Mother Nature pre-heated the oven. It was so thoughtful of her to help with heat acclimation for the upcoming Horribly Hilly Hundreds. She turned it up to 84 degrees, adding a little extra burn to the 2766 feet of climb. Pre-heating the oven also made for delicious pizzas awaiting the Drafters at the Creekside Scoop. On that… apologies to Twinkle Toes for being one delux pie short on the pre-order. BrickO’s math skills burned him.

27 Drafters enlisted for heat acclimation training, including two newbies and the return of Hawkeye!!!. It was exciting to his wings back in flight.

New to the flight deck, a warm welcome to Air Bourne. He has gotten dirty with the Drafters, but according to records dating back to 2018, this was his first mission on paved roads. Sherlock deduced there is no better time to enlist than immediately before the hardest mission. “When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” Welcome, Sherlock!

Not pictured but very much drafting responsibly, are Lost Boy, Squeak and Midas. Living up to his name, Lost Boy arrived promptly… in Middleton Hills. He had carefully and dutifully read the original blog post, but not the follow up mulligan post pointing out the location error. Reminder: Draft departures on the first Monday of each month will be from Creekside. Apologies, Lost Boy. Glad you found your way, eventually. Midas hasn’t lost her touch, coming in hot for her first Draft of the season on a brand new bike. Yeah for new bike day! Squeak was still in traffic when the 5 o’clock whistle blew, but wasn’t late ice cream after the draft.

There are so many drafters in the team photos, it is easy to miss the finer details. Like the MTB Slim is riding. That man has more watts than any of us know what to do with. The only thing greater than his power output is his humbleness.

The B Team put forth a “Smile Per Mile” challenge. Your Creekside Scoop Short Pour champions: Presley, Nemo, Pit Stop and Sherlock

There is something about a mother-daughter duo drafting together that is pure magic, especially when wearing matching ENVE cycling kits and pink Bontrager helmets (shameless product placement for Nemo).

They were quick to defend their non-green wardrobe selection. The dynamic duo had biked the day before in Drafter green. While Nemo thought the unwashed kit would be presentable, Sherlock reasoned otherwise after examining the olfactory evidence.

The A Team elected to engage in a team building exercise. This was not premeditated, but rather presented itself on the side of the rode when Ruby was indoctrinated into the Flat Tire Club. Who is the keeper of the plaque? While very capable of changing a flat, she was wise enough to let the boys have their fun.

Air Bourne started the team building exercise by unseating the tire, carefully extracting the debris from the tire and transferring it directly into his finger. No first aid was required. Twinkle Toes, clearly not afraid to get his hands dirty (again) took over from there. Car Wash was an excellent in his role as supervisor.

A huge shout out to the staff at Creekside Scoop for managing to feed so many hungry and thirsty Drafters. The pizzas and ice creams were just the thing to put the exclamation point on this fantastic ride. In between bites and licks, entertainment was provided by Monday Night Live, starring Speedy. When asked if this comedy show went on endlessly, Duracell assured the crowd that code word, “migraine” would be uttered as the garage door opened. Ha!

WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS

This Mother-Son duo rocked the Lake Mills Triathlon!

Tobacco City Boy and Dan-yelly hosted a different kind of triathlon. Three kids, one event.

Keez stepped up her status to Category 2 in the wild world of bike racing. Congrats on her podium finish in the Concordia Crit- Wisco State Championship.

These are all amazing examples of what cycling can bring to families. Sadly, I will shift gears to to illustrate what it can also bring to a mother and daughter on a Sunday ride. Keez and I were biking, single file, traveling north on Hyslop Road (irrefutably captured by GPS, see exhibit A), when a silver Chevy Silverado pickup approached us, honking the horn. There was no behavior for us to modify- we were already skinnied up as the road is narrow and the “S” curve limits visibility over the hill. As the sound of the horn drew closer, so did the vehicle, until it ran us completely off the road, with its passenger side wheels in the ditch.

The truck then came to a complete stop and the driver, with hostile body language, approached us. Being run off the road, Keez and I were no longer pedaling. I reached for my cell phone and dialed 911 and directed Keez to get the license plate, which she did.

