheel and Sprocket Women on Wheels ride, Lake Ripley Ride for JDRF or the Trek 100 Ride for Hope; complete the 2) Mountain Stage, and 3) Time Trial Stage, with a finisher photo at Crossroads Coffeehouse.

Just like the professional racers in the Tour de France Femmes, these women had to overcome mechanical issues, road obstacles and unanticipated barriers to success.

Dan-yelly, with the support of her hubby, Tobacco City Boy, left him in charge of their three children to fearlessly climb Cleveland and Deer Run for a shot at the Polka Dot jersey. A dropped and trapped chain would have been the end for most Femmes, but not this Drafter. With a rapid fire GroupMe message, the Drafters were quick to respond. Unfortunately, Amazon Prime was unable to guarantee same day delivery in the mountains, but the link for Wolf Tooth Pack Pliers was not unappreciated. Wheel and Sprocket was able to remedy the mechanical failure and get Dan-yelly back on the road to finish the stage, although not claim the podium.

Not all of the Drafter Femmes were able to be in Dane for the race. And yet, their spirit was in full force. Belle organized the union of BrickO’s Drafters and the Stonefield Wheelmen and the support of N+1 to host a 50 mile ride to kick off the first stage of the Tour de Dane before she headed out of the county (and state).

While Belle was out of state, Thing One was out of the country doing the Tour de South Africa. From another continent, and without WiFi, T1 still supported the Tour de Dane.

Other Drafters had competing races on their schedule. Cujo was tapering at the Drafter ride on Monday (leading the B team) for her Washington Island Ultra Triathlon, where she completed 17 triathlons, plus an extra swim lap for good measure. Cujo turned in the most miles during the Tour de Dane at 312.

Cookie Monster provided fuel for her fellow Drafter Femmes at the Lake Ripley Ride. She had her hands too full to complete all of the stages of the Tour de Dane, but she provided enough cookies and raspberry tarts for everyone to race for a month. Cookie Monster is the first women in the history of cycling to complete a stage with her mother and daughters.

Motherhood is one of life’s greatest gifts. And while it may limit time on the bike, it makes the time we are able to spend on the bike another one of life’s greatest gifts. Coach Arms was able to squeeze in the Lake Ripley Ride and the Mountain Stage between recruiting trips for the University of Wisconsin Women’s Hockey Team and life as a mother of two beautiful Femmes. Coach Arms has quads that are polka dot jersey worthy, but an unfortunate timing for chip sealing Deer Run Rd had her slightly off route and pace. The win isn’t always rewarded with a podium. There is no coming down from a win like this one.

The polka dot jersey was worn by the same Drafter for the entire tour. Columbus knows her way up a mountain her roar could be heard for miles.

The green jersey changed… hands (?) several times throughout the Tour de Dane. Squeak laid claim to the sprinter jersey in Stage 8, acing out Nemo by 0.32 seconds. Nemo didn’t leave the tour without a jersey, however. The Drafter Tour de Dane awards a silver jersey to the most mature cyclist. After a stage win in the Tour de France Femmes, Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar), age 39, credited her victory over younger riders to more time in the saddle. Annemiek went on to win more than just a stage. Age isn’t always our enemy.

Squeak entered the Drafter Tour de Dane as part of her training for Ironman Wisconsin. After coming off a 70.3 in Finland, Squeak was in prime condition to claim yellow but decided to split her efforts between swimming, cycling and running. She arrived early to the Lake Ripley Ride to get in some laps, rode an extra 20 miles after completing the metric century, and then ran out the rest of her glucose stores. That was on Stage 7. For the final stage, she awoke to run 15 miles before claiming the green jersey and coming close to dethroning Columbus from Queen of the Mountain. And then she went mountain biking.

The winner of the 2022 Drafter Tour de Dane Femmes completed all 5 stages ON THE ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY of her bike accident, which left her unable to walk for many weeks. An inspiration for women’s cycling and for life, congratulations to Pit Stop on earning the YELLOW JERSEY. She might ride with the B team on Monday nights, but she is part of the A Medical Team (Nitro, Pit Stop and Squeak) and the epitome of integrity, grit and strength.

There is one more jersey to be awarded. And that goes to the Tour de Dane Drafter who embodies the spirit of support even when they aren’t pulling their teammates to the podium. The vote for the Drafter Excellence Award was unanimous, and the fact that it was a committee of one shouldn’t take away from that. Congratulations, Sandlot. She volunteers on her day off from the clinic, where she also received the Nurse Excellence Award, to ride sweep for the W&S Women on Wheels ride, and provides clever and positive feedback for her teammates on nearly every Strava post throughout the tour. Coming off a serious knee injury, she has been working hard to add miles in the saddle and finished the 40 mile Lake Ripley Ride without the slightest hint of fatigue. She is the sunshine on a cloudy day.

