Welcome to the third annual Tour de Dane Femmes! This is an exciting opportunity for the Drafters to support women’s professional cycling, encourage riders of all levels to enjoy the thrill of racing this magnificent sport, and give back (a little) to our cycling community.  The format of this Tour de Dane Femmes is a bit different from past years, shifting the focus to be more inclusive (men are invited to participate and extending the tour over the entire month to allow more opportunities to complete the challenge) and recognizing small businesses who are invested in our cycling community.

 The Tour de France Femmes will take place Aug 12-18, and consists of 8 stages. 

Our riders will have the entire month of August to complete the Tour de Dane Femmes challenge.  Modest prizes are at the race director’s discretion, and could be liquid in form. 

Rules of engagement:

• Everyone is encouraged to participate, but only those Drafters identifying as female are eligible for the green, polka dot and yellow jersey awards.
• Not able to ride due to injury or illness?  You can still take part in the tour! Submit the photos required to show community support to the race director (instead of Strava).
• Please join BrickO’s Drafters group on Strava, and sign up for the Tour de Dane event starting Aug 1.  This is how and where you will record your rides and photo evidence to support your claim.  This “event” may or may not work, as events don’t allow for multiple stages, but for sure if you sign up for the BrickO’s Drafters group, I will be able to track your progress.
• Completion of the route accompanied by photo documentation in your Hincapie Drafter jersey is required to earn points. Don’t have a drafter jersey?  Green will do.
• There are only two stages where time matters– Stage 3 sprint/time trial for the green jersey, and the climb for the polka dot jersey at the end of Stage 8. 
• The yellow jersey will be awarded to the participant with the most points (100 total), regardless of time. In case of a tie, there will be a face off to see who can change a flat tubed tire the fastest.  Or we will simply have multiple winners.
• You have the entire month of August to complete 8 stages of the tour.
• You may complete the stages in ANY order, however, to best simulate the Tour de France experience, you are encouraged to follow them in order.

PRE-STAGE: Commuter Salute.  Bike to work day!  5 points for saving gas and going green. Total points: 5

STAGE 1: Lake Monona Loop.  12-mile flat stage to support LBS (local bike shops).  No need to follow this route exactly, so long as you make it around the lake.  Points will be awarded for exploring local bike shops on this loop.  5 points for each of the following: drop off an unopened beer at 1)  Slow Roll, and take a photo of one of the Trek prototype bikes 2) Machinery Row, snap a photo with Slim and 3) Cronometro, take a photo of the Hincapie photo or Colin’s one-hour record photo. A 6 pack donation to the shop owner/employee and included in the photo will result in an extra bonus point.  Total points: 15 (3 bonus)

STAGE 2: Tavern Tribute. 24-mile flat stage to support local watering holes. There are two taverns on this route that have shown support for the Drafters in past years, Missouri Tavern along the bike path in Waunakee and the Ranch Saloon in Dane. 5 points for paying it forward: stop in the Ranch Saloon to buy a drink for someone on behalf of the Drafters (when we stopped there one Drafter Monday, a female former cyclist and patron bought a round for all of us).  Please don’t ask for water unless you make a purchase. 5 points for finishing with a drink (NA or alcoholic) at Missouri Tavern.  Total points: 10

STAGE 3: Crossroads Time Trial. 18-mile time trial to support a local coffee shop.  Crossroads Coffeehouse has been a huge supporter of the Draft.  Let’s give back!  Coffee should give you an extra boost for this speedy stage. Start at the coffee shop and ease your way over to Bourbon Road to warm up your legs.  The TT starts at KP.  Take it all the way to Lake Marion Park, where you will safely do a U-Turn and complete the TT back to the intersection with Bourbon Road.  5 points for enjoying a coffee, espresso or pastry and 5 points for ordering an ice cream (beer floats count) at Crossroads Coffeehouse.  The FASTEST TT (please be sure to collect lap data for ONLY the route ON KP) will be awarded the green jersey. Total points: 10

STAGE 4: Horribly Hilly. 46-mile hilly route to support the Horribly Hilly Hundreds.  This flagship event has been a staple in our community for over 20 years.  It relies heavily on the support of volunteers. 10 points will be awarded for committing to volunteer for the 2025 event.  You can opt to help with the pre-ride (sometime in late May), packet pick up (Thur June 12) or post-race.  Volunteering will earn you a free entry to ride the event on Sat June 14. Since volunteer sign up does not take place until next year, your blood is your bond, and if you post your commitment on Strava, it will forever be on record. Alternative: join the Friends of Blue Mound Total points: 10

STAGE 5: Military Ridge Gravel Grinder.  19-mile flat stage to support gravel.  Gravel stages are included on the Tour de France, and gravel events in their own right are rapidly gaining popularity.  This stage is meant to introduce riders to gravel and support Rails to Trails, whose mission is to “build a nation connected by trails, reimaging public spaces to create safe ways to be active outdoors.” 5 points will be awarded for joining or donating any amount to Rails to Trails OR holding a State Trail Pass, and 5 points for ordering and enjoying food or beverage at Riley Tavern.  They supported the Funtathalon last year, and have always welcomed the cycling community.  The Strava post should include a photo of Riley Tavern, and a note that you proudly support Rails to Trails or hold a State Trail Pass. Total points: 10

