Epic Riley Route
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