Turkey Trots July 26
There was something for everyone on the Old Getting Pleasant route on Monday. 21 Drafters set out to tackle nearly 43 miles and 2500 feet of pavement (and a little chip seal).
The B for Badass Team had a solid line up, with all but one Drafter sporting the official Hincapie kit. Special K is special for a reason. We may not monitor what she wears under her robe in the Supreme Court or in chambers, but we certainly are not going to tolerate blue when the Drafters are a green party. We have confirmation that Special K has complied with the Drafter dress code, as outlined in bylaw 13.13.26b. A Hincapie 2021 green jersey was ordered on 07.20.21 at approximately 3:47PM CST. The prosecution rests.
For anyone else hoping to add to their Drafter wardrobe, the Hincapie store has reopened and you can place your orders for green attire until Aug 2. Also, for those who ordered Dirty Draft shirts for their kiddos, they should be here this week.
Hincapie Drafter Store 2021 Link
Special K called for order as an unruly chihuahua threatened the safety of her fellow Drafters. Among her many talents, the judge speaks fluent chihuahua and has a soft spot for rescue dogs. A strong warning to the dog's owner was given but no citations were issued. Special K also held a special session to educate the Drafters on the 3 branches of government. Let the record reflect that Special K does not have any power to approve the use of "TCH" in Wisconsin. Ask Speedy about the Canadian translation for TCH.
Belle kindly took it easy on the B team, fresh off the State Criterium podium and headed to Colorado for several weeks of altitude training before her epic Steamboat Springs Gravel Race on Aug 15. Some of the B team may have skipped both Old Indian and Pleasant Valley, the namesakes of the ride, but found solace in their shorter pour efforts.
For the first time (?) in Drafter history, the A team worked together and stayed together.
It appears the ruby red slipper wish may have been better reserved to help out Skipper. The former Flat Tire Club Champion is in contention for another title.
Cannibal, fresh off of his podium dance at the Fitchburg Festival of Speed State Criterium (we will skip the part that notes Category 4-5, Masters), allowed Booker J to serve as his domestique. Throwing bottles whenever and wherever, Booker J worked feverishly to collect and refill them for the champ. Rimshot was also at the service of Cannibal, leading the descent on Moen Valley, right up until the last corner. Holding speed but missing the corner entirely, he gave a woman rocking in chair on the front porch quite a show, as he zipped up her driveway and then proceeded over the grassy knoll and back onto the course. It was reminiscent of a Lance Armstrong move in the Tour de France.
Tick Tock arrived 10 min after departure and ventured out solo, seeing the course with a new set of eyes thanks to a little prescriptive help. Getting old can be pleasant. Drone Master was also solo on the route, looking a bit furrier than usual (full beards must be status quo in Santa Barbara, where he is allegedly moving next month). The two didn't recognize one another at first, but glasses and a beard can't disguise a Drafter. Two became one. Nobody drafts alone.
Vanity Fair was on site to report some exciting Drafter events. Gopher and Badger celebrated their one-year wedding anniversary, and Badger doubled down with a birthday to boot. LuLu and Columbus announced their engagement on Strava. "I wanted to tell everyone, but we were out of cell service range deep in Alaska. So I posted it on Strava." Brilliant. This is exactly the type of survival skills Drafters are equipped with.
Here are some cycling highlights from the week:
I'm pretty passionate about spreading the cycling love to riders who may not be comfortable enlisting in the Draft. The Sunday rides are NO DROP 20ish mile rides with a 30 mile option. Of course, riders can bust a move, but there will be at least one representative riding ~13mph. For more information, check this out:
Perhaps the most impressive adventure on wheels goes to Pit Stop. The Drafters are sending lots of love, and some cookies special delivery by Cookie Monster, and wishes for a quick recovery. Despite drafting responsibly, Pit Stop was cut off by a careless driver eager to reach the stop sign first.
We can all use a little help gaining mobility. Check out Drafter Yoga with Pipes on Tuesday mornings at 7AM at Indoorance.
Surprise, surprise... we will be climbing next week. Far View and Turkey Roads have been repaved and offer some spectacular views (along with some elevation). There is a short pour and shot option for those wanting a little less climbing and miles. Huge thanks to Drafter Cartographer, Columbus, for interrupting her work day (and wedding planning) to draft these 3 Turkey Trot maps.
Turkey Trot Short Pour GPS link
Draft responsibly,
BrickO