STAGE 6: Viva la Cycling Clubs.  Stage to support local bike clubs. Find a local bike club and show your support by joining them: 5 points for Drafting responsibly on a Mon in August with BrickO’s Drafters (extra point if you wear the original Voler drafter jersey!) and 5 points for riding with any other club including but not limited to Slow Roll Tue Night Rides, Stonefield Wheelmen, Bombay Bicycle Club, Madison Women’s Cycling Club, Wednesday Night Bike Rides, Femme 40 Racing, Brazen Dropouts, and Capital Brewery Bike Club. The more cycling clubs in the community, the more opportunities for people to cycle! Title your Strava post so that it is easily recognized as Stage 6, like “Viva la _____ (name of bike club)”. Total Points: 10 (2 bonus)

STAGE 7: Capital Off Road Pathfinders. Stage to support your local trail system. What better way to honor a mountain stage than to ride a mountain bike!  This stage is an opportunity to explore and enjoy different terrain.  If you are new to MTBing, draft responsibly on the easier green trails in our local CORP trails (the green loop at Quarry Ridge and most of Seminole could be done on a gravel or fat bike).  If you are up for a bit of travel, enjoy other trail systems in WI like CAMBA, CWOCC or PASTA.  Earn 5 points for dirty drafting and 5 points if you bring someone along who is relatively new to MTBing (as defined by you needing to convince them to get off their road bike) OR are a member of CORP. Total points: 10

STAGE 8: Alp d’Blue. 30-mile mountain stage to appreciate that we don’t have mountains in WI. Start and end at the top of Blue Mound State Park. Stop in at Blue Mounds Bicycle Works and make the acquaintance of the owner, Zach. Pick up a Blue Mounds Bicycle Works sticker and take a photo of where it sticks for 5 points. The polka dot jersey will be awarded to the FASTEST climb (please be sure to collect lap data for just the climb portion, starting at the right hand turn on Blue Mound Park Road to the top where the lollipop loop begins) AFTER completing the entire stage. 5 additional points for riding up Blue Mounds twice. Total points: 10

EXIT STAGE: 10 points if you volunteer for or ride in an official cycling event in the month of August. Here are some options for road, MTB and gravel: Dairyland Dare, Bike MS Best Dam Bike Tour, Badger Challenge, Ride Across Wisconsin, WORS, Coon Fork 40. Total points: 10

Draft responsibly,

BrickO

27 Drafters rocked their way to Roxbury, which was no small feat given the multitude of road closures.

Pipes, Footer and Cookie Monster were hoping to cut back the short pour to a shot, but were foiled at every turn. If you have tender eyes or a young reader peering over your shoulder, please look away. The following is rated R due to strong language. An inadvertent voice to text was recorded by a member of this trio as they struggled to comprehend a message from BrickO, letting them know their intended short cut was no longer an option due to road construction. Fortunately, the intended recipient (UW My Chart) left a polite reply to this message.

Which one of these three lovely ladies called out “F” for help?

Coach Arms, who ordered a short pour, got a full strength draft, compliments of Dan-yelly. Coach Arms has been nominated for “Teammate of the Year” for being a strong wing woman, on the ice and the road.

Most of the B Team “stuck together like glue”, according to Pit Stop, who credited Z Wrecks with keeping the group cohesive. Cujo and Midas pulled like the bosses they are.

The A Team was joined by a rainbow of sunshine, G Biv, last seen in July of 2018. He was well tapered and ready to pedal for a pot of gold. Rimshot wasn’t feeling lucky, as he questioned the integrity of his front to tire hold air. Cannibal gave it the squeeze test and certified it Draft Ready.

The A Train was led out by the big engines, Vilks and Slim.

Not everyone had a full tank, however. Ironically, Octane ran out of gas despite bringing an entire container of power balls.

The train’s caboose, BrickO, became detached from the train after stopping to offer words of encouragement to Coach Arms and Dan-yelly as they debated turning due to the unanticipated stretch of gravel on Hwy 19. Adhering to the DRAFTER CODE, Keez slowed down the freight train until her aged mother could hitch back up.

Sometime after Roxbury, one train became two. The lead A Team had banked on taking the bike path home, due to road closure on Woodland, and saved no fuel for an alternate route. Rimshot gave every last watt as the train crested the last climb, where the bike path diverts from Woodland. All engines stalled and the train came to an abrupt stop, as it became painfully clear that the track down Woodland was as smooth as a baby’s butt. Freshly paved. No need to divert to the bike path. Vilks road ahead for a clearer view, and deemed Woodland “unsafe- maybe some gravel?” The A Team had cracked. Vilks was overcooked, and nobody else had the power balls to take on the Woodland climb. They pedaled down the bike path of shame.

Along that path lies the Missouri Tavern. Rimshot regained enough consciousness to recognize the watering hole. He threw down a 20 to bring the train back to life.