He yelled, “You don’t own the highway.” I think he meant the road, but his driving speed did suggest highway, to be fair. Keez countered, “No, we don’t, and neither do you.” The only other exchange was him challenging us to continue “videotaping” him. And me assuring him that I was using the phone as a device to call 911, not to videotape him. As I was relaying the license plate to the 911 dispatcher, another vehicle approached, and the driver of the truck fled the scene.

The rest of the details are unpleasant, at best. Since he did not raise a fist or a gun, and since we did not fall off of our bikes, this incident did not rise to the level of a being “threatened.” An interview with the driver revealed a different story, a fairytale in which Keez and BrickO were “riding in the middle of the road” (please see exhibit A) and he “couldn’t get around”. This seems logical then, for me to call 911 and for him to flee. Sherlock, we may need to hire you to do some deductive reasoning. I was told that “both sides could do better.” While I assured the officer that on some occasions this may hold true, our riding on Sunday was not one those instances. There is absolutely NOTHING we could have done to be more safe as cyclists, or more respectful of the rules of the road and drivers on it.

Nothing about this is okay, except that Keez and I are not dead. There appears to be no legal recourse, but that doesn’t mean we are powerless. Our actions as cyclists impact other cyclists. I imagine that at some point, this pick up truck driver encountered a cyclists who had been taking their half out of the middle, and therefore assumed would be doing the same. Much like I judge pickup trucks more harshly than I do a passing Prius. I get it. Judging isn’t good, but acting on that judgement without cause is bad. As Drafter in Chief, I am so proud of our group for being good stewards of the sport. We won’t be the cyclists that cause drivers like this one to be angry and threaten the safety of other cyclists. We will not leave any Drafter behind. There is safety in numbers. It isn’t full proof, but it does give us some power over our beloved sport.

As the road becomes more dangerous for cyclists due to inattentive and road raged drivers, gravel and MTB trails provide sanctuary.

DIRTY DRAFTERS! Let’s get dirty. There is a new weekly Women’s MTB Group Ride at Blue Mound on Wed at 5:30, starting June 11. BrickO will be leading them starting in July. No, she does not have the skill to get up the more challenging trails like Overload, but there are plenty of entry level trails (Gneiss) to spend an hour or two, so come on out! Zach at Blue Mounds Bicycle Works is looking for men and women to help lead rides on other nights. Please contact him if interested.
There is a GroupMe chat for Dirty Drafters. Let BrickO know if you want to be added. Please use this to get impromptu rides going at Blackhawk, Quarry, Cam Rock, Cross Plains or any of the other parks.

Here is what’s on tap for next week, June 9. Lost Boy, we are back in Middleton Hills 🙂 Departure times 4:45 and 5PM. Short pour 26 miles, full strength 35 miles.

RidewithGPS Link: Drafters | Crystal Cat Short Pour

RidewithGPS Link: Drafters | Crystal Cat

Draft responsibly,

BrickO

Everyone Knows it’s Windy (Mulligan- route June 2 from Crossroads)

Credit to Thin LIzzy, 1976.

Guess who just got back today
Them wild-eyed boys that had been away
Haven’t changed, had much to say
But man, I still think them cats are crazy

And 26 Drafters were on tap to celebrate. 27 if you count (and we do), Gopher swinging by on his commute home to congratulate Z on reenlisting in the Draft.

To honor the return of Billy Boy, we chose the infamous “left on Johnson” route. When in doubt… climb.

A few little hiccups as the B Team lined up. Coach Arms is very competent on the ice, but a little less comfortable in 80 degree temperatures. “Suns out, guns out” is approved attire (especially with deltoids like hers), but no shoes is a problem. Fortunately, she was able to cram her size 11s into BrickO’s spare pair of shoes and made it 3 miles before her feet went numb. The A Team had their fair share of equipment failures, too, but started off strong.

The idea for departure was a good one, in theory. Avoiding Pheasant Branch by taking the bike path, as bikers might, was an honorable quest. Who would have guessed the bike path posed more of a threat? Perhaps it was the volume of cyclists that overpowered the capacity of the bike path. Regardless, this route out of town will be avoided in the future. Thanks to each and every Drafter for drafting responsibly.

