MARCH MADNESS. Wanna Draft?
Not a lick of Irish courses through these veins, but March 17th is a favorite as the Drafter spirit flows through a sea of green. Spring is here so let's see some green back on the road!
Spring isn't the only season that brings green. Here are some of many hibernations highlights.
DRAFTER POND HOCKEY with curb side lace tying service by Cannibal and lessons by Speedy. Squirrel and Granny shed their full face masks for the photo.
BADGER HOCKEY with Coach Arms (paying in the Frozen Four today- Go Badgers!).
BIRKIE OR BIRKIE WANNA BE TRAINING
FAT TIRE BIRKIE
Fame strikes as Skipper becomes SINGLETRACKS COVER BOY
And just some good femme fun. More of these to come!
For those re-enlisted, welcome back! For those new to the Draft, we are excited to have you join our community. A few ground rules and expectations:
- Above all, we are a cycling community. We welcome the fast and the not so fast, and even those who don't adore and don green, so long as there is a strong passion for pedaling.
- Departure times are strictly enforced, most of the time. Wheels up at 5:30PM , most often from Glacier Ridge Road in Middleton Hills, but there will be other hosts throughout the season. As the days and routes get longer, there will be a division of "A and B Teams". The B for Bad Ass group will leave at 5PM to allow extra pedal time. Please self-seed so that you enjoy the Draft.
- The blog will be the source of important information regarding weekly routes, and other organized cycling events. Each post (one per week) will auto generate an email, of which you can certainly opt out. Are you likely to show up Monday without a clue? Same. Downloading the wordpress app on your phone (you'll need to create an account, but it is free) will allow quick and easy access to the route in GPS and PDF formats.
- Please download the GroupMe app on your phone for last minute updates on route changes, draft cancellations, and important birthday notifications. Don't want the interruption and distraction? Understood. Turn off the notifications but PLEASE check GroupMe before riding in case there are changes. Route updates will NOT be noted on the blog. Contact me if you aren't on the GroupMe list.
- Each Drafter has unique goals for the season, but all Drafters must share the following common goals: have fun, avoid injury, improve in some way- be it fitness on the bike or passion for cycling, and love your fellow Drafters, or at least don't leave them with a flat.
- Follow the rules of the road. Single file in town, stopping at stop signs. Once we are out of town, riding two wide is acceptable so long as there is not a vehicle back. Pacelines may form when and where appropriate, but ironically are not the mainstay of our Drafters. Always ride within your abilities. Call out potholes and traffic as you see and hear them coming, respectively. Gotta Strava? Do what you need to do, but please don't interfere with the group ride dynamic.
- All Drafters are invited to partake in post-draft drafts. BYO lawn chair, beverage, alcoholic or non-alcoholic, and sustenance as desired.
Weather permitting, the first draft will depart from the usual location on Glacier Ridge Road at 5:30PM on Monday March 20th. This is a VERY short route, a little warm up to make sure your bike, legs and cardiovascular system are in working order.
RidewithGPS Link: Drafters |Chapel Ride
Looking forward to our first spring fling.
Draft responsibly,
BrickO
A-Mazing Draft
Beware listeners: this version has been agnosticated, not out of disrespect for they hymn, but to honor just how amazing the last Draft of 2022 was for 35 Drafters (record tie for the season high).
Amazing draft how sweet the ride
No flats no wrench need be
No one was lost, and beer was found
Was bonked but subs fed me
'Twas Dunlap Hallow my heart did fear
And quads my fears revered
How precious did those watts appear
The hour I first believed
Through many dangers, toils, and snares
We have already come
This draft that brought me safe thus far
And paceline lead me home
When we've ridden five hundred miles
Drafting under the sun
We've few more days til’ snow stays
As when we first begun
Amazing draft how sweet the ride
No flats no wrench need be
No one was lost, and beer was found
Was bonked but subs fed me
The next generation of Drafters carries on the spirit.
What started in 2013 as a small group of cyclists who gathered each winter to train indoors has evolved into a Drafter Family of 155. Tracing the cogs back 30 years, Sully is really to be credited as the family matriarch, as she convinced BrickO to give cycling a try (that first ride did not go well).