Seems like the conductor of the other A Train may have left the station with less power, but more grit. Skipper briought G Biv and Knievel home…. not via the bike path.

Knievel had more than grit to show for his efforts. His Garmin recorded a bump up in his FTP. Race officials are checking his pedal calibration. Blood and urine samples will reveal if the content of the power balls.

Everyone made it safely back to the station.

DRAFT JULY 15: In a land far far away, there was a climb with a view. And that is our route for next week. The short pour seems to be a popular, so we will stick with two routes. Full strength route, Far Far Farview is ~35 miles. The short pour isn’t so far, far, far at 27 miles. Departure times at 4:45 and 5PM.

RidewithGPS Drafters | Pine Loop (SHORT POUR)

RidewithGPS Link Drafters | Far Far Farview

Draft responsibly,

BrickO

29 Drafters busted a move from Crossroads Coffeehouse across the humbling hills of the wild wild western reaches of Dane County. It would be worth opening this video link (typically not live if opened in email on your phone – best to go directly to the blog. Worth it. Promise).

The B for Biggest Team welcomed the 2024 debut of 4 Drafters (Mario, Pepe, Special K and Loose Screw) and 2 new bikes.

In accordance with the Drafter Code, the short pour participants waited for Pit Stop to arrive. Driving her new vehicle, she was unwilling to follow the route to Cross Plains as it included a stretch of recently pea graveled highway. The group patiently waited as Pit Stop made her first pit stop before heading west.

There were several more pit stops made by the B Team. Mario, Queenie and Duracell had left plenty early in order to conquer the full strength route, which was fortuitous because Duracell forgot to charge his battery (some Drafter handles are spot on). He lost power shortly after leaving the parking lot and had to gut out riding a single speed for the next 36 miles. The A Team passed him walking up Blue Mounds Trail. To Duracell’s credit, he had enough charge in his quads to grind up all the rest of the climbs except Reeve Road, which is tough with all gears accessible.

The A Team had its own set of issues. Octane hollered out to the group in desperation, “Anyone got any lube?” Nobody wanted to touch that one. Can you be more specific, Octane?

It is hard to describe the beauty of these climbs. 2800 feet over 36 miles are metrics that can be recorded, but pictures are worth a thousand watts. Photo credits to Skipper and Vilks.

The A Team subdivided after the fourth or fifth climb. Slim and Vilks‘ batteries were fully charged, and Keez, BrickO and Cannibal were happy to suck their wheels. Skipper pulled Knievel the last 6 miles home on KP. “I don’t even think I pedaled” ~Knievel. Speedy got separated from the short pour and ended up on Z Wreck’s wheel. Speedy held on for dear life as her paper map for the short pour was no longer valid.

The Drafters are so grateful to the folks at Crossroads Coffeehouse for hosting. Pizza and beer floats were the reward for the hardest ride of the season.

Never leaving Duracell behind, this father-son duo celebrated with a chocolate malt, extra waffle.

“Who ordered two cheery chocolate chip cows?”. A surprisingly delectable combination for a beer float.

WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS

The Wisconsin State Journal published this Drafter expo in the Sunday paper about the new cyclotron at UW. Driven by LuLu and Gopher, this cycling team puts out some watts!

The full strength (42 miles)and short pour (35 miles) routes for Monday July 8 are Rockin’ to Roxbury, and will be the longest of the season. NOTE: Woodland will likely be closed so TAKE THE BIKE PATH HOME. Missouri Tavern is an optional rest stop. The recon crew will be off for the July 4th holiday, so there is a possibility of other closures. Breunig on the short pour is the real unknown- if anyone has time to bike or drive it, please do! Be prepared to reroute. Departures at 4:45 and 5PM.

RidewithGPS link: Drafters | Rockin’ to Roxbury

Short pour option with bike path home:

RidewithGPS link: Drafters | Rockin’ to Roxbury Short Pour

Draft responsibly,

BrickO

Riders on the storm. 23 Drafters set out with blue skies and nothing ominous on the radar. Apparently, many with nothing on their radar at all with respect to course directions. The only thing tracking the route was a wicked storm.

Directions have never been Shaq’s strong suit, but she has other outstanding attributes, like matching Hincapie kit and cooler unit.

The B team ran into trouble early on when they discovered that Woodland Road was closed. The Drafter reconnaissance crew is being brought up on charges. An investigation into the delinquent behavior is currently underway. Any Drafter wanting to file a formal complaint should send their statement, along with a check for $100 and bottle of whiskey to Drafter HQ. The fee will help cover the cost of treatment for wild parsnip damages incurred by those who walked responsibly alongside the construction. Granny, our Drafter dermatologist, is on call for all your skin needs.

In his second Draft, Spigot seized the opportunity to step up as B Team Attitude Adjuster, leading the group in song.