The A Team broke up after some mechanical technicalities. Twinkle Toes broke his chain in Dane. Sounds like the makings of a country western song. Summoning his inner Hulk, Twinkle Toes muscled the chain back together over a 2-link gap. Octane was struggling with shifting, and decided to play bike mechanic. He moved the limit screw on Scarlet Begonia, ultimately limiting his choices of gears to the small ring. Twinkle Toes, a former bike mechanic, did not offer a remedy as he rather enjoyed the company of the “junior gearing” duo.

The big gear abled A Team Drafters said goodbye and powered on to through the historic Viaduct.

All is well that ends well. Octane and Shaq brought snacks to share. Twinkle Toes abstained for obvious reasons.

Flexibility first. Vilks and Spigot know the value of stretching. You never know when that extra hip flexor length will be required to reach the tap.

It is worth mentioning that Dan-yelly was on time AND remembered her shoes. And keys. And all the things. A truly momentous Draft for many reasons.

WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS:

The Hungry Bear in Cable, WI was well attended by Drafters from both the southern and northern chapters. Maybe not too surprising given the Men-o-Pause conditions, BrickO, Ninja and Grit all met in the porto line. Cujo, what is your secret?? Twice! It was wonderful to see our friends in the North, Momma Monster, Ninja, Belle and Bomber.

Coach Arms was featured in Brava as one of the “Game Changers”. Uh, yeah. She doesn’t just change the game of hockey. She changes the lives of every young woman on the team, for the better.

Tick Tock and Sarge brought their bikes to Iowa, but not to ride. Their trusty steeds were honored guestgs, donned with flowers , as they tied the knot! Congratulations!!

The Junior Drafter team welcomed another member. Congrats to E$ and Cookie Monster on their beautiful baby boy, who arrived already dressed in Drafter gear. Minnow Monster and Mellow Monster already have him doing laps.

Back by popular demand, the Vintage 6-pack abs and Starburst kits are available for ONE MORE WEEK. Here is the link to the Hincapie Team Store. Apologies for the bump in price. It was the only way to negotiate opening the store for Vintage kits.

ROUTES FOR MON MAY 20. There are short pour and full strength routes for Monday. Short pour is the 27 mile Pine Loop and full strength 35 mile Spring Valley. The * indicates a work around for Century Ave, but is otherwise the same as older routes. Departure times 4:45 and 5PM. There will be NO DRAFT the following Monday due to Memorial Day.

RidewithGPS link Drafters | *Pine Loop

RidewithGPS Link Drafters | *Spring Valley

Draft responsibly,

BrickO

And what better way to celebrate Herbie’s birthday with some 2434 feet if climbing and beer floats?

16 Drafters came out to play. The short pour was a popular choice for the Bad *ss Squad. Knievel and Cujo were full strength. Happy to see Drafters pick and choose their own adventures! The promise of beer floats and pizza lured Pit Stop, Presley, Grit and Slinger out for their inaugural ride for 2025.

While Presley, Shaq and Grit were dancing in their blue suede shoes, Cujo needed a little help from Watson putting hers on.

The A Team collectively had some tired legs (see below), but the sounds of any complaining was drown out by the singing of Happy Birthday to Herbie!

Here are a few action shots from our wild, wild west adventure.

Sometimes you gotta get down….

To look up.

A hill by any other name is still a hill. Forshaug. Fo’Sure. Forshit. ForUg.

A huge thanks to Katy and Abby from Crossroads Coffeehouse and Creekside Scoop for opening up the pizza oven, ice cream cooler and kegs just for the Draft! Speedy was in rare form after the ride. The Exhausted Parent (espresso and bourbon) ice cream coupled with a shot of Spotted Cow had our favorite Canasian on fire, energized by the shot of caffeine and uninhibited by the ounce of bourbon. She was eager to return home to spread 8 yards of mulch. But not until she shared a very elaborate and graphic review of the Bob Ross art with cow manure medium she had enjoyed driving to the Draft on Airport Road. The audience was captivated.

Shaq, honoring Speedy’s heritage, made Rice Krispy bars with sesame seeds. Very PC.

