Membership has its privileges

Draughters,

 

First of all, I’ve edited the distribution list down to those people who have actually come out for a ride or event in the last year, and whose name I actually recognize, so congratulations, you made the cut.  Please take a look at everyone on the distribution list, and if you think I’ve missed anyone, or you know of someone that would enjoy riding with us, please let me know.

 

More importantly, as ambassadors for Wild Rose, you and a guest are cordially invited to the grand opening of our new brewery this Wednesday.  If you can attend, please RSVP to the address on the invitation.  I hope to see you there.

 

Thanks and best regards,

 

Mike

 

 

 

Nothing to do tonight...then come watch the Dark Knight Cross at COP

The top 6 Reasons to come watch tonight:

 

1.       Wild Rose is sponsoring the race.  Yes, it’s like we have our own race, except we’ve done no work to set it up.  It’s like a dream come true.

2.       There will be lots of action, with lots of riders (65 in Category C) and a tight course, so it should be fun to watch.  Kids are also welcome.

3.       I have signed up to race in Category C, so you can cheer me on when I look like I am about to cough up a lung, which will be pretty much the entire race.

4.       There will be beers at some time during the evening, either at the race or at the taproom.  Please don’t let me drink alone.  Kid’s aren’t welcome for this part.

5.       It will make for a good story on Monday morning in the office when people ask you what you did on the weekend.

6.       Secretly you want to do a CX race, and this will be a good chance for you to check one out.

 

Here is all the information you need to know http://www.albertabicycle.ab.ca/uploads/files/2013%20Tech%20Guides/DK%20-%20Tech%20Guide%2013.pdf.  If you do come down please send me a text on 403 660 9463 and I’ll track you down after my race.

 

Mike

Upcoming Rides

As the riding season gets compressed into fewer hours of daylight (break out your lights everyone), here is what the Draughters have in store over the next few weeks:

 

·         22 September @ 11:00 am - Airdrie TTT.  We will have a masters men’s team, and hopefully a women’s team entered.  Our plan is to ride hard and then go to the taproom.  Once we find out our start time we will let you know our ETA at the taproom, in case you want to join us.  This would be a great time to have a season end beer/soda/water.

·         Face Punch rides are done for the year.  Thanks to everyone who showed up.  You were awesome to train with.

·         25 September @ 6:30 pm – Mid-Week Mayhem.  I’ve ridden one race so far (yesterday was cancelled) and it is really fun and super laid back.  No standings are kept beyond the first 5 places.  Also no issue if you want to ride on a hardtail mountain bike.   Go here for more info http://midweekmayhem.wordpress.com/.  Someone please come out, because no one would go for a beer with me last week, and that’s just not right for a CX race.

·         28 September – Cupcake Cross, more info for the cross races at http://www.albertabicycle.ab.ca/events

·         29 September – Bici Rodeo Cross

·         05 October – Dark Knight Cross

·         06 October – Cadence Coffee Classic Cross

·         You get the picture, now go dust off your hardtail mountain bike or buy a CX bike

·         12-13 October – I’ll be in touch regarding rides depending on the weather

 

For those people training through the winter I am trying to figure out a cloud based location to share a basic training program.

 

Ride on,

 

Mike

Tour of Alberta and Ride Tomorrow

Please send me an e-mail if you are still interested in watching the stage live today.  The spot I was thinking of going to (the last big hill heading South on the Road to Nepal, just before you turn West onto highway 549) looks to be somewhat accessible by car (I’ve had enough riding in the rain today after our TTT training ride), and the riders would go by twice.  I am planning on trying to be there by 2:30 pm.  If you would like to be part of my ill-conceived plan to go watch pro cycling in the rain, please let me know, or if you have a better plan, that would be good too.

 

Tomorrow there will be a two hour ride leaving at 7:00 am from the SW Corner of the Westside Church Parking lot (3939 69 Street SW).  Hopefully the weather will be better than today, and that will give everyone enough time to sign their kids up for archery lessons, take them to hockey practice, and still make it down for the finish of the Tour of Alberta.

 

Ride on,

 

Mike

 

Viewing the Tour of Alberta

Hi everyone

Last email for awhile. This is about watching the Tour of Alberta this weekend.

Saturday - Stage 4

We are planning on watching Stage 4 (Saturday) from the highest point of Road to Nepal. This will mean the riders will pass us twice, plus we will be able to see some attacks unfold - see orange arrow in picture below.