 What would you think if the road was in ruin?
Would you stand up and walk in wild parsnipey?
Lend me your ears and I’ll sing you a song
And I’ll try not to sing out of key

… Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends

Not all Drafters took the Road More Closed. “Two roads diverged on Woodland, and I—I took the one less traveled. And that has made all the difference”, Footer and Pipes reflecting on the road to Missouri Tavern. Their route has been dubbed the “shot pour” to distinguish it from the short pour. It’s 100% full proof. Or at least 100% proof.

Previous Drafters have taken the road less traveled before, only to find Missouri Tavern closed on Monday evenings. Some paths are only open to those with open minds and empty shot glasses. It has been proposed that one Draft be dedicated to supporting local establishments. Since the reconnaissance crew is on probation, volunteers are needed to set up this important ride, which will hopefully take place in mid-July.

Dan-yelly took a road even less traveled. Diverting from the short pour in an attempt to merge with the full strength riders, the A Team was surprised to pass her going the opposite direction around Crystal Lake. There were also multiple sighting of Slim, who neither started or finished with the group, but magically appeared with a burrito bowl from Lupes.

The majority of the A Team also followed Vilks and the road less traveled. Or more accurately described by another poet, “When you come to a fork in Lee Road, take it”.

The A Team started out together. About that….

To date, Drafters have shown exemplary riding etiquette, respecting traffic laws as demonstrating solid pack riding skills. We got a little sloppy on Monday. A few reminders directed to every drafter, as we ride as one pack:

1. Stay in your lane. The center line is not a suggestion. If a car is trying to pass up a blind hill, taking up more of the lane can increase safety, but at no point should anyone be near the center line.
2. Follow your line. Potholes and gravel are abundant. There are two schools of thought on how to handle these, both have merit. Some riders like to call and point out gravel and holes. Others prefer both hands on the wheel, expecting the rider behind to follow their carefully chosen line around the obstacle. Both are effective. What is NOT safe is weaving around an obstacle, such that the rider on your flank has to abruptly adjust.
3. Anticipate gravel on corners. Please give other riders a wide berth.
4. Two riders abreast. No more.

The main arteries out of Middleton (Pheasant Branch, Airport and Schneider) are where we get into the most trouble. Excitement is high and road quality is low, especially on Pheasant Branch. To help increase our safety, please consider riding SINGLE FILE on these 3 roads. We can regroup after County K, County P, and Enchanted Valley intersections, respectively, and then enjoy some socialization once we are beyond these busy roads.

The last photo evidence before the fork in the road where the group diverged. BrickO, Midas and Cannibal elevated their status to the A PLUS Team for following the Crystal Cat course as scripted (minus Woodland Rd, as the Road Closed sign was a strong clue to reroute).

The rest of the yardbirds took a right at the fork, but ultimately rerouted to Crystal Lake. And then they rode just past the finish line so that their Garmin read an even 40. Because who can live with a Strava post of 39.9 miles???

There were many versions of Crystal Cat full strength, short pour and shot pour but all ended with the same sky turning dark as lightening bolts flashed in the west. The race against the storm was on. Keez got a late start so chose to ride the course backwards, which meant she came across Dan-yelly. The two got a little wet but avoided the hail. Octane and Car Wash were plenty wet but not from the rain. Octane was a bit puzzled by the Drafter handle given to Car Wash. “What am I, the Final Rinse?”

The rain prompted the post-draft shenanigans to reroute indoors. Z Wrecks pulled out a fine bottle of wine, emanating hints of cherry pie and a wet saddle. Vilks commented that the cork looked new, which concerned Cannibal deeply. “Do you usually buy wine with a used cork?” And this is why drafting responsibly is so much easier with beer. Twinkle Toes was debating staying a bit longer to sample the cherry pie, wet saddle vino when he received a text, “Are you walking home?” His daughter was in the driveway, ready to drive her father home in the storm. Wine has to breath, it can’t be rushed. And that’s why there’s muscle milk. And whiskey. And beer.

The storm wasn’t the only thing delivered on Monday. The wonderful news of Thing 1 and Vintage’s baby boy was delivered during the Draft. We raised a glass to toast the birth of our newest Drafter! Welcome. You are already so loved.

WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS:

Congrats to Keez on getting back to crit racing after her accident and surgery. She’s been crushing it on gravel, and now tearing it up at ToAD.

Sometimes the greatest challenge isn’t a race, but doing something out of your comfort zone.

Shaq wasn’t the only one getting dirty this weekend. Congrats to Z Wrecks on the Belgian Waffle Ride in Hendersonville, NC. Not only did he race well, but he stopped to render medical attention to two riders in need. That’s a win worthy of more than a podium or medal. Selfless to the end, Z Wrecks brought two bottles of Belgian beer back for the greater good of the Draft.

And just to the north of Belgium, our Swedish contingent was Drafting Responsibly (but without helmets).

Monday July 1 we will Draft from Crossroads Coffeehouse at 2020 Main St in Cross Plains. Departure times 4:45 and 5PM. Please park behind the building or along Bourbon Rd. There will be a full strength (36 mile) and short pour (23 mile) routes. Both hilly. When in doubt, climb. Any shot putters are on their own :). Please note: this is a different route from our initial ride from Crossroads. Be sure to download version 2.0. Feel free to order food, beer and ice cream post-draft or BYO dinner. There is a lovely patio to hang out afterwards.

