Did anyone else notice the snow flakes falling today?  I’m proposing our next route traverse the Riley Tavern (as defined by the Free Dictionary as “to travel or pass across, over or through” and NOT according to Merriam-Webster as “to go against or act in opposition”) so that we can take shelter and find nourishment should we get stranded in a snow storm.  In order to accommodate the lack of evening light, I am opting to shorten the ride just a tad from our First Draft.  Please find attached the map and appreciate that my recon mission was met by two missed turns, which appear as enthusiastic over shots on Timber Lane (beast of a  hill to climb if you miss the right turn onto Mauer Rd) and another on Valley View left onto Pioneer.  Lucky for us, Pioneer is being repaved, so we will have a brief interlude of gravel to negotiate.

Link to Riley Tavern

For your enjoyment, please find a cycling routine that Christa has volunteered to lead once she returns to the Drafters in May. Apparently, she is learning more than Physical Therapy during her clinical rotation in Cincinnati…

Link to our next challenge

Draft responsibly,

BrickO

We experienced first hand (literally) why George Hincapie finished more Tour de France races (17) than any other rider and is considered the world’s greatest Domestique. After a 60 mile ride, including a 6 mile climb up Ceasar’s Head (6-12% grade) and 2 mile Pinnacle (18-24%) climb that defied gravity, George put his hand on my back to push me to front of the lead pack. For a brief moment, I got to experience what true power on a bike felt like, compliments of the hand of greatness. 

Thanks to all who ventured out for the First Draft.  The westerly winds made for a quick ride home, but certainly challenged us on the way out.  Kudos to Matt, our 6’3″ Drafter, for shielding us from the elements.  Nothing better than a big guy to draft behind, especially with a strong headwind.  A 2 hour ride is about all we can manage before losing daylight, but the Free House is well lit, so we could enjoy a cold draft without turning on our blinky lights.

Just a reminder that we will NOT be riding next week, and will start our regular season April 27th.  Also, tomorrow registration opens for the Boys and Girls ride.

Link to Boys and Girls Ride

Draft Responsibly,

BrickO

Here is another ride opportunity.  Unity is asking our help to support the Boys and Girls Club by riding with their team.  I’ve done this in the past and had fun (not to mention acquiring a free jersey).  Please read email below if you are interested.

The purpose of this email is to ask that you again consider joining Team UW Health/Unity this year AND invite a friend along for a great Summer afternoon supporting the Dane County Boys and Girls Club!!

The Team UW Health/Unity Goal this year is to have over 65 riders and raise $25,000 supporting the Boys and Girls Club.   The Boys and Girls Club Bike website will be up and running soon to sign up and start getting ready for the ride on July 18, so please save the date now.  There will also be a citywide Kickoff on April 22 from 5:30-7:30 in Fitchburg .  More information will be shared as available.  All past and prospective riders are invited.  You can Sign Up to attend now, we hope to see you there. 

The Boys and Girls Club Ride website:                   http://www.bike4bgc.com                

The online link to sign up for the 4/22 Event:     2015 Bike 4 BGC Launch Party Registration

New Site:  McGee Farms Park Fitchburg, Wisconsin

We have outgrown the Edgewood site, so the event will be moving to Fitchburg.  The same family friendly activities will be on again this year, with a lunch and celebration after all  bikers return from the 8, 25 or 50 mile rides.   We have enclosed a sample of this year’s jersey and also a Save the Date Poster.  The new location will also make it much easier to get out on the course and riders will not have to traverse the crowded city streets.

Your support and participation again will be greatly appreciated.  Let’s get out there and recruit additional riders for Team UW Health/Unity and start making plans for a great time, raising funds for a great cause on July 18.

Should you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact either one of us;   Lisa Riehl,lriehl@uwhealth.org, phone 263-9891 or Mark Hamilton, mhamilton@uwhealth.org, phone 270-5624

Hope to see you out there on the roads!

Sincerely, Lisa and Mark

Mark Hamilton, FACHE

Vice President UWHC

Executive Director Wisconsin Dialysis, Inc.

Phone 608-270-5624

Email:  mhamilton@uwhealth.org

I hope you all wintered well and are eager to get back in the saddle on Monday nights.  Thanks to all of you who suffered through 16 weeks of Spin with me.  It will feel good to be outdoors with the wind blowing always at our back…

The plan is to start the season on Monday April 13th at 5:30, leaving from the Free House. The following week, I will be in NC taking a beating and hopefully a climbing lesson from George Hincapie, so we will reconvene on April 27.

We will start with a 30 mile  Lodi Short Loop as an ice breaker.  There is a 20 mile option off this called the Hyer Loop.  See maps below.  These maps start just off of Pheasant Branch Road, so please allow a few extra miles as we need to make our way out of town.

Lodi Short Loop

Hyer Loop

Draft responsibly,

BrickO

Anyone game for some “organized” rides?  I’m in for these two:

Syttende Mai Registration Link

Anne Flaten is my friend, my colleague, and my cycling companion of many years.  She passed away early this morning.  There isn’t a dang thing I can do about it except to honor her life.  I want to pass along a philosophy we discussed while paddle boarding a few weeks ago on the waters of Lake Mendota.

Anne was bothered by the notion that one “battles cancer”.  To win a battle with cancer implies that we have control over our survival.  While I do believe that mental, emotional and physical integrity can improve our chances, I have not known these attributes to stop cancer growth.  Anne wondered if losing the battle meant failing. I do not think that cancer wins when a life is lost.  If the battle is to defeat death, we all lose.  The battle is to live life.  Anne won that battle.

We are all dying the minute we are born.  A life isn’t measured by the number of breaths we take, but rather by how many times our breath is taken away (that’s a poor rendition of a quote I read once).  Anne lived many breathless moments as a mother, wife, sister, daughter,  and friend.

Anne was a natural energy source.  It is no wonder there was a power outage last night as her soul started to make it’s way out of her body.  And it is equally understandable that the sun had difficulty shining today.  The world will need to make quite an adjustment to regain equilibrium in the entropy department.

Her Drafters jersey never saw a bike ride, and I think her decision to purchase one underscores her commitment to living fully.   The battle was won. I will hold an open bike at Spin to honor my friend.

And I will honor her by winning the battle each and every day, choosing to live rather than to merely take up space.  Please join the Drafters on Monday night at Free House at 6pm if you would like to raise a glass to toast Anne.

BrickO