Weather Folklore: Riley ROAR
According to weather folklore, life holds balance, so if March came in roaring like a lion, it should go out like a lamb. Bad spirits (or attitudes) are thought to affect weather adversely, so it is the charge of the Drafters to think positively about our first ride in April.
The route for Monday, April 3 will take a respectful bow to the lion and proceed past the house of spirits known as Riley Tavern. Sadly, they are closed on Monday or we could stop for a mid-route refreshment. Wheels up promptly at 5:30PM from Glacier Ridge Rd. Please feel free to arrive anytime after 5PM for primping, pumping, and pit stopping.
A friendly reminder that we will be riding no more 2 wide, and single file through town, up blind hills and on country roads with a vehicle back. Offenders risk losing their draft card. Road rage is on the rise, and bad cycling etiquette only fuels the fire.
The Riley Tavern route is a 25 mile jaunt south and west. Fingers crossed for a warm southernly breeze. In some years, we have skirted around the bend on J near Riley Tavern onto Klevenville-Riley Road to enjoy a little gem of a climb on North Station St. Given the gravel and grit on that side street, we will stick to J.
RidewithGPS link Drafters: Riley Tavern
Cancellations or last minute changes will be posted on GroupMe. Don't want one more distraction? Roger that. Turn off Drafter GroupMe notifications and just check before the ride each Monday.
BARGAIN CORNER: Saris hardly used Hammer, seller asking $400. Contact BrickO if interested.
Draft resonsibly,
BrickO
Fly Down Easy Street with Captain Joe
Astronomical spring begins at 5:24 p.m ET on Monday, March 20, 2023, in the Northern Hemisphere, according to the National Weather Service. According to the Executive Board of Drafters, spring begins at 5:30 p.m. CST, Monday, March 20, 2023 in the Northern Hemisphere of Middleton Hills. 19 Drafters enlisted in the inaugural ride, a record setting spring turn out.
Keez, Cujo, Vintage, Cannibal, Rimshot, Blurple, Booker J, Vilks, PitStop, Footer, Squeak, Skipper, JRad, Queenie, Captain Joe, Z Wrecks, Squirrel and Slim. Photo by BrickO.
There was certainly some spring ride shaming that went into to recruiting such a large crew. Here's an early afternoon exchange between Queenie and BrickO.
With new cleats in place, Queenie proudly rolled in. And then rolled over in the grass, supine with his bike in proud quadruped position. Putting cleats on and securing them are two different things. No Drafters were injured in this demonstration.
There were plenty signs of Drafter green with individual fashion touches to welcome spring. Vintage achieved full man-bun status over winter and conquered the ponytail versus helmet battle. Squirrel opted for a full sail wind breaker, but saved a few grams on socks. Bare ankles to make up for the extra wind resistance on the top half? Seems like a fashionable trade. Squeak arrived with two left gloves. Admittedly, the hand surgeon relies on a sharpie to mark LEFT and RIGHT hands before operating and will consider this practice for her cycling gloves. Pit Stop may borrow that sharpie to mark her bikes, plural. N+1! Same for Cujo, who found a new gold bike at the end of the rainbow.
Several Drafters should be recognized for drafting remotely. Clearly, proper head wear is open for creative interpretation with upside down headbands (LuLu) and lopsided helmets (Cookie Monster's lil' Drafters). They got the green right!
Speedy and her lil' Drafters were accounted for at La Bahn, helping Coach Arms and the Badger Women's Hockey Team celebrate their 7th National Championship! Congrats on a new record.
Back to the Draft. Goin' to the Chapel was 3 miles short of the advertised 20 mile route. Blurple figured out the mapping error, which included hill repeats on Woodland. Please see PVL to apply for a job as Assistant Drafter cartographer (Columbus creates flawless maps, which are seemingly used sparingly). BrickO has been fired, again. One climb on Woodland is plenty. No need to add repeats. Sheesh.
While BrickO received a vote of no confidence for her map making skills, Skipper was unanimously voted to remain Drafter Photographer.
And Vilker Drafter whiskey and wine connoisseur. The RAW boys were in fine form Monday night.
The first day of spring also marked the start of another lap around the sun for Slim. Keez was there to light the way, but was a bit confused on the numbers. Those 5's are difficult directionally. Happy 2Z, Slim!
Z Wrecks broke out a heart sweat and bottle of wine for the occasion.
_______________________________________________________________________________
The route for Monday, March 27 is down relatively short EASY STREET, promising to hit 20+ miles, without hill repeats on Woodland. Departure time 5:30 for all from Captain Joe's house in Middleton Hills. See GroupMe for details. Tennille regrets to inform the Drafters that her famous risotto will not be served, but hospitality will be otherwise fabulous.
The forecast, however, is predicted to be less than fabulous. Please check GroupMe for updates and cancellations.
RidewithGPS link for Drafters | Easy Street with Captain Joe
Looking to enlist in some longer group rides on road, gravel, dirt or snow? Check these out:
Dairy Roubaix April 22nd
La Crosse Omnium Spring Classic, May 5-7th
The Bear 100 Sat May 6th (gravel race, 3 distances)
Trek 100 Sat June 10th (sign up with the Drafters)
Horribly Hilly Hundreds Sat June 17th
Planning way ahead..... Captain Joe is entertaining a team for the Iditarod Ultra Fat Bike Feb 26
KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR DIRTY DRAFT UPDATES (separate GroupMe list) starting as soon as the ground is fully thawed and dried out. Rides will take place on Tuesday evenings from various COPR trail locations. Be sure to renew your membership to support the trails.
Wanna get dirty racing? Consider the Wisconsin Off-Road Series (WORS). Super Q and Vintage are great resources to tap into.
Draft responsibly,
BrickO