Link to RidewithGPS Drafters | Crossroads V2.0

Link to RidewithGPS Drafters | Crossroads Coffeehouse V2.0 Short Pour

Draft responsibly,

BrickO

It’s not the heat. It’s the stupidity. Too hot to ride? Not for 21 Drafters, including 3 newbies. Two Drafters came in hot (read: late) and two others put on a steamy gun show. Boom, boom, firepower. Z Wrecks vs Coach Arms. The winner?

Coach Arms brought incredible fire power for her gun show display. A more PC (physiologically correct) Drafter handle would be Coach Deltoids.

The 3 newbies signed up for the A Team. Rightfully so as all of them earned bragging rights and mitochondrial density at the Horribly Hilly Hundreds on Saturday. Hammer finished her first 200K HHH, and had enough heat left in her quads to crush Hillside. Car Wash also was fresh off the 200k HHH course, for the 18th time. He is a refreshing Drafter to draft, as his “glistening” skin provided ample cooling for those fortunate enough to be in his wake. Spigot would have done well to Draft Car Wash, but his trusty gravel stead was a bit too slow to catch any spray. Once back at base, our newest Drafter was issued a Draft Responsibly water bottle. As he extended his arms to catch the bottle, he anticipated it to be full of refreshing cold water. His expression was one of incredulity as he caught the empty bottle. Spigot now knows to FYO (fill your own).

The Drafter cartographer has been put on probation. Attention to detail on the section between Hillside Road and Brewery Road was lacking. Many U-Turn notifications were heard as the group rolled through Cross Planes. Vilks kept the group from panicking, “Hey, no chance the Drafters can’t sniff out Brewery Road.” The 4-fisted King of Beers and Milk (we are in Wisco) was not wrong.

Delighted to finally have GPS coordinates, Vilks, Keez and Slim put down the hammer on Stagecoach Road. Their 35mph pace was too much for the rest of the team. Sweating and swearing were the only things happening at a high rate of speed. Car Wash had plenty of competition for claiming his Drafter handle. Skipper made his first high heat index Draft, and decided to sweat his jersey clean off. Never leaving his wing man, Vilks was standing by with refreshments.

Plagued by dehydration, many Drafters congregated in the driveway, waiting for somebody to turn on the spigot.

Those who made it to the backyard were relieved to find the Solo Stove not burning brightly.

Shaq brought some magical high protein cookies that were responsible for reviving many of those Drafters who lost energy through blood, sweat and tears. There were many requests for the recipe, posted below.

There might have been additional ingredients…

WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS: Congrats to all those Drafters who finished the Horribly Hilly Hundreds, from their first to their twentieth, the event never gets old (although we do): BrickO, Z Wrecks, Gopher, Vilks, Octane, Hammer, Spigot, Car Wash, Puma, VonQ, Squeak and JRad. Tremendous thanks to the many Drafters who volunteered for the April climbing clinic put on my Madison Multi-Sport (way to go Coach Midas and Comet), the May pre-ride and Thursday packet pick up at Erik’s: Bomber, Belle, Octane, Cannibal, Z Wrecks, BrickO, Shaq, Vilks, Thing 1.9 and Gopher. And to our creative Drafters, Pepe and Duracell for helping with the slogans, “Ride the Rise” and “This Hill Socks” for the jersey and socks, respectively. This is arguably the toughest single day event in the Midwest (hell, the country), and is certainly the flagship local event. To volunteer time and energy (literally, during the climbing clinic and pre-ride) to support the Friends of Blue Mound State Park is one of many qualities setting the Drafters apart. Thing 1.9 didn’t think twice about volunteering at 39 weeks pregnant, but did send Vintage out with a honey to-do list unrelated to the HHH. You are a pretty special and unique group. Thank you. Hope to do it again in 2025 (HHH is always the weekend of Father’s Day, for those who want to put it on their calendars now). Car Wash says it is the best gift to be able to ride and have his family at the finish. Awww. Cannibal and Vintage, will this resonate next year?

ROUTE FOR MONDAY JUNE 24: There will be full strength (35 miles) and short pour (26 mile) options for next week. The short pour heads out the same direction, but doesn’t travel far enough north to view Crystal Lake, and returns home on the bike path (saving a few hundred feet of elevation). Departure times will be at 4:45 and 5PM. Now that daylight hours are long, for those who have work conflicts that preclude them from making a 5PM departure, please feel free to start a bit later. The full strength route to Crystal Lake is to commemorate the 2021 rescue of a kitten by Keez and Squirrel.

Full strength link: RidewithGPS Drafters | Crystal Cat

Short pour link: Drafters | Short Pour CC

REMINDER: the Draft will leave from Crossroads Coffeehouse in Cross Planes the first Monday of every month. Look for a route from Crossroads on July 1.

Draft responsibly,

BrickO

With apologies and royalties to Simon and Garfunkel, a happy twist to a beautiful but dark song. We’ve had enough darkness these past few rainy Monday.