Congratulations to all of the Drafter for participating and contributing in so many ways to the first annual Tour de Dane Femmes. And thank you to our sponsors at Online Cycling Gear for their generous donation of the podium jerseys. Please use code 20%brickson for all future purchases. And thank you to Hincapie Sportswear for the stunning kits that keep all Drafters in a green jersey. Use code SBRICKSON for 20% all non-custom orders.

Draft responsibly,

BrickO

Stage 1 of the Tour de Danes was a tribute to teamwork. Belle organized the joint effort of two Middleton teams, the Drafters and Stonefield Wheelmen, who worked together on Sunday to dominate the stage. Thank you to the N + 1 cafe for hosting!

Stage 2 of the Drafter Tour de Femmes was action packed, minus any wheel touches or crashes. 29 cyclists, including 3 new riders on the tour, lined up for what might have been the most glorious day in Tour de Dane history. Low heat and humidity, a gentle breeze blowing and protective cloud cover provided perfect conditions as the Drafters pedaled over some of the most gorgeous rolling terrain in Dane County.

The winners were decided before the stage began. Three generations of the Monster Family swept the podium.

A chase group of 13 Drafters, including first time tour riders, Sherpa and Pepe, set out to catch the breakaway group, a 15 min gap created by Duracell, Dan-yelly and Ditch.

Sherpa carried the Drafters up every hill, earning the polka dot jersey. Pepe carried the group past an inordinate number of odiferous road kill obstacles, weaving through the carnage as he bravely inhaled to minimize the collateral olfactory damage to his teammates. Nitro, usually in charge of noxious gas, was relegated to Lantern Rouge after accumulating 90 miles in the past 2 days. Her warm up for the tour may be considered excessive by some. Squeak gave it all she had, but her legs had just come off of turning 40 and finishing a 70.3 in Finland earlier this month. Cujo sprinted down the flat stretch of road along Crystal Lake, catching the dynamic duo and earning the green jersey. This was a huge sacrifice for her team, as she is cutting the tour short to race the Washington Island Ultra this coming Friday.

Keez made her 2022 Tour debut after switching teams from Iowa State to University of Wisco. The Drafters are happy to have her back home.

Huge thanks to Online Cycling Gear for donating the green and polka dot jersey to the winners of the Tour de Dane Femmes. The yellow jersey won’t be yellow at all, but rather a Hincapie Drafter jersey.

If you would like a jersey but don’t think you will be top on the podium, the Hincapie Store Link is open through the tour, closing Sunday July 31 at midnight. All non-custom Hincapie gear is 20% off with code SBRICKSON.

The Tour de Dane Femmes also awards a silver jersey. Similar to the white jersey which recognizes the top young rider, the silver jersey awards the strongest rider with the most years. Pending birth certificate verification and testing for PES (performance enhancing sunscreen), which apparently leaves skin flawless for decades. Congratulations, Nemo! You’ve inspired every single woman in the peloton put on sun screen and pedal harder.

A dozen members of the peloton had a 30 minute gap to the chase group. Sarge led the troops out Pheasant Branch, until UPH (unidentified pot hole) caused a rapid ejection of her fuel tank. Forging ahead, Sarge completed the stage without water, retrieving her water bottle on the last few meters of the Avenue des Champs-Pheasant Branch. Slim, making his 2022 Tour de Dane debut, moved up the ranks and assumed command alongside Vintage. Not having pedaled all summer beyond a 3 mile commute to work, Slim had fresh legs. The same could not be said for Vintage, who seem unscathed by his 50 mile gravel bike pre-stage warm up.

The breakaway, chase group and peloton all finished with a beer and a smile.

The next televised stage will be Wednesday, July 27th at 5PM from Wheel and Sprocket for the Women on Wheels event. And don’t miss the Lake Ripley Ride on Saturday, July 30th.

OFFICIAL RULES OF ENGAGEMENT AMENDMENT: The sprint for the green jersey and climb for the polka dot jersey will not be televised, as Tour de Femmes riders can complete those two stages anytime before Sunday July 31st. Individual stages and total miles for the yellow jersey must be submitted in one document by Sunday July 31st at midnight. The Tour de Dane Femmes committee convened earlier this week to modify the original stipulations set forth for earning the yellow jersey: a Femme Drafter is not restricted to completing the original 3 stages (Monday Draft, Wednesday W&S and Sat Lake Ripley Ride) in order to be in considered for the yellow jersey. Riders may substitute the N+1 Stage, or the Trek 100 on Saturday. Non femme riders are not eligible for the podium prizes, but their support of the Tour de Dane Femmes will not go unrecognized.

