Crystal Lake Aug 9
A RECORD HIGH 29 cyclists found a way to be a Drafter. Paul Simon would be proud. Or mortified...
The problem is all inside your head, BrickO said to me
The answer is easy if you take it logically
I'd like to help you in your struggle to be green
There must be fifty ways to be a Drafter
She said, it's really not my habit to intrude
Furthermore, I hope my meaning won't be lost or misconstrued
But I'll repeat myself at the risk of being crude
There must be fifty ways to be a Drafter
Fifty ways to be a Drafter
You just slip to the back, Yoda
Make a shorter plan, Columbus
You don't need to be coy, Billy Boy
Just get yourself green
Hop on the bus, Rimshot
You don't need to discuss much
Just drop off cookies, C Monster
And get yourself green
She said it grieves me so to see you in such pain
I wish there was something I could do to make you Draft again
I said I appreciate that and would you please explain
About the fifty ways
She said, why don't we both just ride the route tonight?
And I believe in the morning you'll begin to see the light
And then she pulled me and I realized she probably was right
There must be fifty ways to be a Drafter
Fifty ways to be a Drafter
You just slip to the back, Booker J
Make a shorter plan, Drone Master
You don't need criterium hell, Belle
Just get yourself green
Hop on the bus, Tick Tock
You don't need to drink much
Just stop off to pee, Pit Stop
And get yourself free
The 4:30 line up was impressive. Duracell and Speedy were well rested after a MTB trip in Michigan, and Squirrel and GrannyZilla found more fitness than beer at RAGBRAI. Coach Arms showed up to Draft one last time in this age bracket. HAPPY BIRTHDAY (Thursday)! Squeak gave up on her solo 4:45 departure and drafted responsibly with the 4:30 group. Pres made his first public appearance in the Drafter office since the 2021 election, and brought along a guy he met at Walmart. Welcome to our newbie, Walton.
The 5PM Drafting squad felt the force, as Yoda joined the other Jedi's on their quest to Viaduct. Cannibal looked more reptilian than human with his road rash scales, but he was too strong to be overtaken by the dark side.
There was some disturbance in the force early on in the ride. Cannibal apparently got caught up in a galactic storm, "I saw metal flying". His lightsaber glowed a little less brightly when he realized only two dedicated Drafter Knights, Rimshot and Booker J, stayed by his side.
They used the force to catch the rest of the Jedi Drafters , gaining speed for the climb up Viaduct.
Not everyone gained a head of steam for the climb. Pres and Walton stopped to appreciate the Viaduct, currently operated by the Wisconsin and Southern Railroad. Built in 1881, the stone arch sees roughly two trains per day, and on this day, 29 Drafters.
Captain Joe Drafted early in the day, hoping to catch one of the trains to Oregon for a visit with Tobacco City Boy, Dan-yelly and their trio.
What goes up, must come down. And down Bonetti Rd we flew. The G forces must have been great enough to spin LuLu's chain right off the chainring. "There goes my F'in average" cursed Vilks, as he obeyed the Drafter code, stopping to help LuLu.
And back up Meek Rd, not for the meek Drafter.
Back on Glacier Ridge, the Drafter Masters celebrated a successful Viaduct Route with nectar of the Gods. Skipper brought a Rocky Road smoothie-style wheat ale from WeldWerks Brewing Co. Works for me!
There is much to celebrate!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Coach Arms (Aug 4), Billy Boy (Aug 6) and Loose Screw (Aug 9).
Congratulations to K2 for reaching the summit of her PhD defense this morning!
Special K crushed her 100 mile race on Sat in just under 30 hours. And this time, without kidney failure.
Finally, the Lake Ripley Ride for JDRF on Saturday has an extraordinary Drafter turnout. 13 "regular" Drafters plus BrickO's aunt and cousin. Cookie Monster and Lil' Monster joined up with the crew afterwards to enjoy Footer's cottage and hospitality.
The Sunday Roll is gaining traction. A heartfelt thanks to all the Drafters who came out to help build momentum.
Next Monday, we will celebrate with a few of the RAW SpokeN'Four crew who are making a Drafter debut to enjoy Cannibal's famous garden drinks. Draft responsibly.
The drinks are the same color as Crystal Lake. Drafter green. But the ride is still pretty.
Draft resonsbily,
BrickO
Historic Viaduct Aug 2
There were a total of seventeen Drafters in 3.5 pours. The 4:30 B group included the usual suspects, plus Kick A** KK, to really make the B team Bad Ass. Always great to have a former professional enlisted in the Draft to keep us humble. Cannibal: Is that a GIRL ahead of us? Queenie: Why is she doing hill repeats while I'm still climbing? KickA**KK: I'm headed back to Italy to lead some tours. I have to be more fit than the clients. Good point. We are happy to provide KK with the hills to kick Cannibal's a**.
Squeak showed up at 4:45 to an empty bike corral. "Am I really early or really late?" Well, Squeak, you are both. Off she went to enjoy some alone time. The 5PM crew seemed to shrink with the 94-degree temperature and high humidity.
Badger was looking a bit green in the lineup, until her peeps showed up for the "shot" Turkey Trot.
Skipper and BrickO led out the Draft on Schneider Road, reminiscing about their RAW fitness. Oh, how fast it fades. They were done with their magnificent pull well before Schneider Rd came to an end. BrickO: I was waiting for you to slow down. Skipper: Well, I was waiting for you to slow down. Dedicated to the Draft, but perhaps overestimating their abilities, matches were burned 10 miles into the ride.
The climb up County KP was a bugger. With the poor pavement conditions and a tractor behind pushing the pace (notice the yellow sign), it was every Drafter for him/her/their self.
There was a magical moment in the Draft when (nearly) all riders rendezvoused on Otto Kerl Rd. Drone Master may have taken the "shot-cut" home and Squeak was still enjoying her quiet time. Loose Screw was initiated into the Flat Tire Club, but all else was quiet on the Turkey Trot front.
Some absentees were Drafting elsewhere:
If you are looking for some ride opportunities this weekend, please join BrickO's Drafters in the Lake Ripley Ride on Saturday at 8AM. The largest donation will earn a free entry into the Greenville Hincapie Gran Fondo.
On Sunday, join us for an easy roll at 10AM. Text BrickO for details. The Sunday roll last week included 4 Drafters:
PUT AUGUST 3 ON YOUR CALENDAR.... K2 is delivering her PhD defense!! And the Hincapie Store closes for 2021 Drafter Gear. We will not reopen the store again this year, so don't delay.
https://order.hincapiecustom.com/BRICKOS2021STORE
Happy Birthday to Coach Arms on Aug 4. Sully gave her the gift of golf. The green represent a circle of cycling. Sully introduced BrickO to the sport 30 years ago (believe it or not, BrickO was not happy about it) and Coach Arms is responsible for nudging BrickO to host the the first Draft. 8 years later, there are 133 cyclists in our Drafter family.
Next week we will ride the historic Viaduct route. As of today, Pheasant Branch is still closed. If that remains the case on Monday, we will cut through Middleton Hills over to High Street, headed north, and then take Balzer back to Pheasant Branch. Short Pour Option: Stay on Viaduct (do not turn left onto Bonetti) to cut off a few northern most miles and hills. Shot Option: out and back to Dane.
Draft responsibly,
BrickO