Season Wrap Up
It seems right to wrap up the Drafter season with a tribute to the late Tom Petty."The Drafters Last Dance"Last dance with the Drafters, one more hill to bring the painI feel winter creeping' in and I'm excited for spin againOh, my my, oh, hell yesHoney put on that party jerseyBuy me a drink, sing me a songTake me as I come 'cause I can't stay longA huge thanks to 36 Drafters who took time out of their routine to eat pizza and drink beer with us on. I am notoriously inept at cooking, baking, and all other kitchen related activities involving heat (I've started a kitchen fire with only a toaster). I am, however, incredibly proficient at ordering from Falbos (love speed dial) and have convinced Z that a beer cellar has more utility than a wine cellar. So, thank you for letting me show off a bit in that department. Salads, apples with caramel dip, jams, cake, pie, Monster Cookies, beer (kudos to IronMD for finding one I hadn't yet tried) and 2 bottles of WHISKEY magically appeared and were much appreciated.
I had every intention of delivering a clever, polished but seemingly natural flowing awards ceremony to express my gratitude for your contribution to our successful 2017 Drafting season. I did not foresee Z introducing me with a generous accolade, and as such, I got flustered and retreated to my comfort zone, which is deeply rooted in redneck lingo and much less articulate and reflective of my college education. If you will allow me a mulligan, this is what I meant to say....The 2017 season welcomed 41 Drafters, including 11 Newbies. There aren't too many criteria for being a Drafter- the major one requires being a genuine soul. At the party, I not-so-eloquently described this as "not being a dink". I'd like to rectify that. I'm not very political or religious, but I do believe that world peace hinges on treating those around us with respect and compassion (I am unsure if helping changing a flat tire is an act of compassion, but I think so), to be humble with your gifts and to share them generously. This is what I mean by being a genuine soul. Given that we are all connected, if we treat those within elbow distance (to put it in draft line perspective) with respect, compassion, humbleness and generosity, and they in turn do the same, my plan for peace should reach the furthest corners of the world, regardless of political or religious views.41 Drafters, 41 genuine souls. We have shared the highs of surprise 30th and 60th birthday parties, retirement, pregnancies and births (including Too Hip and Steph's fourth child who attended the party at age 10 days with Mom and Dad), engagements, weddings, surgeries, and divorces. Highlights and low points are certainly events that are best shared, but I would maintain that the mundane is where we really need camaraderie. One of the things I appreciate most about the Draft is that we come as we are- no airs, no attitude, no pretense, or angling for affluence or position. At 5:30 every Monday night, we are simply genuine souls who want to share the freedom provided by two wheels. Some crush the Strava segments, some crush the Stout- we all get what we need from the bike and from each other, while giving what we can- which might be 3 tubes with long stems, a spare cliff bar to ward off a bonk, or just the wrapper to fix a flat, or clover to stop a bloody nose. The gifts aren't always traditional, but they are always genuine. I truly feel as though the Drafters are a gift. I am quite sure that I gain from you more than I give (and not because what I give is maps frequently containing errors). Thank you. That's really what I wanted to say Monday night. I love being part of a group that has my back, and know that I have theirs.There were some awards given. Here is a quick recap:Winner of the photo contest: ARMS. In fairness, she submitted more photos than anyone else. Runner up: LEGS. Technically, Arms won as she sent the photos, but I know that Legs was part of the creative mind crafting the various scenes. These were the finalists:
I had every intention of delivering a clever, polished but seemingly natural flowing awards ceremony to express my gratitude for your contribution to our successful 2017 Drafting season. I did not foresee Z introducing me with a generous accolade, and as such, I got flustered and retreated to my comfort zone, which is deeply rooted in redneck lingo and much less articulate and reflective of my college education. If you will allow me a mulligan, this is what I meant to say....The 2017 season welcomed 41 Drafters, including 11 Newbies. There aren't too many criteria for being a Drafter- the major one requires being a genuine soul. At the party, I not-so-eloquently described this as "not being a dink". I'd like to rectify that. I'm not very political or religious, but I do believe that world peace hinges on treating those around us with respect and compassion (I am unsure if helping changing a flat tire is an act of compassion, but I think so), to be humble with your gifts and to share them generously. This is what I mean by being a genuine soul. Given that we are all connected, if we treat those within elbow distance (to put it in draft line perspective) with respect, compassion, humbleness and generosity, and they in turn do the same, my plan for peace should reach the furthest corners of the world, regardless of political or religious views.41 Drafters, 41 genuine souls. We have shared the highs of surprise 30th and 60th birthday parties, retirement, pregnancies and births (including Too Hip and Steph's fourth child