2022 was a tremendous growth year. And while it is exciting to welcome more cyclists, we must take a moment to remember those who have retired, bought a van and are drafting responsibly across the country. Happy retirement, Slow Cow. His story fittingly made the front page of the WSJ on Sunday, which we read before setting out on our final draft.
The end of the year awards ceremony gave us an ample opportunity to honor and poke fun at many of our Drafters.
Newbies! Along with your Drafter handle, you earned a key to the city. In Drafter speak, that translates into a bottle opener. Welcome Nemo, Pepe, Cujo, GFK, Momma Monster, Nitro, Calico, Venus, Sarge, Zephyr, Knucklehead, Sherpa, Sean Connery, GQ, Gov, Charlotte, Taquito, Comet and Fly Boy Joe .
The 10+ Club. This isn't a Bo Derek 10. The 10+ club is even hotter. 23 Drafters committed to 10 or more rides during the season. Thanks to our friends at SweatVac for keeping the sweat out of our eyes so we can Draft Responsibly.
Rimshot was the first drafter in history to have perfect attendance, earning him an embroidered foldable cooler/lawn chair to put up his feet after a long draft. The 10+ inductees are: Rimshot, Pit Stop, Duracell, LuLu, Vintage, Speedy, Thing One, Cannibal, Gopher, Cujo, Skipper, Pipes, Z Wrecks, Booker J, Blurple, Queenie, Octane, Nemo, Captain Joe, Footer, Squirrel, Granny and BrickO.
Two Drafters volunteered to host the Monday night ride. Captain and Tennille got a 5 star rating for the risotto. In order to encourage future fine dinning experiences, they were awarded a personalized serving tray.
Cannibal hosted a route with plenty of elevation, and rewarded those thirsty Drafters with his famous garden drinks. May his cup always runneth over.
When Cannibal hosts, the fear of running out of Garden Drinks is real. But there is never a fear of Vilker, Slim and Skipper running out before the beer is gone.
There are always plenty of baked goods to soak up the Garden Drinks and beer. It is rare to have a Draft that results in caloric deficit, thanks to our fine bakers, Gopher, Cookie Monster, Momma Monster and Octane. Personalized aprons will ensure that they bake responsibly.
Fashion is never far from our list of priorities. It is hard to argue Slim's choice of basketball cotton socks as he is one of the strongest and most accomplished Drafters enlisted. If we can't convince him to wear cycling socks, we can certainly ensure his cotton crews are Drafter green.
In order to raise awareness and promote women's cycling, the Drafters hosted their own event concurrent with the Tour de France Femmes, called the Tour de Dane Femmes. We celebrate all of the contenders: Dan-yelly, Coach Arms, Cujo, Belle, Sandlot and BrickO. The podium winners, with jerseys supplied by our friends at Online Cycling Gear, are:
We thought it only just to have a Maillot Silver award for the most "mature" rider. This year, Nemo joined the Draft as a newbie, make the 10+ club, and was 0.32 seconds from claiming the sprinter's jersey in the Tour de Dane Femmes. As our "most mature" femme, she earned the Maillot Silver jersey. Nemo had to miss the final draft as she was parenting responsibly, but was ready to roll the following Monday.
On the podium: Squeak, Maillot Verde (sprinter's green jersey); Columbus Queen of the Mountain (polka dot jersey), and our overall winner, Pit Stop, Maillot Jaune (yellow jersey). Congratulations to our Tour de Dane Femmes champions. We are all winners, and if you would like a podium jersey, please use discount code 20%brickson on your next order at OCG.
Also on a podium for World Champion Master's Barefoot Water Skier, and therefore unable to be at the final Draft, Footer!.
The Drafter organization needs little aside from a posted route and a place to drink beer. People who draft are passionate about biking, but the Drafters are more passionate about looking out for one another. We need more Drafters in the world. What I give each week is very little. What I get each week is priceless. I cannot thank you enough for that, along with the incredibly thoughtful gift basket.
Our Monday night drafts have come to a natural seasonal end, but please join us for the Dirty Draft on Mondays at 5PM as we rotate through the various CORP MTB trails. Once the snow flies, we will Drift Draft on fat bikes until spring, when we will reconvene for our 11th year of drafting responsibly.
BrickO