The post-tour ride on Monday August 1 will take us through the scenic 36 mile Spring Valley loop. A short pour 27 miler option is to cut off onto Pine Road (just before marker 15 on the map below) from Spring Valley, joining back onto KP (left turn).

RidewithGPS link Spring Valley

PDF cue sheet Spring Valley Loop

PDF cue sheet Pine Loop Short Pour

Draft responsibly,

BrickO

Time to turn up the volume on the Tour de France Femmes Let’s kick this off with a group ride from N+1 Café in Verona at 7AM Sunday, July 24. Belle is leading out the first stage, details to follow.

This is an exciting opportunity for the Drafters to support women’s professional cycling, encourage riders of all levels to enjoy this magnificent sport, and give back to our community.

The Drafters will be hosting a Tour de Dane challenge to meet those objectives and fulfill our mission as stewards of the sport.

Rules of Engagement: In order to participate, you need a bike and some reliable means to record your rides, preferably to Strava.  Please join the BrickO’s Drafters group to make it easier to track the Tour de Dane (https://www.strava.com/clubs/BrickOsDrafters).  You can go old school and send a screenshot of your data from Garmin or Wahoo.  Everyone is encouraged to participate, but only Femme riders are eligible for prizes (trophies, jerseys, or whatever non-cash prizes are available).

While there are 8 stages in the Tour de France Femme, the Tour de Dane Femme will host 5.

1. Monday July 25: Drafter Ride Crystal Clear (RidewithGPS link) 5 and 5:30PM
2. Wednesday July 27: Wheel and Sprocket Women on Wheels Ride 5PM (sorry, women only for this one). This is part of the Drafter mission- to support and encourage Women on Wheels, at all levels and abilities. (RidewithGPS link).
3. Saturday July 30: Lake Ripley Ride, register for the 18-, 40- or 62-mile route with BrickO’s Drafters. 50% of all proceeds will be donated to JDRF.  There will likely be swimming and adult beverages afterwards.

The other two stages can be completed anytime between the start and end of the Tour de France Femmes: July 24-31.

• Green jersey: The fastest time for an individual time trial (no drafting) on KP from Bourbon Rd in Cross Plains to Page Ln in Black Earth and back to Bourbon Rd (RidewithGPS link). The submission must also include photo evidence an espresso, coffee or other honorary French drink being consumed at Crossroads Coffee on Main St, open 6AM to 3PM. Photo does not need to coincide with the TT for those with work conflicts.
• Polka dot jersey: The fastest total time from Low Rd and Twin Valley Rd in Middleton, to the top of Deer Run Rd, around the cul de sac counter clockwise, and back up Cleveland Rd to the intersection of Old Sauk Pass (RidewithGPS link).

Yellow Jersey: a free Drafter jersey from Hincapie Sportswear will be awarded to the Femme cyclist who completes all 5 stages and accumulates the MOST miles (trainer miles count) over the course of the tour.  So much for rest days!

Prizes for GC and stage winners will be delayed several weeks after the Tour de Dane as names and sizes of the crowned Femmes will be required for production!

Draft responsibly,

BrickO

RECORD BREAKING ATTENDANCE, any way you count it. 30 Drafters went to Church at roughly the same time, with 3 more attending separate services. The Draft started early on with Thing 1 knock knock knocking on heaven’s door before heading out for vacation.

Tick Tock and Sarge were also in the air, landing too late to make the official departure, but were sighted on KP drafting responsibly.

The C for Can Do team was suited up and ready to rock early. Dan-yelly was still buzzing from her finish at the Door Country Triathlon. Her last swim was two years and two children ago, so she was thrilled to have completed with event without water wings. So thrilled in fact, that she decided to keep her race number on in case she races again within the next two years. Hopefully, #253 will still be appropriate. “What I can do once, I can do again.”

Pipes was able to fit into her Drafter shorts, no small feat after being stung by a staph infected bee last Monday. Her quad was nearly the size of Cannibal’s hind quarters and required antibiotics to normalize.

Charlotte delayed her move to NC for one more Drafter ride, a little warm up for her 70.3 on Saturday. Belle, recovered from her 200 Unbound Gravel feat, was back in the saddle, flashing her ring bling and 10th anniversary jersey (thanks for supporting the Draft).