Hello sunshine, my old friend
I’ve come to ride with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
We want to Draft on Monday

In restless dreams, I rode alone
Lodi road of cobblestone
‘Overeth the pot hole of a street damp
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
That bright tail light
And broke the string of bad luck

And in the Varia blinking light, I saw
Ten thousand Drafters, maybe more
People riding without speaking
People riding without listening
People riding bikes with chamois never shared
And no one dared
Disturb the sound of drafting

20.9 Drafters came out to play in the sunshine. Thing 1.9 came on foot, since drafting responsibly while 39 weeks pregnant is best done on two feet rather than two wheels. We are excited for the arrival of our newest Drafter! She and Vintage made a delicious pan of brownies that went to waist.

With Slim late to the party, and still recovering from Unbound XL, the A Team had to find a new leader. Vintage came in hot, proclaiming, “I blew. It went everywhere (referring to his tire sealant, of course)” Some men are just born to lead.

He led us right up to the B Team. It was wonderful to have the whole gang together for awhile.

Black Hill is a bugger of a climb. (Side note: Pit Stop is on record admitting that she enjoys climbing more than riding in a head wind. Future rides will take that into consideration). As the Drafters regrouped at the summit in a driveway, two men came running from the house clapping their hands and hollering. Stunned, we stood their in our spandex, trying to make out what names we were being called. A disgruntled man in a pick up truck had given us a few new nicknames earlier in the ride, and so we were primed for another verbal assault. Not the case. Turns out the men were calling their dogs, who they assumed were chasing us. Imagine their surprise when the dogs came running out of the house to chase their owners! Who let the dogs out? (Who, who, who, who, who?)
Who let the dogs out? (Who, who, who, who, who?)
Who let the dogs out? (Who, who, who, who, who?)
Who let the dogs out?

Angry man yelling. Nice men yelling. Hard to know, sometimes.

The descent on Black Hill aided by a tailwind gave a boost to our average speed. For some it made sense to punch it, for others it seemed like a “sprint in middle of nowhere”. Perspective is a funny thing.

There have been very few, if any, official sprints during the Draft . None that have been recorded for posterity (Strava segments don’t count). That all changed on Monday night when BrickO challenged the strong trio of Vintage, Twinkle Toes and Keez to a town sign sprint.

Knievel entertained joining the fun until he consulted his fuel gauge, “I had 25 miles in my legs for a 31 mile ride.”

Keez made the first move. Vintage took the bait. But in the end, it was Twinkle Toes who wheeled in big fish. Those quads aren’t just for show. They have some serious go.

In addition to the Town Sign Sprint, which may become a weekly occurrence, there were a few other “firsts”. Midas led Drafter Yoga. Rimshot’s reaction: “I’ve never seen that before!” He put down his beer, Vintage finished off his delicious brownie and they joined Midas. Namaste.

The Drafters pride themselves on spanning 6 decades. Which means an in inadvertent butt dial could set off a Silver Alert. Pit Stop’s expression says it all.

Fortunately, Pit Stop was able to verify her location and state of mind. Perhaps not the case for our long lost Slow Cow, who sent this photo, update and request for Drafter handle change to “Tour Slug”:

“I though Dane County roads were getting a little crazy. Here you have Forest Road meth heads, logging trucks, bears, and mountain lions.  A local ride leader (kind of your equivalent) asked me if I wanted to see the local mountain lions dens (notice plural) on a local route.  Nope I’’ll pass. He is a retired airfare para rescue dude with one lung (he left the other someplace in Afghanistan). He is insane. Reminds me of you – just a little more soft!”

WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS

Congrats to Belle, Bomber and Momma Monster on competing in the Epic Bike Fest in Hayward over the weekend. Green is easy to find in a crowd and looks good on the podium, Momma Monster!

Turns out black is pretty easy to spot as well… an epic photo by Belle as she drafted responsibly.

There aren’t any great photos from our Trek 100 participants, Nemo and Shaq, as they rode in a deluge. Congrats on persevering!

Feel like you’re missing out on events? The Horribly Hilly Hundreds is this weekend and there is an extra ticket available. Reach out if you feel the need to suffer on Saturday. Not sure if this is your year for HHH? Volunteer this Thur at Erik’s Bike Shop from 2:30-7PM at packet pick up and get a FREE ENTRY for 2025!!! Text BrickO for details. We could use more Drafters to help out.

DIRTY DRAFT UPDATE: seems only fitting that the first dirty draft got rained out after 30 minutes. Watson barely escaped a falling tree on Slice. Phew. Note: future drafts and dirty drafts will not test Mother Nature. Better safe than crushed. Keep an eye out on the Dirty Draft Group Me for changes (no organized ride next week). Perhaps a Tuesday night will draw more folks? There are other groups riding Tue/Thur on the road and on the dirt, which was the reason for Wed. It might take a few weeks/months/years to get it rolling. Maybe I’ll turn it over to these two Dirty Drafters!

