Andy hosted a race with no entry fee...
Andy (and April) provided drinks and snacks before the race... the watermelon and pineapple were delicious...
Andy (and April) had boxes and boxes of pizza for racers as they finished...
then on top of that... PRIZES!!!
THE PIZZA WAS FRESH AND HOT!!!
and there was PLENTY!!!
Andy had all sorts of prizes... prizes issued to racers many slots deep... racers given prizes for Primes...
thanks Andy!!!
you really know how to show your appreciation to the Messenger Culture
about the race...
there was no intention to race
right now I am on light duty in terms of exercise
exercise bike or gentle spinning on the bike
no sprinting... no out of the saddle... no dropping curbs...
just spinning and cruising
there was a time after I was cleared to ride where my doctor said something about an "exercise bike"
all bikes are exercise bikes
ha... loop hole
so...
I went down to the Messenger Appreciation Day Alleycat with the intention of handing out some flyers for The 2021 Edition of The Dead City Alleycat
there was no race prep as I was not intending to race
in the basement there are many bicycle options that would have worked better for an urban bicycle race
by no means would I want to race a plus size mountain bike on the city streets
not the right tool for the job
the Salsa Timberjack may be an awesome bike
but it is not geared for speed
weight and rolling resistance may also come into play
that and I am fat and out of shape
covid an torn achilles make for a couch potato lifestyle
so...
down to Dupont
hanging around... shooting the shit.. taking some photos...
I figure I can get the manifest and go to a few spots and take some photos
then part of me starts thinking I might race
it was a casual atmosphere
a good number of people were in attendance
there were some key players
there were some fast legs
I thought... I could race... but not make a bid for the podium
just try to hit it fast and fluid
while always keeping my Achilles
especially when mounting and dismounting the bicycle and when starting and stopping
as per usual... it was a mish mash of what is to be expected
the park was filled with a classic cast of characters...
Brian Clark was not there... as Brian just moved to Spain
but what about some of the others?
Jordon who has been winning many of the Alleycats as of late was not in attendance
nor was Syd or any of the other Chocolate City Cycling associates
hmmm... this may free up some space in the top five
even without this short list of absentees there was a top five that was thick with talent
Bruce the Legend is always a horse to be on... with the right course... Bruce can deliver the win
then who else?
well... Johnny and Joe are both beasts on the bikes... both of these guys have been fighting for a win... fighting strong... but often getting edged out...
so many horses to bet on...
then of course there is a slew of Wild Cards
people I do not know
people whose skills are unfamiliar to me
people who can surprise those that do not know
people milled about the start casually and the race started in the 3ish Zone as promised...
RACE REPORT: Messenger Appreciation Alleycat
Gathered in Dupont Circle on part the outer circle that the couriers of today claim as their own the race got ready to start
AZ handed out the manifests then before the race start he snapped a group photo
as the photo was taken I reviewed the manifest
it looked short and sweet
I would complete the manifest... race? well... maybe not race per se... but I would go out and knock this manifest out as fast and efficiently as I could with the mountain bike as my race bike of the day
looking at the manifest I could see that there were 10 options... and we only had to choose 9
unfortunately there was one I did not recognize the street name.... Green Lantern Road or something to the effect... so my 9 Check Points were determined... then I considered my route
how would I loop things?
where would I go first... where would I go last?
AZ snapped a few photos and then sent off the racers
I was there like a motorcycle racer with a stalled out bike
everyone was on their bikes tearing off in one direction or another
I was still trying to get my pack on my back and get on my bike
as I threw my Achilles sore leg over the saddle I asked a guy with an All City fixed gear if he was racing... he said no... but he was filming... I recommended that he just loop around with me...
M STREET STOP would be my first stop...
in my head I tried to memorize my first three stops
M Street to TJ to Rose Park Tennis Courts...
years ago I asked NYC messenger Austin Horse what are some of his tips for successful Alleycat Racing... Austin said that the hip pouch was one of the vital tools of the trade... quick access to the manifest, pen, phone, etc... So normally when I race I use a hip pouch for quick access to the previously mentioned items... but not on this day... on this day I would be wearing a backpack and stuffing stuff into my short pockets...
so... at the check point on the 1800 Block of M Street I had to pull my camera from my pocket... access the camera... take a selfie... return the camera to pocket... then move to the next check point
the kid on the All City Fixed Gear was comfortable on the bike...
I communicated in advance where we were headed and when we would be turning... then much like the GPS system would remind him as we approached our turn... the kid had some kick... he accelerated fast and moved forward faster... but he slowed his pace and rode at my pace with my flat pedals and oversized 29 inch mountain bike wheels
it was a mad dash from Dupont to the 1800 block of M Street and then onto Baked and Wired on Thomas Jefferson Street just past the C&O Canal
there was an oddly long line at Baked and Wired... almost Cup Cake place level line...
I snapped my selfie and then we moved to the Rose Park tennis courts...
back track a few blocks on M Street and then up into the neighborhood of Georgetown
going on my Spidey senses I zig zag my way across the grid entering Rose Park a block too soon
past the playground and over to the tennis courts
I take a selfie and then review the manifest... wanted to make sure I was not forgetting anything... did not want to leave this side of town with a MISSED STOP
((right now I am typing this from the top of my head... so... I may miss a check point))
with my Manifest in hand I get a measure of my next three stops...