The B for Bad Ass team had a strong showing. T-Bone staked out his first 2022 ride, also sporting his 10th anniversary kit (thanks for supporting the Draft).

Z Wrecks and T-Bone beefed up and rode the full 40, while the remainder of the B Team confessed to skipping Blue Mounds Trail and proceeding directly to Church.

The A Team started with a dozen and picked up two more in Cross Plains, Super Q and a newbie, Taquito.

Elton John’s Bitch is Back and the Drafter’s Bomber is Back.

Bomber, Bomber, oh, the Bomber is back
Stone-cold healthy as a matter of fact
He can climb, he can pull ’cause he’s stronger than you
It’s the way that he moves, the things that he do, oh-oh-oh

He’s the bomber, he’s the bomber, oh, the Bomber is back
Stone-cold healthy, as a matter of fact
He can climb, he can pull ’cause he’s stronger than you
It’s the way that he moves, the things that he do, oh-oh-oh Bomber, bomber, bomber is back

Bomber, bomber, bomber is back
Bomber, bomber, bomber is back
Bomber, bomber, bomber is back
Bomber, bomber, bomber is back
Bomber, bomber, bomber is back
Bomber, bomber, bomber is back
Bomber, bomber, bomber is back

Watching Granny and Super Q climb was a heavenly experience. The Drafter handle committee is in session, voting on a name change from Granny to GrrAnimal. She’s the wolf disguised as Granny, innocently riding an ancient heavy bike with a single water bottle, waiting to swallow you up. The Drafters are pitching in to buy Granny a second water bottle cage, made of lead, to keep the wolf at bay. Nobody complained when she requested to stop at the church to refill her single water bottle. Everyone welcomed a breather.

While we are giving thanks and praise, Cannibal brought back (several times) the Drafters who would have otherwise been lost and forgotten. And Kirk earned the Blurple Heart award for coming back on Schneider to pick up BrickO and Granny and other lost souls too numerous to be listed. These Drafters were exemplary drafters, following the code, despite tired legs from the Platteville Road Race on Saturday.

Vintage floated the idea of stopping at Quik Trip for Slushies. This was a Drafter first, and certainly won’t be the last. Def Leppard’s “pour some sugar on me” was the theme song. With that incentive, the pace line to KP was fast and furious. Granny went nuts and took her first pull. Too bad Squirrel missed the nuts action. Super Q took a big pull, and BrickO had the misfortune of being next in line, mustering up all the watts she could and still couldn’t compete with those quads. My what beautiful quads you have, Super Q. The Drafters took the travel time to Quik Trip literally.

The sugar high gave way to more substantial recovery beverages. And to birthday song for Badger.

Not all Drafters went to Church on Monday. Cookie Monster and Co did some session-ing in the driveway.

CHAMOIS SHAME: none for this Drafter.

Chamois are encouraged for the Dirty Drafters. Shred responsibly.

There were Drafter sightings as far as McKee farms for the Dane County Boys and Girls Ride on Saturday and the W&S roll on Sunday. Huge thanks to Sandlot for rolling on that urban adventure, and for her weekly support of the Wednesday W&S Women on Wheels rides.

And way up nort’ in Minnesota, Coach Arms was representing the Draft.

The route for Monday 25 is Crystal Clear.

RidewithGPS link to Crystal Clear

PDF cue sheet

Remember to tune in this Sunday for the Tour de France Femmes! Prizes will be awarded for the best photo submission of yourself IN DRAFTER GEAR WATCHING THE TOUR.

Draft responsibly,
BrickO

Recon for the Pleasant Getting Old route (named for Pleasant Valley Rd and Old Indian Tr) proved fruitful. The 40 mile route for July 18 is mostly void of chip seal. There is a 3/10 mile section on KP just before the turn onto Moen Valley with a sign that notes gravel, but there was none. Blue Mounds Trail was chip sealed in mid-June, and there is still a bit of loose stuff in between the tire tracks, but the road is firm if you stay in the lane. Use CAUTION approaching the stop sign where Blue Mounds Trail and Pleasant Valley Rd meet. The gravel is piled up at that intersection.

If you are nervous about riding Blue Mounds Trail, or would like to knock off 10 miles, please confess using the Back Door to Church. This route includes all the same roads as the full strength route, with the exception of the loop on Blue Mounds Trail.

RidewithGPS link to Sneaking in the Back Door to Church

PDF cue sheet

Congrats to K2 on her summit. She claimed 1st place female at the Summit700!