SWIP RIGHT if you are looking for a 51cm carbon R3 Cervelo with Ultegra Di2. Likes pina coladas and getting caught in the rain.

Let’s call a spade a spade. The ride for next week is called HILLSIDE. Departure times at 4:45 and 5PM from Middleton Hills. There is a 31 mile full strength and 25 mile short pour.

RidewithGPS link Drafters | Hillside

RidewithGPS link Drafters | Hillside Short Pour

Draft responsibly,

BrickO

Oh, my, my, oh, hell yes
Mother Nature put on her party dress

Name tags may be required for our next Draft. Between the holiday and rain cancellations, we may not recognize one another. We will have to rely on quad recognition software. Several Drafters will have to rescan their quads due to massive hypertrophy over the weekend.

Congrats to our UNBOUND FINISHERS, Keez, BrickO and Slim! Each chose their own adventure: 50, 100 and …… 350 miles.

Closer to home, Cookie Monster and Minnow Monster conquer their own version of Unbound. It is never to early to get dirty.

Nor is it too late. Keeping it in the family, Momma and Papa Monster draft responsibly in Glacier National Park.

Sad to have missed beer floats? We will return to Crossroads Coffeehouse on July 1. Let’s recycle our Good Fellow route for Monday, June 10. This is a 31 mile route (no short pour). Departure times from Middleton Hills at 4:45 and 5PM.

Ridewith GPS Drafters| Good Fellows link

Trail conditions pending, the Dirty Draft will kick off Wednesday June 12 at 5PM from the CXC trail head. Dirty drafters will head to Blackhawk (trail pass required- they are not expensive) and then finish with beers at the Pleasant View golf course clubhouse.

Draft responsibly,

BrickO

Apologies to Prince….

I never meant to cause you any sorrow
I never meant to cause you any pain
I only wanted to one time to see you drafting
I only wanted to see you
Drafting in the Monday rain

Monday rain, Monday rain
Monday rain, Monday rain
Monday rain, Monday rain
I only wanted to see you
Drafting in the Monday rain

Mother Nature has made it difficult to trust the radar. Two weeks ago, the decision was made to cancel the draft, only to have the sun come out at the strike of 5 o’clock. Pit Stop was all dressed up with not place to go.

Fool me once. We didn’t cancel last Monday, but only a few good fellas had faith that the rain would hold off. And it did.

We will recycle the Good Fellows route for all to enjoy, but next week, we are back at CROSSROADS COFFEEHOUSE in Cross Plains. Departure times at 4:45 and 5PM. The short pour is ~24 miles, while the full strength tap is a bit longer (36 miles, with a few more climbs). NOTE: both are slightly different from our first round at Crossroads. Be sure to load V2.0 into your Garmin/Wahoo. Feel free to hang out on the patio afterwards. Beer floats are top notch.

RidewithGPS Crossroads Coffeehouse Short Pour

RidewithGPS Crossroads Coffeehouse V2.0

Upcoming events:

Saturday June 1: Looking for something to complement your cycling? Join Pipes at Functional Integrated Training (FIT) on 6/2 for a two hour workout. And no hills! See link for details.

Saturday June 8: It’s back (we think)!!! Alpe Bl’Huez Time Trial

Saturday June 8: Trek 100

Saturday June 15: Horribly Hilly Hundreds

DIRTY DRAFT UPDATE: let’s see if we can get dirty on Wednesday evenings, starting JUNE 5 at 5PM at the Middleton Bike Park/CXC Trailhead located at 4355 Schwartz Rd, Middleton. Look for updates on GroupMe (Dirty Draft GroupMe separate from Drafters). The clubhouse has cold beer. There is a motion to desegregate the golfing and MTB communities by sharing some suds. Anyone game?

Draft responsibly,

BrickO

19 + 2 + 3 = 24 Drafters drafted on what could only be described as an epic evening. The weather and scenery were second to none.

The B Team raised a toast to Puma, who celebrated her 31st birthday on Monday night. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PUMA! Fun facts about pumas: they are very good climbers, with short powerful legs, and can purr but not roar. Our Puma is in possession of all three.

Twinkle Toes remembered his shoes, but forgot the starting location. Somehow he still made it on time, with all the essential gear and a great attitude. The A Team enlisted a new Drafter. Welcome Venqoux (like Mont Vetoux but with a Q). You have to be there to really appreciate how Drafter handles are derived. And even then….

A middle school band concert and a late running clinic kept a few of the Drafters from joining up at the Crossroads, but didn’t keep them from Drafting Responsibly.

Granny, Squirrel and Cannibal may have been tardy to the Draft, but they weren’t late celebrating Granny’s BD. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GRANNY!

With so many candles, and Pit Stop and Nemo sporting their new Hincapie kits, the fire department was on speed dial.

Slim, Cujo and Octane were also heating up as they drafted close to the sun. Team Icarus!

The Drafters have hired a hydration specialist for just these types of burning issues.