Tentatively, based on the Tour of Alberta timetable, it seems like they will pass the viewing point around 2:30. However we note that yesterday's stage finished an hour early.  We are guessing that parking at the ditch at 22x and 37street will be full. Our alternative parking spots are: Red Deer Lake Church or Red Deer Lake School/Third Academy, both of which are a little further west on Highway 22x. We will park at one of those spots and bike in. 

If you are interested in joining, please drop me an email.

Sunday - Finish

If you are interested in going down to the Festival which starts at noon and goes until 6 pm downtown, please drop Mike an email (murquhart@stratavera.com).  Information is attached - there will be live bands, beer tent, food trucks, lots of stuff for families to do (bouncy castles, bobsled track etc) plus some amazing bike shops are exhibiting. I understand there will be a chance to compete and show your power output. And there are some bike shops that are bringing down some pretty sweet rides for people to demo. This is your chance to sit on that $10,000 bike you were thinking of buying.

Riders are expected to hit downtown at around after 3 pm, and finish after 4 pm. They are doing a few laps around the downtown area so if you get a good vantage spot, you might be able to see them 3 or 4 times, or see them sprint to the finish once!  

Ciao,

Lorraine

 

 

Screen Shot 2013-09-04 at 10.29.17 AM.png

LORRAINE CHAN CA ICD.D

Partner & Chief Financial Officer

T 403 261-8080 ext 342

C 403 701-3998

F 403 261-8085

05-11 September Draughters Rides

I hope everyone enjoyed watching the Prologue of the Tour of Alberta.  Here is the our own Garry McCulloch with race leader and odds on GC favorite Peter Sagan.  Peter was nice enough to pose for this picture even though Garry has obviously disguised himself as the bellboy (note the luggage cart in the background) and stalked Peter to his room.   When not harassing the pros, Garry is part of the organizing committee for the Tour, and Jeff Booke and Lorraine Chan are on the organizing committee for the Calgary Finish Festival on Sunday.  Once again, here is the website for the Tour http://tourofalberta.ca.  If you can, please tell all your friends, then come out for the stages on Saturday and or Sunday to show support for the riders and the Tour so that professional cycling will have a permanent home in Alberta.

 

 

As for rides this week:

·         Saturday morning I hope to set up a team time trial training ride on Highway 8 to practice for the upcoming race.  If anyone wants to join us, please send me an e-mail.  I was thinking today that Kari, Krista, Donna and Lorraine would be a good women’s team.  How about it ladies?

·         Sunday morning I’m going to go for an early training ride as I have a commitment that conflicts with the 10:00 am ride.  If anyone wants to join me please send me an e-mail.  If anyone wants to lead the 10:00 am ride, let me know and I’ll update the club.

·         Monday night the Face Punch ride will start at the North Edworthy Parking lot at 6:30 pm.  After one easy climb of Edworthy as a warm-up we will go to Mackay Road for 10 hill repeats.  Great training for CX or late season Fondo’s will lots of hills.

·         Wednesday night is a CX race at Laycock Park at 6:45.

 

Ride on,

 

Mike

 

 

Tour of Alberta

Hello Draughters,

 

As some of you may be aware, pro cycling is coming to Alberta! The Tour of Alberta will be held September 3 to 8th beginning with the prologue in Edmonton and the last stage finishing in downtown Calgary. Many of the top teams have confirmed such as Garmin Sharp, BMC, Cannondale, Argos Shimano and Orica Green Edge. Elite riders such as Ryder Hjesdal, Peter Sagan, Cadel Evans, Ted King, Christian Vandevelde, David Millar etc. will all be here.

 

Full information and maps of stages are here: http://tourofalberta.ca/site/

 

Just wanted to make you aware of a few things:

• Stage 4 will include laps around the Road to Nepal/Highway 22/Millarville area (where we ride!) on September 7th. A few of us are going to ride out and watch the pros crush our Strava times.
• Stage 5 on September 8th includes an all ages Street Festival to be held downtown near the finish line around Centre Street and 4th Ave. Several blocks will be shut down and the festival will include live bands, a number of exhibitors, food trucks, street performances, kids bike races etc. A few of us are on the organizing committee and it should be a great time, and absolutely free. This is a fantastic opportunity to support pro cycling in Alberta. Please come and watch. The finish will be a four lap circuit around the downtown area so it should be exciting!
• If you are interested in volunteering on September 8th, Stage 5 to be a course marshal on the downtown circuit, or helping out at the street festival/finish line, please drop me an email: lchan@conroyross.com. You'll get a free shirt and a chance to see the pros up close as they whip by.

Please consider volunteering or attending the festival or viewing the race. And please tell all your friends so that the inaugural Tour of Alberta is a raging success!

 

Thanks,

Lorraine