Tour de Dane Femmes Challenge
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.
- Monday July 25: Drafter Ride Crystal Clear (RidewithGPS link) 5 and 5:30PM
- 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).
- 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
Crystal Clear
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