Hope to see many of you on Saturday at the Boys and Girls ride.

Draft responsbily,

BrickO

“Two hills my gluteus maximus!” Perhaps that hill count was misleading, Gopher? Two hills not yet pedaled this season may have been a more accurate description for the Rockin to Roxbury route. 2400 feet of climbing over two hills would have been par for the Tour de France, and suitable for our polka dot jersey rider, LuLu. It is no coincidence that Gopher chose gluteus maximus as the title for his Strava post, as butts were the hot topic of conversation, in a purely physiological sense. There is no butt shaming allowed, though marginalized butts observations (Vilker) are fair game. The metric was less about W/kg and more about W/glute. Power from the backside is a thing of beauty, and the main reason that skinny jeans should be banished.

A sole Drafter broke away from the peloton (left an hour early) and rocked Roxbury without being caught. Dan-yelly will look stunning in the yellow jersey.

The B for Bad Ass team had full roster. Midas showed up thinking this was the JV team, but soon realized this group is anything “butt”. Pipes came prepared with two pairs of glasses: one to block the sun and the other to read the map. This is a dramatic improvement from a few years back when she forgot her glasses, water bottle and front wheel. Nitro came equipped with a medical kit full of anti-bonk remedies. Medical records are HIPAA protected, but all suspect that Pipes finished the Draft thanks to our staff anesthesiologist.

The A team (this could go so many ways with the butt theme and B standing for Bad Ass, but let’s keep it clean) had a slower start with Skipper coming in hot (who knew you could do a tail whip on a road bike?) and without water bottles. Vilks, leaving no Drafter dehydrated, scrambled into the house to fill up Skipper’s borrowed bottles (hence missing from the starting line up photo), leaving his sunglasses by the sink and spending another few minutes hunting the down. He should have taken a page out of Pipes’ book and brought two pair.

Vilks, BrickO, LuLu and Skipper were late out of the gate. Following the Drafter code, the A Team soft pedaled until the foursome caught up before the ascent to Ashton. To be clear, that ascent was not one of the two hills on the tour.

Despite the blue skies, Booker J’s new bike was rumbling like angry thunder. “I had the chain waxed two years ago”, says the man who still has the screen sticker still on his Garmin so that the same faux data appears every ride.

Dunlap Hollow was one of the two formidable hills on the route. Skipper captured the anticipation of the Drafters rounding the bend, and the agony of the climb.

With 10 miles left to go, both Drafter groups merged and came to rest before the final climb on Woodland (nope, not one of the two advertised climbs), ironically at the cemetery.

The post-draft draft was wonderfully void of Strava segment downloads, although we were all in awe of the purple heat Blurple rained down on Hwy V for Victory. Vintage was in hot pursuit, but clearly his leg hair hygiene game was off (compounded by his post-WORS race legs from Sunday).

Granny, our dermatologist on call, has been kept busy with all sorts of Drafter skin and hair issues. While helping BrickO keep hers from falling out, Vintage has solicited her help in having his legs achieve the same smoothness as Vilker’s. Smooth legs may be Vilker’s jam, but his “paramecium” is growing, along with his mustache envy.

Cycling Events: Hope to see many of you this Saturday for the Boys and Girls Club ride from McKee Farms. Sign up for the BrickO’s Drafters team, which gets you nothing in the way of swag, but tons in the way of camaraderie. The Drafters also have a team lined up for The Lake Ripley Ride on Saturday, July 30. There are rumors of a party to follow at an undisclosed cabin location on the lake.

The Dirty Draft hasn’t had much traction with organized rides, but it is great to see so many Drafters getting dirty. And Vintage is shredding the WORS series!

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS this week to Speedy and Special K! And happy BIRTH to E$ and Cookie Monster as they welcome our newest Drafter.

The July 18 route is tentatively Pleasant Getting Old, a 40 mile tour of the west. Wheels up with water bottles filled and sunglasses (and readers, if needed) secured at 5:30PM. It will require recon as some of the roads were chip sealed a few weeks ago. Check GroupMe for updates should the route need to be rerouted. 5PM SHORT POUR: knock off the most westerly loop, which is ~8 miles. Stay on JJ, skipping the right turn onto Blue Mounds Trail (the road in question for chip seal), and returning on Vermont Church Rd.

RidewithGPS link to Pleasant Getting Old

Cue sheet PDF

Draft responsibly,
BrickO

Editor’s note: there was a grave reporting error in last week’s Drafter statistics. Columbus and Daisy rode the short pour, and were inadvertently missed during the head count. The tally has been corrected to reflect a RECORD HIGH 31 DRAFTERS!