Montagas pizzas were devoured by the crew. Spigot made a tremendous, ensuring no pizza slice was left behind. He did, however, leave every A Team drafter behind, sprinting to be first to the Creekside Scoop.

WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS

Keez brought some tired legs, hardware and cash prize to the Draft. Crowed queen of the La Crosse Omnium, she claimed first place in the Time Trial, first place in the Road Race (also serving as the WISCO State Championship)and third place in the criterium. Congrats, Keez!

Hammer Time did just that at the Bear100 in Laona on Saturday, powering through 115 miles of mud to claim second place overall female.

The Colonel owned up to having a Man Cold (this is a real thing), opting out of the race but opted in for full support of his bride to be.

Congrats to all those who pawed their way through the mud.

Car Wash and his daughter completed a marathon together. Car Wash brought home Father of the Year award for his valor. At mile 6, his daughter begged to slow the pace to avoid vomiting. “Go ahead. You’ll feel better”, Car Wash advised.

Sometimes the greatest rides don’t come with a time chip. Thanks to Slim for building and raking MTB trails for miles of smiles.

On tap for next week… we will stick with 4:45 and 5PM departure times from Middleton Hills, with short pour and full strength options. The * indicates a slight change from leaving and returning to Middleton Hills. Due to pot holes and now the recent activity at the end of Pheasant Branch, leaving mud and muck across the road, we will be using the bike path.

Short pour. A 30 mile route skipping Viaduct.

Link to RidewithGPS Drafters | *Viaductless Short Pour

Full strength. A 39 mile route through the historic Viaduct district.

Link to RidewithGPS Drafters | *Viaduct to 100 Mile Grove

Note on Hincapie Drafter gear: the shipment landed. If you have an item that is too large or small, let BrickO know. It is typically pretty easy to find another Drafter who is looking for gear. The store can be reopened if there is enough interest in placing another order.

Draft responsibly,

BrickO

Apologies to the lovely Bill Withers for the lyrical hack.

When I wake up on a Monday, love
And the sunlight hurts my eyes
And something without warning, love
Bears heavy on my mind

Then I check the wind
And the draft’s alright with me
Just one knot or two
And I know it’s gonna be

A lovely day (lovely day, lovely day, lovely day, lovely day)
(Lovely day, lovely day, lovely day, lovely day)
A lovely day (lovely day, lovely day, lovely day, lovely day)
(Lovely day, lovely day, lovely day, lovely day)

The wind to drafter ratio was greater than 2:1. Those aren’t great odds, but 14 Drafters buckled up and got er’ done.

The B Team was Bad*ass. This was Coach Arms’ first time off the ice and one two wheels since claiming the 2025 NC women’s ice hockey national championship, defeating Ohio State 4-3 in overtime. The Badgers won their fourth national championship in six seasons and a record eighth in program history. Straight off the ice and onto recruiting for next season, Coach Arms hasn’t even taken a hot minute to enjoy a glass of wine. But she made time to Draft responsibly. Compared to the battles on the ice, 35mph winds didn’t seem much of a challenge for the Canadian Goddess.

The A Team huddled up to discuss strategy. Vilks proposed rerouting to Riley Tavern in order to suffer the nasty wind head on, right out of the gate. Reflecting on the B Team’s bold pursuit north, as the Good Fellows route dictated, shame fell over the group for considering anything else, and they drafted into submission.

Only later did Speedy, the spokesperson for the B Team, confess to a TSN Turning Point, chopping 10 miles off of the route. The route was all GOOD but no FELLOWS (that road was part of the omission). That’s what happens when two Canadian skaters are running point. Shaq defended the Canadian’s tactical decision, “We were smart AND safe.” The implication being that the A Team was safe, but not so smart.

Vilks ran a shuttle service for the A Team, continuing his pole position as MVD. He had two repeat customers: Skipper and BrickO, and two elderly ladies out for a walk in their house coats who were happy to take a ride, if he was offering.

Somewhere along the way, things got a little wet. Not enough to get anyone too excited. Except for Car Wash, who was adamant that the shower be credited to Mother Nature and not his perspiration. He has less to sweat since his retirement last week. CONGRATS, CAR WASH!!

