Pleasant Getting Old: July 12
22 Drafters rode the 42 mile route including "hillacious" climbs up Katzenbuechel Road and Dunlap Hollow through Roxbury, where we resisted the temptation to rehydrate at the Roxbury Tavern.
The usual suspects departed at 4:30, with Pit Stop arriving early to exercise her namesake. Speedy was absent from the Draft as she was late leaving the pool with her kidlets. An intervention ensued, and her priorities reviewed. The pool is open all day every day.... but the Draft is limited to Monday nights. We are here for you, Speedy, in case of a relapse. Pipes showed up in another mix and match Drafter kit Garanimals ensemble, but at least this week her helmet was properly secured over her melon. Rowers. Sheesh.
There was a bit of confusion early in the route, as the Drafter Cartographer, Columbus, had missed Indian Trail on the cue sheet. Vacationing in Alaska with LuLu, she was unavailable for comment, and will be dealt with according to the bylaws upon return.
Flash, the birthday girl, made her 2021 debut in the 4:45 group. This superhero's wish was to ride a century on her special day. The Dark Knight and BrickO were happy to oblige, getting a head start on the Draft early in the day, with 50 miles to Mazomanie and treats at Crossroads Coffeehouse in Cross Plaines.
The remainder of the Drafters lined up for duty at 5PM.... and then waited for the Newbie to roll in at 5:01. As he pulled his bike from the back of the vehicle, and detached the saddle bags, he apologized, "Sorry I'm late. I don't need water. I'm a camel." And so be it. Welcome, Camel.
Some Drafters (me) were hoping to join Flash, Dark Knight and Z Wrecks in order to avoid the 5PM freight train, but Cannibal texted with this plea:
And so imagine our surprise when Skipper, fresh off of his Race Across the West 930 mile adventure in 126 degree temperatures, put on an incredible display of feisty fitness. The A Team was up for the challenge.
Tick Tock, having more wisdom than ATPs, let the boys have their fun on the flats, and then pulled away with seemingly (and irritatingly) little effort on the climbs. He is the human metronome. And no, he isn't just eye candy.
At the top of this gorgeous climb, the Drafters came across Billy Boy, Pipes and Footer. "Need help?", they offered. "Nope. Just looking for a short cut home", responded Pipes. Little use in pointing out the fact that Dunlap Hollow is the furthest point on the route, with only a few cut offs to shave a handful of miles. Hitch hiking on Highway 12 would be the only true short cut. The two settled on an "architectural tour" of Indian Lake, enjoying the quaint stone houses along Highway 19. They shaved off 0.7 miles to officially qualify as the longest short cut in Drafter history.
Late in the Draft, there was a break away group. Skipper, BrickO and Tick Tock were not in it.
It should be duly noted that Cannibal and company did fly by Queenie, and then remembering the Drafter Code, circled back to pull him on Kingsley Road. "This is hard work and I'm not doing any work," Queenie confessed "It's like they are just taunting me."
As the sun peaked through the clouds, a fresh new light shone upon them. THING 1! Out of work too late to be wheels up at 5PM, she rode the route in reverse, providing fresh legs and a strong pull on Brererton Road.
Back at Drafter HQ, beers were flowing.
Skipper apologized to Z Wrecks as he supplied BrickO with a 10% ABV beer from Cerebral Brewing in CO called Work from Anywhere. As a scientist, I was moved by their approach and feel a duty to order more online.
There were two guest appearances by Drafters who couldn't draft. Captain Joe was on the route, but by plane instead of bike. "I couldn't really see who was in the lead. You all looked so small."
Granny claims to be a dermatologist on call, and therefore unable to ride beyond a 10 mile radius, but after noting which app she was uploading to get Drafter messages, there is suspicion as to exactly what kind of call she is taking....
There was a very lively discussion about a possible ride over the holiday weekend. The official Drafter policy states that holiday weekends should be reserved for non-Drafter related family. As July 4th falls on a Sunday, Monday falls into the legal holiday category. Out of right field (see pano above), Queenie shouts, "SuperTuesday is playing on Sunday in DeForest!" As if the Drafter ride is contingent on a four piece original alt-rock band? Innocently, Booker J asks, "What's SuperTuesday?" With the telling answer of silence, Booker J defended himself, "I've said a lot of stupid things. Why call me out on this one?"
It didn't end there. Truly interested in SuperTuesday's musical repertoire, Booker J raised his hand to ask some more questions. "Do you play Culture Club? Do you play Barry Manilow, you know, one of the Bee Gees?" While Queenie patiently explained that Barry Gibb and Barry Manilow aren't the same singer/song writer, the hurt was visibly building in Booker J's face. "I can't believe I was screwed out of $40 for a Barry Manilow and the Bee Gees 8-track tape."
Rimshot was already feeling the SuperTuesday vibe when he asked, "Can I follow you on Strava?"
For those Drafters who do want to follow SuperTuesday, here is the link to upcoming shows ( Barry Manilow with or without the Bee Gees is not on the playlist):
Have a safe and wonderful July 4th holiday. No ride July 5th. We will hope that the gravel on the Pleasant Getting Old route has settled before we reconvene on July 12. And let's hope our cartographer proofs the cue sheet :)
Draft responsibly,
BrickO