who attended the party at age 10 days with Mom and Dad), engagements, weddings, surgeries, and divorces. Highlights and low points are certainly events that are best shared, but I would maintain that the mundane is where we really need camaraderie. One of the things I appreciate most about the Draft is that we come as we are- no airs, no attitude, no pretense, or angling for affluence or position. At 5:30 every Monday night, we are simply genuine souls who want to share the freedom provided by two wheels. Some crush the Strava segments, some crush the Stout- we all get what we need from the bike and from each other, while giving what we can- which might be 3 tubes with long stems, a spare cliff bar to ward off a bonk, or just the wrapper to fix a flat, or clover to stop a bloody nose. The gifts aren't always traditional, but they are always genuine. I truly feel as though the Drafters are a gift. I am quite sure that I gain from you more than I give (and not because what I give is maps frequently containing errors). Thank you. That's really what I wanted to say Monday night. I love being part of a group that has my back, and know that I have theirs.There were some awards given. Here is a quick recap:Winner of the photo contest: ARMS. In fairness, she submitted more photos than anyone else. Runner up: LEGS. Technically, Arms won as she sent the photos, but I know that Legs was part of the creative mind crafting the various scenes. These were the finalists:
Although we have no more rides this season, I should let you know about this one:Ride with Trek Travel Oct 14I will see many of you at Spin, starting Mon Oct 30 6:30PM at Supreme and/or Tue Oct 31 10AM at CXC. There's been a request for costumes to be worn in celebration of Halloween. I have no objection. The BatWoman is me is dying to come out.Draft responsibly,BrickO
Give a Little Bit
In the words of Supertramp, "Give a Little Bit". And if this cause feels right, maybe win a bike!The Central Cross Country Ski Organization training center has expanded to include an indoor cycling training facility. Please email me if you are interested in joining a class. Some of Madison's most predominant cycling coaches (Gordy Paulson, Jackie Hering, Casey Lamers) are offering classes, along with myself, one of Madison's non-predominant coaches. If not for donations coming from community members, the center would not exist. Most of the participants in this bike drawing event are cyclists, but very few are from the Madison cycling community.CXC Bike Drawing LinkSpeaking of cycling community support, Z and I rode the Shawano Bike the Barn Quilts last Saturday. The event included a variety of distances; we opted for the 70mile route. The money raised supports the trail system, for which we were happy to contribute. I was absolutely stunned at the beauty of the route, the absence of traffic, the pristine condition of the roads (almost as though they had repaved for the event) and actually enjoyed sighting so many Barn Quilts! I would strongly recommend this ride to anyone looking to get out of Dane for a bit. Leave your competitive juices at home- it isn't that kind of ride.
The rest stops had all the essentials: porto, cooler with bottled water, a basket of bananas and granola bars, a map for the disoriented, and a tripod of PVC tubing to hang garbage bags. It was refreshing to participate in such a down to earth event. Simple.
The theme for the week: give a little. Giving back to your community doesn't have to be in the form of financial donations, although that is certainly one way to go about it. Give your time, respect, energy, and positive attitude. I often feel overwhelmed by all the bad stuff in the world right now- hurricanes and mass shootings, and helpless to make a difference. But, that's crap. If we give back on the smallest level- show kindness, compassion, be humble and generous with your heart and mind, the world will ultimately be a better place. Cookie Monster Wille gave a bit today. Unable to compete in the marathon she's trained for all summer, she supported her Mom, who qualified for Boston. That's the Drafter spirit. Both gave more than a little bit. Congrats.
If you have not RSVPd for the Drafter party this coming Monday, please do so. There will be prizes, pizza and beer. I might even talk Z into raiding the wine cellar (only because I don't drink the stuff and would be happy to clear out the cellar to make room for more beer as winter is coming).Draft responsibly,BrickO
The theme for the week: give a little. Giving back to your community doesn't have to be in the form of financial donations, although that is certainly one way to go about it. Give your time, respect, energy, and positive attitude. I often feel overwhelmed by all the bad stuff in the world right now- hurricanes and mass shootings, and helpless to make a difference. But, that's crap. If we give back on the smallest level- show kindness, compassion, be humble and generous with your heart and mind, the world will ultimately be a better place. Cookie Monster Wille gave a bit today. Unable to compete in the marathon she's trained for all summer, she supported her Mom, who qualified for Boston. That's the Drafter spirit. Both gave more than a little bit. Congrats.If you have not RSVPd for the Drafter party this coming Monday, please do so. There will be prizes, pizza and beer. I might even talk Z into raiding the wine cellar (only because I don't drink the stuff and would be happy to clear out the cellar to make room for more beer as winter is coming).Draft responsibly,BrickO