Nobody was too proud to take the bike path home. No shelter from the wind, but at least the group escaped a few hills.

Safely back at base camp, the group retreated to the back yard for a beverage. Garmin Connect flashed a recovery warning of 66 hours. BrickO is seeking someone with software expertise to create a Garmin Readiness to Drink Beer score. Her’s would undoubtedly flash green after every ride. But never before a ride, in accordance with the draft responsibly covenant. Shaq lobbied for a Bourbon Readiness score, as apparently that applies to almost everyone.

WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS: Congrats to all the Drafters who were getting down and dirty at the Dairy Roubaix (Cujo, Herbie, Spigot, BrickO, Marco) and Driftless 100 (Twinkle Toes, JRad). Shaq was in Big Girl mode, conquering her fear of gravel, riding much of the Dairy Roubaix course with a little help from Spigot on Sunday.

Tuesday’s Highlight: Z’s back!!!

THREE IMPORTANT CHANGES FOR NEXT MONDAY, MAY 5

1. The first Monday of each month, starting May 5, we will ride from Crossroads Coffeehouse/ Creekside Scoop located at 2020 Main St, Cross Plains. There is parking behind the building, and along Bourbon Road. A huge thanks to Katy Ripp (owner) and Abby (right hand woman) for welcoming us back. Creekside Scoop doesn’t officially open on Monday nights until July, so we will have the place to ourselves. They WILL have service for the Drafters, so please be a respectful patron. The beer floats are surprisingly delicious.
2. Starting times will move to 4:45 and 5PM.
3. There will be a full strength and short pour option for rides where it makes sense, especially as we continue to increase miles. You can ride either one at 4:45 or 5PM.

This week from Creekside Coffeehouse, the full strength route is 34 miles and the short pour 24.5 miles. When in doubt, climb.

Link to RidewithGPS Drafters | Crossroads Coffeehouse

Link to RidewithGPS Drafters | Crossroads Coffeehouse Short Pour

Draft responsibly,

BrickO

The winds of change seem to be blowing. There isn’t much to do about that, except embrace what is coming. Grateful for the 6 Drafters who blew in to ride Riley.

Numbers were down in the B Team. Watson wasn’t the only one without a clue as to why. Apologies to Watson, who graciously offered not to Draft, as to adhere to the code, “No Drafter Left Behind”.

The most beautiful part of the day came around 4:45, when the sun shone and wind subsided. Grateful for those who drafted responsibly.

Wind wasn’t the only thing that eluded the A Team. Loading the course is, of course, the hardest part of drafting responsibly.

Spigot had the faucet OPEN WIDE. With his new set of road wheels, he led the entire route. And not by a little. He attributed his well fueled ride to Shaq, who brought food enough to feed a small army post-Draft.

Spigot is also responsible for the fine photography at the Horribly Hilly Hundreds clinic on Friday. Thanks to all the Drafters (Octane, Shaq, Car Wash, Spigot, Cujo) who volunteered their time and watts to supporting the 6th best single day road event in the country, according to the final results of the USA Today survey.

Madison MultiSport and the Drafters support the HHH clinic at Blue Mounds on Sat.

The route for next Monday is a 33 mile route to the north.

WINDS OF CHANGE:

DEPARTURE TIME: 4:45.

Feel free to organize amongst yourselves for a 4:30 departure.

PLEASE NOTE: due to poor road quality of Pheasant Branch, we will be taking the bike path out and back in to town. If you have this route previously loaded into your Garmin (clearly not talking to Vilks and Twinkle Toes), you may want to upload this one with the *.

RidewithGPS link: Drafters | *Good Fellows

Draft responsibly,

BrickO

Snow White was missing, but 7 Drafters heigh-ho, heigh-ho’d it’s off to High Street they goed, where they were immediately dwarfed by the wicked winds of the west.