The Garden Party attendance bloomed at 28. A good day to climb, and climb we did. 2000ish feet over 29 miles, including the Beast of Barlow. Slow Cow drafted alone in the late afternoon, sending periodic updates from the course, which also served as proof of existence!

Fresh from their wedding reception, LuLu and Columbus along with bridal party members Gopher and Daisy vowed to draft responsibly.

The B for Bad A** group was mighty. Apparently, garden drinks are an inspiration. Helios made his first drafting appearance since enlisting in 2020. Knievel, recovered from his last stunt, also reenlisted.

Coach Arms even took a break from the rink to cool off with a garden drink. Nitro, who had not yet met the hockey phenom was gassed, “Wow, I figured you must be Coach Arms. I would love to put a 14 gauge IV into those veins.” The things anesthesiologists get excited about…..

The A Team was also in full force. BrickO and Z Wrecks feigned Garmin route upload failure, part of their ploy to keep the group together, knowing the brutal climbs would keep em’ separated.

Par for the Drafter course, Booker J came in hot to the start.

The Hincapie jersey of choice was clearly beer and sprocket. It was awesome to see the train of green leave the station in single file, drafting responsibly. Well done, Drafters.

The drafting stopped and survival mode started at the bottom of Barlow. She’s a beast.

But Barlow was no match for Granny and Cujo, who hammered to the top, while Z Wrecks claimed the KOM for descending with the most G (or Z) forces.

No good deed goes unrewarded. After drafting responsibly, the Drafters were treated to Garden Drinks, mostly arugula with a little bit of gin. The recovery drink of champions. Gatorade , HEED, LMT and Skratch are all scrambling to uncover the formula.

Without Strava segments to distract the Drafters, they focused their efforts on consuming the Garden Drinks in record time. Cannibal had to make a second batch to keep the Drafters recovering responsibly.

Age Group notifications: Happy Birthday to Flash and LuLu. May the force be with you and your VO2max. The Birthday Fairies are considering some special gifts. For LuLu, a new “more senior” Drafter handle, Kid Tron. Flash has been noting some equipment failure during high speed chases, and a new battery pack for her superhero outfit has been ordered from Amazon. It is on backorder.

Octane baked a batch of brownies, which were accented nicely with chocolate chip cookies and oatmeal bars made by the hosts (thank you, Cannibal and Jen). BrickO brought candles for his next birthday (bad math, good intention).

It was a weekend filled with Drafter cycling extravaganzas. Congratulations to Vintage on his performance at the WORS Red Barn Classic. Turns out Vintage can bring home the bacon and fry it up in a pan.

The Fitchburg Festival of Speed with never ever ever let Cannibal forget he’s the man.

In triathlon news, Flash made a splash in Benton Harbor at the Steelhead 70.3. Keez found her way to the podium at the Ames Triathlon. Well done!

Not quite race pace, these Drafters worked to bring a Sunday Funday community ride to Middleton. Check out Wheel and Sprocket no drop rides on Sunday at 9AM.

A round of applause for our Drafter of the Month, SANDLOT. Recovering from a ski accident has kept her from pushing hard on the bike. But she brings her experience and enthusiasm every Wednesday to help guide the W&S Women on Wheels rides. And that is after a long day of delivering compassionate and competent patient care. Sandlot is the recipient of the 2022 Nurse Excellence Award. You’re killing me, Smalls.

Since we have a week off for the July 4th holiday, legs should be well rested and ready to rock to Roxbury. This is an ambitious 42 mile excursion with some extraordinary roads and climbs, including Dunlap Hollow. The shorter pour option is to skip the turn onto Katzenbuechel Rd (mile 15) and stay on KP all the way to County Road V, turning right. This will remove ~5 miles and lots of elevation.

The Archies song “Sugar Sugar” may be playing in your head as you climb, with some modified lyrics.

Dunalp
Oh, hollow, hollow
You are my climbin’ hill
And you got me wanting you

And you got me f- wanting you
When I climbed you, hill
I knew how sweet a watt could be

RidewithGPS link to Roxbury (Dunlap Hollow)

Draft responsibly,

BrickO

Near record high June temperatures brought about a near record number of 29 Drafters, including 3 newbies. There were some tired legs post- Horribly Hilly Hundreds, accompanied by big smiles. One big smile made the cover photo of the HHH. Welcome to the Draft, GQ.