SPANISH STEPS
Mural on 1900 Block of Calvert Street
then City Bikes in Adams Morgan
I was feeling good about my loop...
it was looking like we could be strong contenders
or at least strong finishers
it was a simple enough manifest that there would be little reason for error
while also being little room for error...
as I migrated the city streets I made small talk with the young man on the fixie
he told me his name was Sebastian... to which I said... I know... it is written on you somewhere...
he said yes... my name is on my bag
true... I had seen his name on his bag
we talked about random stuff...
but I had to half listen
there were cars zipping around us
and I was trying to select a good route and keep a mental account of my set of destinations
as we rode I fought my impulse to say something about everything we passed
having grown up in this area there are many memories accumulated on these streets over the years
headed away from Rose Park we saw DannyK
as we passed like ships in the night I cheers on Danny
across town on P Street... then a left on 23rd... then deviate from that path as we cross Mass. Ave...
onto the sidewalk to avoid road constructions
then as we approached the Spanish Steps I saw Bruce and Fabian
I cheered Bruce on and screamed... "hey bruce you have a shadow!" or something to that effect
Bruce said... I know...
the thing about the Alleycats is that is pays to know your way around the city...
but if you do not know your way around the city...
you can jump in the wind slip of another racer who does and follow them around town
I have been known to play this method from time to time
Bruce is a good candidate for this... he knows the city like... well... like the back of his hand
they were headed downhill and we were headed uphill
we snapped a Selfie at the base of the steps then marched up the stairs with bikes over our shoulders
in the Kalorama neighborhood my mind wandered from the girl I dated on Leroy Place when I was 15 to following Felix Block on my motorcycle as a courier for CBS News...
again I refrained from my stream of consciousness story telling and kept to the task
on Connecticut Ave. I could not resist pointing to the roof of 2121 Conn. Ave... there are gargoyles hurling orbs from the ceiling...
then off Conn Ave... no... we would not Take the Conn Ave to the Calvert Street Bridge...
there is a faster path through the neighborhood
sure enough...
we popped out onto Calvert Street and the mural I had never noticed before was right across the street...
Snapped a selfie and then pointed to City Bikes...
WHAM BAM THANK YOU MAM!
we were well on our way...
this was all unfolding quite nicely
it my mind I wondered if my route would prove to make up for my lack of speed
from City Bikes it was down Kalorama towards Cairo Liquor
I am not familiar with Cairo Liquor... but I assume it is near the building The Cairo...
so I pointed that way...
down Kalorama... past a mural used in many an Alleycat...
taking a turn down a small side street that points to the police station on U
taking a right on 17th... then across U Street...
looking to the houses for addresses to better know what block I was on
after the Cairo we had to move back up a few blocks to U Street to get to Solly's
but before heading back up to U Street we went across town on Corcoran... it was quiet and car free... which was nice
as we headed over to Solly's I did not mention that Solly was a messenger and that I knew him back in the day... no... we just worked our way over there and snapped a shot...
we talked about bikes and life
Sebastian is young and already a father
we talked about where he lived and his proximity to so many great mountain bike trails
mentioning the MoCo Epic brought radio silence
either you know or you don't
from Solly's we had one Check Point then back to the finish at Dupont Circle
that final Check Point was Freedom Plaza... the DC Skate Spot at 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW...
we hustled down 11th...
in my mind I started to wonder about where we could be in the whole process...
a selfie and then a quick hello to a skater I know from the DC Bike Party...
told him it was an Alleycat and he said he knew and we were not the first racers to roll through...
this had me realize... I had to move
out of THE HOLE and back to DUPONT...
Up 15th... a few blocks on Eye Street... then over to K Street... then up 16th... the the final stretch on Massachusetts Avenue...
as I rolled off the sidewalk into the park at Dupont Circle I looked towards the gathering in the park where the race started
I looked for bodies to get an idea of who was already finished
then tried to get a measure of how long they had been finished for
rolled up and found April... took my final Selfie and I was done...
8th Place!
Racers continued to roll in...
the pizza was on point and people were exchanging tales from the road
tales from today
tales from the past
Basketball Man was talking about how MIDGE won the Messenger Worlds in 98... but people said he cheated... that story drifted off into some imagery and argument about how Midge could roll a joint while riding no handed... I was more impressed with the memory of Midge working as a messenger one summer with one of his small children chasing behind... that was an intense experience for that kid!
I mixed and mingled
asking people about how they finished
how they felt how they did
etc.
everyone was in positive spirits about how it all unfolded
then the prize table took that mood to another level
the prizes went like 10 Deep...
then on top of that... there were prizes for getting to each checkpoint first, second, or third...
man o man...
lots of prizes... lots and lots of prizes...
my 8th Place Over All Finish was augmented by a First Place to one of the Check Points... awarding me some DC Courier Socks, DC Courier Shirt, and another cool black Alleycat Shirt, all of which I will put on the prize table of The Dead City Alleycat that I am hosting in a few weeks
rode home...
still buzzing from a great day with friends
that AZ is