There are few tales to tell, as conversations were muted by the defending sound of the howling wind. A tail wind on the return voyage did a fine job of boosting the average mph. All 7 Dwarfs had an important role to play. Rimshot forgot he was Bashful, busting to the front of the line to start the pull down the homestretch on Schneider Road. Hammer Time was Happy to jump on that wheel. Keez was too, until she ran out of gears (one downside to a 1x with a ferocious tailwind) and was Grumpy. BrickO was Dopey to think she wouldn’t run out of gas chasing those 3. The Colonel held as long as he could, but became Sneezy after eating so much of Hammer’s dust. Octane was a bit Sleepy off the line due a few minor mechanical inconveniences. Knievel might be a retired Doc, but there is nothing tired about him on the bike!

Bigger than our Disney ride comes this news:

Congratulations to Thing 1 on matching in Family Medicine at UW -Madison!! It will be good to keep her, Vintage and our junior drafter in the hood.

And congrats to Coach Arms (and of course, Mark Johnson and the rest of the amazing staff) and the Women’s Badger Women’s Hockey Team on their 8th National Championship. It was arguably the most exciting game ever played, barring perhaps the Miracle on Ice in 1980. The genius coaching, pure will and grit of the players to win, and remarkable talent on and off the ice made us proud to be Badgers. Go Green! And Red!

Next week we will ride the Bridge to Nowhere. Departure times 4:30 and 4:45PM. This 27.5 mile *route is slightly altered from the typical exit, as we did last week for the Pine Loop, to avoid Century Ave.

RidewithGPS Link: Drafters | *Bridge to Nowhere

Draft responsbily,

BrickO

Monday was a night of firsts.  First Draft of the season.  First 70-degree day in March. First time 23 Drafters enlisted this early in the season, a group so large, the photo had to be divided into east and west divisions.  First serious crash in the history of the Draft.  

Some reflection on that. I accept the inherent risk of riding on the road.  Each time I hear of a crash, whatever the precipitating factors and surrounding circumstances, I recognize that it could have easily been me.  In that same moment, I also enter a state of denial, pointing at those exact precipitating factors and surrounding circumstances, orchestrating my escape plan. 

The crash on Monday left no room for denial. It was a direct hit on our home and Drafter family. The wounds are still raw and painful.  Our thoughts and healing vibes go out to those involved in the crash.

Amidst the darkness, there are rays of bright (green) light to be grateful for.

1. Our tribe.  Every single Drafter stopped and rose to the occasion, rendering assistance to those down.  Nobody panicked. It is a bit foggy, but I clearly remember Herbie assessing Z Wrecks.  Duracell charging to call Speedy, who was faster than the ambulance (living up to her name once again) getting Z Wrecks o the hospital.  Keez and Slim giving the group confidence to continue the ride, clearing the scene so that Thing 1 could put her 4^th year medical skills to good use, adding triage to her resume as she awaits match day.  Nurse Shaq kept a close eye on Hawkeye, and on me, even when I didn’t think I needed it.  Marco and JRad made sure Twinkle Toes was back on his feet, with a quick bike check to ensure he was safe to dance on the pedals.  And many more who are a blur in my mind, but I know were there to help.
2. Barb Kalscheur, off duty EMT from Waunakee who stopped to render aid.  With so much of the world upside down, with lack of empathy and kindness, she restored my hope in humanity. I’ll have a card for all to sign on Monday, with a Food Fight gift card.
3. UW trauma, neuro and ortho teams, who put our men back together again.
4. The dozens and dozens of messages of support in the following hours to days, a meal train, and endless offers to help.

I’m sharing two of those dozens of messages from Drafters, as they express so eloquently what I am struggling to convey. 

“Riding is a thrill we all have a passion for, but sometimes we are so rudely reminded of the risks involved.”

Every time we get in the saddle, we accept the risks that lie ahead.  Pot holes, especially in the spring, are abundant and unpredictable. As are vehicles that don’t see us.  Please continue to draft responsibly, reminding ourselves before mounting our trusty steeds of a few basic principles of safety. To my knowledge, everyone has been following these rules and guidelines, so this is not a reprimand. Rather, it is a reminder to take inventory before each ride.