Our other two newbies are well trained to take care of all your pain needs. Recruited by Pit Stop and Duchess, we now have two anesthesiologists who will monitor your vitals during the Draft and recommend the perfect post-ride cocktail to minimize your pain. Sadly, one of them will be drafting soon from NC. Welcome Charlotte and Nitro. More gas, please.

The B for Bad A** team had an excellent showing. 16 Drafters blasted into the furnace. Speedy came in hot, forgetting her helmet but remembering her cooler with post-draft beverages. Loose Screw jumped a flight from Montana, stopped home for a change into Drafter gear and pulled up on the tarmac ready to ride, with fly fishing lure still in hand. Gopher was running a bit lean after the HHH, hoping not to run out of fuel completely. He had his foot on the pedal, eager to arrive home before Badger to celebrate their wedding anniversary. Late to that party would be a big hole to dig, Gopher. Swimming in the humidity, the B Team found Nemo and also discovered Busch Latte at Riley Tavern, drafting responsibly.

The A team had a respectable showing of 13. The ground rules for proper drafting etiquette were reviewed (see incriminating evidence from previous draft). The team improved, but still has a ways to go to meet Drafter Code. Squirrel took to heart the warning not to cross the center line. Riding so far to the right, Squirrel ended up on the gravel shoulder. Just once. No fur went missing. Our group is well received in the community (at least, I hope so). Riding more than 2 abreast on country roads and single file when cars are present is non-negotiable and the price of admission. Draft responsibly.

Vilks was pretty in pink. So pretty, the Drafters were checking his 23andMe to see how much Greek blood flowed through his veins. To the surprise of all, Vilks is 98% Pomeranian.

When the Strava hunters got ahead of the Draft, Vilks weaved back and forth in a failed track stand attempt, successfully leaving no Drafter behind as they waited for the light to turn green. Karma is real. A few miles later, Vilks dropped a chain and Midas didn’t lose her touch, calling for backup. Vintage circled back to pick up the Pomeranian in Pink.

Han Solo was the only solo fired up this week. There was no need to stoke the solo stove in 96 degree weather. There was, however, a call for some serious rehydration.

WEEKEND REVIEW: Congrats to LuLu, Skipper, Gopher, Z Wrecks and Booker J who participated in the Horribly Hilly Hundreds on Saturday. The HHH is usually a Sufferfest, but thanks to Mother Nature allowing for a 75 degree day with negligible humidity and wind and superb support by Race Day Events, those 10,000 feet of climb over 127 miles didn’t require anesthetization. A shout out to Zach at Blue Mounds Bicycle Works for opening his shop at 6:30AM and supplying Gopher with a SRAM battery, which he forgot at home on his countertop. To his credit, it was fully charged.

As with all endurance events, smiles and ATPs are plentiful in the beginning.

And then, as Skipper’s socks and Gopher’s hand gesture indicate, things go south.

But all is well that ends well.

Looks like the Drafters have GQ on the front cover and LuLu on the Strava podium. Or, he would have been on the podium had he not waited for his teammates at the the rest stops. Humble warrior that he is, LuLu said, “Ha! That number wouldn’t motivate me. I am stoked about the ride we had– wouldn’t change a single moment.” And THAT what we love about the Drafter Family. Strava certainly has a place in cycling, as does Drafting together. Keep it real.

Not all Drafters were on two wheels. Footer took the crown at her first Barefoot Competition since 1999. Baby got back.

Not all wins are athletic. Congrats to the Dark Knight on leading the UW Dept of Orthopedics Research Draft.

CHAMOIS SHARE: Booker J overheard some female Drafters talking about discomfort of their lady parts while riding. “I KNEW it! I KNEW it! Girls talk about their parts, too.” Oh, Booker J. So much to learn. This revelation prompted him to share a chamois story. “When I first started cycling, nobody told me not to wear underwear under by cycling shorts. I kept waiting to hear other guys complaining about their guy parts, cuz mine were all chaffed and irritated. Finally, somebody told me to lose the underwear.” So much to learn.

The ride on June 27 will be hosted by Cannibal and will start from Woodhill Circle in Verona. Check GroupMe for an address. We will celebrate Cannibal’s BIRTHDAY with Garden Drinks afterwards. Aprons are optional.

RidewithGPS link to Cannibal’s Garden Party

There will be no Draft on Monday July 4.

Draft responsibly,

BrickO

Mother Nature sure knows how to throw a party. Gale force winds and heavy rains swept through Dane County, forcing the 4:30 B team to succumb. By 5:30, the skies and roads were clear and dry, respectively, although the same could not be said for Skipper’s driveway.