Thanks to our gracious hosts, Katy and Abbey and the awesome guys behind the counter taking our pizza and beer float orders at Crossroads Coffeehouse. Such a wonderful atmosphere to regale in stories of our ride across the gently rolling (cough, cough) hills with a tail wind in all directions. What’s not to love about climbing 2500 feet over 33.8 miles? Like the jersey says, “When in doubt, climb.” And like Belle says….

Speaking of jerseys… a few more Drafters have inquired about the new kit. We have added a light weight vest and offering for the first time ever, arm warmers. The store is open NOW through Monday May 20th at noon.

SPOTLIGHT: a special shout out to Keez for her FIRST gravel race, FIRST race since her accident/surgery and FIRST on the podium at The Bear.

She had one bike crash, but this time, it didn’t require surgery. Only a drool cup.

The route for next Monday is on the shorter side, so there is no separate short pour. I’m sure Martin Scorsese would condone these Goodfellas as ambassadors. Departure times from our usual location at 4:45 and 5PM. Please check GroupMe on Mondays for route changes, cancellations, or other pressing alerts like Hincapie kit orders. Feel free to mute it all the other days of the week.

RidewithGPS link: Drafters | Good Fellows

Draft responsibly,

BrickO

The Scorpions provided the theme song for Monday night: Winds of Change. Beaten but not broken, 26 Drafters battled their way through the winds of change. As in, the wind changed at every turn such that it was always a headwind or crosswind, never a tail wind.

Lyrics by the Scorpions, modified to suit the Draft

I follow the Drafters
Down to Viaduct
Listening to the wind of change
An April summer night
Drafters passing by
Listening to the wind of change

The world is closing in
And did you ever think?
That we could be so close?
Like brothers
The future’s in the air
I can feel it everywhere
Blowing with the wind of change

Take me to the magic of the moment
On a glory night
Where the Drafters of tomorrow dream away (dream away)
In the wind of change
(Mmmmmmm)

The B Team showed up prepared, with more than McGritty having loaded the course. Grit admitted that it took 2 hours of negotiating before her phone and Garmin communicated, but she persevered. The Scorpions might have played the theme song, but Presley inspired Midas and Grit to dance in their blue suede shoes (look closely the the footwear of the first 3 Drafters). Coach Arms was feeling spry for her first adventure off the ice and on two-wheels. Ironically, the Canadian found herself a little underprepared for the cold wind. Guess those hockey rinks don’t have much in the way of wind chill.

It was a rough night for Team Canada temperature regulation. Coach Arms was cold and Speedy came in hot, using up all her maple syrup to catch the B Team.

The A Team was flexing their muscle, showing off the new Hincapie Drafter Team kits. ON THAT NOTE: more Drafters have taken an interest in purchasing the new kits and inquires have been made about adding a vest and arm warmers to the list of items. Stay tuned.

The A Team once again took up the entire runway. Slim flew to the front and cleared the air for all to follow. He made it home, picked up a burrito at Lupes and drank a gallon of chocolate milk before the rest of the A team hit Viaduct.

All teams enjoyed a historic moment under the 1881 Viaduct (video capture credit to Midas).

MVP (most valuable power) award goes to Vilks, with a 4-way tie between JRad, Yabba Dabba, Bomber and Rimshot. BrickO, Keez and DJ Jazzy were the beneficiaries of this power house. The cross wind made it tricky to draft responsibly, but with a little encouragement from DJ Jazzy, the team did make headway for awhile in perfect echelon format.

All Drafters made it back to base camp and opted to warm up indoors, despite a roaring fire (thanks, Z Wrecks) on the porch. Brrr. Thing 1.7 made brownies (taste not commensurate with their appearance- a reminder not to cut and drive) and Midas brought scotcheroos. Nobody left burning more calories than they consumed, despite battling the wind.

While nobody left hungry, several Drafters arrived in caloric deficit. Congrats to those who got dirty Saturday at the Dairy Roubaix (Vilks, Holstein and Cujo) and the Driftless 100 (Bomber, Belle, JRad, Captain Joe, Z Wrecks, BrickO, Twinkle Toes and many representatives from the Stonefield Wheelmen).

Moving our theme song from the Scorpions to Clapton, welcome to the Crossroads! The first Monday of every month we will change up our starting point to Crossroads Coffeehouse, located at 2020 Main St, Cross Plains. Feel free to order pizza or a beer float (for real) afterwards, or BYO dinner and order a beverage. There is ample outdoor seating. A huge thanks to Katy and her staff for inviting us to their establishment!!!

There will be two routes on tap; full strength 34 and short pour 24 miles. This is a VERY hilly route, so plan departure time (4:45 or 5PM) and distance accordingly. Please park in the lot to the east (? to the left of the building) of Crossroads Coffeehouse. There is also parking along Bourbon St. if the lot is full (see green line on map below). Follow the red arrows to exit the parking lot along Mill Creek Pkwy onto the Ice Age National Scenic Trail and finally, Bourbon St.

Full strength: RidewithGPS link Drafters | Crossroads Coffeehouse

Short pour: RidewithGPS link Drafters | Crossroads Coffeehouse Short Pour

Draft responsibly,

BrickO