1. High visibility clothing. Because bright green is my favorite color.  High visibility clothing, especially green, really enhances the beauty of your natural skin tone. And, it has the best chance of catching the eyes of unsuspecting drivers. Of course, green isn’t the only high vis color. Choose one that works for your skin and hair tones.
2. Lights.  Non-negotiable. Rear radar and a front LED light, along with a rear blinky light on your helmet are highly recommended.
3. Helmet.  I recently learned that they have a 5-year shelf life. Not sure how much of that is marketing and how much is actual deterioration of the material.  After seeing Z’s cracked helmet, does it really matter?  Please be sure your helmet meets the standards, fits well (Pipes, be sure not to put in on backwards and Booker J, no more forgetting it after a lsat minute wardrobe change), and securely fastened.  Kudos to Loose Screw for wearing his helmet during yoga, just in case his Warrior goes down.  
4. Spotting and calling out road obstacles, pot holes, etc.  I’m aware that in a true paceline, nobody calls out these things as it is the job of the drafter to follow the wheel in front.  We rarely are in a formal paceline, and few of us are very skilled at it, so calling out obstacles in a timely manner is critical.  Point to the object with your arm stretched out so riders back can see your signal. For a parked vehicle or larger debris, a sweeping motion behind your back to indicate a shift away from the obstacle is appropriate.  Unfortunately, not all things are easily seen, even with the most attentive rider.  And when there are multiple pot holes on both sides, it is very difficult to communicate. We can’t escape the risk all together, but we can minimize it with signaling.
5. Spacing. Riding single file out of town, and no more than 2 abreast once out of town is the rule.  We draft in part for the social aspect of cycling, and it is easy to pull up 3 -wide, to be part of a conversation.  I’ve done it.  I will likely do it again.  And it is up to all of us to check one another’s behavior. 

“You can’t control the roads or the winds or the way the cookie crumbles.  You can only curate a place where we all come to escape from all the things life throws, and a community that’s there in good times and tough ones too.”

I’ve wrestled with how to move forward, if we should move forward with Monday night rides.  These words helped strengthen my resolve to move forward with the Draft, to honor and grow our community.  A good time, perhaps, to review the Drafter code.

Drafter Community Tenets

1. No Drafter Left Behind

1. These are NOT no-drop rides. Every effort will be made to keep small, cohesive groups with multiple departure times at 4:30 and 4:45PM.  The spirit of the 4:30 group will be a bit more relaxed pace, with the 4:45 group having a bit more wattage in their quadage.  Once the rides get longer, we will add an additional 5PM departure, along with Short Pour options. Drafters are at liberty to create their own groups to meet their needs (I’m referring to you, Footer, Pipes and Special K of the FO group).
2. Buddy system. Drafters vying for position of Lantern Rouge are encouraged to find a fellow Drafter to share the honors.
3. Text BrickO if you choose to depart from the group and head back early. A group photo is taken at the beginning so that all team members can be accounted for at the end.

2. Drafters of ALL ages and fitness levels are welcome.

1. Drafters are encouraged to ride in a way that meets their objectives for the evening, and to respect that other drafters may have different goals and ambitions.
2. This is not a pro development team, but we encourage strong riders to get stronger.
   • Strava hunting. If you are jonesing for a segment, please communicate that in advance to the riders around you.  For those on the rivet, having a sudden and unexplained surge in speed can be frustrating at best, dangerous at worst.  Helping our youth riders get on the Strava board can be tons of fun, and give the older horses a sense of purpose.  Again, communication is key.  Please be sure everyone understands the group riding dynamic.
3. Nor is not a group for novice riders.  We simply do not have the infrastructure to give inexperienced riders the instruction they need and deserve.  Old and slow (speaking for myself) are not the same as inexperienced.  The expectation is that Drafters have the basic bike handling skills through years of experience to be safe in a group ride.

And with all of that important business behind us, let’s get ready for Riley Tavern!

This is a nice 25mile southerly adventure.  Departures at 4:30 and 4:45PM from Middleton Hills.

Link to RidewithGPS Drafters | Riley Tavern  

Tomorrow, March 16th, is the last day to order Drafter gear from the Hincapie Team Store.

The space heater and fire pit are ready on the back porch, so bring a lawn chair and beverage for the post-draft social.

Draft responsibly,

BrickO