Octane provided the inspiration for the Drafters to come out of their storm cellars and ride in solidarity.

Almost. The C team was created for those riders recovering from Covid and not yet on their A game.

Comet and Midas came in hot at 5:30, but were unable to park in the driveway as Booker J took up all 3 stalls, redefining his limits using his VIP Tarmac pass.

Casually exiting his vehicle, jaws dropped as he unloaded his new Specialized Tarmac with added rotational torque. Booker J no longer needs his small chainring, apparently. Or perhaps the electronic shifting manual has yet to be reviewed? Granny is eagerly awaiting the arrival of her Specialized Tarmac, outfitted with lead water bottle cages to keep her from winning all the QOMs.

Everyone opted for the extra mileage on Lodi Springfield Rd, a 3 mile out and back with stunning views of the Lodi Marsh. The marks for creativity were slightly impacted by the required U turn. The Drafter cartographer has been notified. Expect a figure 8 in 2023.

Hit-the- Wall made his debut and a resolution to not hit the wall in 2022. Hanging with the group until Dane, he assessed his metabolic state and made the mature decision to turn back for Octane’s brownies.

There were also some signs of not drafting responsibly. A gentle reminder that we need to be respectful of our place on the road. It was wonderful to have a chill ride as a single group, but we need to socialize with no more than two riders abreast at all times and do not cross the center line (exception can be made for snot rockets).

CONGRATULATIONS

We have another Drafter couple soon to be on the alter. Congrats to Bomber and Belle on their engagement. They both are ready to say “I do” to another dirty gravel adventure, the Lutsen 99er.

Congrats to Vintage on his Bronze Age Group finish at WORS!

Congrats to some of the Drafter XXers for completing the weekend challenge: 2 Kokoro yoga sessions, 2 MTB rides, 30 mile road ride, 1 sazerac and 1 maiden voyage Lake Lounger cruise without bodily harm. All activities were fully fueled by cookies from Cookie Monster.

Congrats to Sandlot and Duchess on drafting responsibly to church. It doesn’t appear to be Vermont Church, as indicated on the route sheet, but this is a freedom we support.

Congrats to Sully for inspiring another group of women to cycle, including the better halves of Billy Boy, Loose Screw and Queenie. Sharing a post ride draft with these women was a hoot. Billy Boy’s wife has a code phrase for “leave me alone”, which is “I find myself most fascinating”, right up there with Amelia Earhart. While discussing the logistics of changing a flat tire, Loose Screw’s wife pointed out that calling an Uber is a viable option. Welcome to the Draft, Earhart and Uber. The Drafter mission is to include women spanning at LEAST 5 decades to draft on Monday nights. We have achieved that for men, but it is time for Title Nine to come to the Draft.

CHAMOIS SHARE: This week’s column on chamois shame is one near and dear to my… parts. In the early days of Ironman triathlon, tri suits did not exist (one-piece suits with a minimal chamois that doesn’t act like a diaper in the water, provides sufficient protection during the bike, and minimizes saggy baggy during the run). Most female triathletes in the early to mid 90s wore 2-piece Speedo swim suits. The downside: no bike chamois. The upside: easy bladder relief and easy clean up on the bike. In 1997, during the Vineman in Santa Rosa, CA, BrickO was racing with two bottles on the bike: one with water and one with Gatorade. Attention to bladder evacuation protocol was lost and Gatorade was added to the dribble, creating an interesting Wapatui concoction. A critical decision had to be made: dump the remaining bottle of water to ride sticky free, or keep the remaining water for hydration?

THE HINCAPIE STORE IS OPEN THROUGH MIDNIGHT FRIDAY JUNE 17. Orders for the 10th Anniversary kit, MTB jersey and winter jacket is now open through this Hincapie Drafter Store link. If you have an item that doesn’t fit to your specifications, there is a good chance another Drafter would take it off your hands (or back). Give a shout out on GroupMe. If you want to try before you buy, shoot me a text.

Considering the Horribly Hilly Hundreds this weekend, the route for Monday June 20 will be a relatively benign 31-mile trek south. Special K is appealing her 2021 Epic Loop case to the higher Drafter court, objecting to the lack of guidance riding around the closed loop containing Epic, the Verona based electronic medical records giant. Seems the Judge can navigate difficult decisions impacting our world, but struggles to ride in a circle. Therefore, the Epic Loop no longer subsides in this epic ride. Case closed. Next.

RidewithGPS Epic Riley Route link

Draft responsibly,

BrickO