Ran into Amos... took a few photos



yesterday afternoon I suited up and left out on the bike...
not riding as much as I should
not riding as much as I could\I can

right now I am "between jobs"
not the easiest moment
trying to transition careers
not finding it so easy

the Achilles Injury did not help/is not helping my situation

reaching for decent paying IT jobs to try and stay realistic
not getting the offers I am looking for
many of my offers have been too far from home to logically commute by bicycle
others offers have not really been offers
and well...
the few interviews I have had have not gone as they should

over the past two decades I chanced upon two pretty cool jobs for pretty cool companies
tough to match those employers 
and the autonomy

more money would out weigh some of these other issues
applying for jobs with greater numbers

well... I would love to have similar level of autonomy
money talks
I would accept just about any IT job with the right money\location

the struggle is real
applied for number of Urban Planning jobs
waiting to hear back
fearing that they will go for degrees over interest\passion\insight

yet... I try


saw Amos as I spun my Niner Single Speed geared for dirt down 14th Street NW

heard the shout from outside Barrel House Liquor
which to my pleasure
was a check point in the Dead City Alleycat
Cool to see people going to Cool Places

Barrel House Liquor is still cool
even if the barrel in no longer the entrance to the store


it was not clear who it was calling out as I passed Barrel House
heard the shout
shouted back
but really... I can not turn around for everyone who shouts out from the bike
need to keep rolling


without much effort Amos caught me and rolled up along side me
we exchanged hellos
I mentioned the camera and asked if he had a minute
Amos had a minute
so... we rolled forward looking for some light in between the buildings

as we rode... Amos and I talked

Amos is thinking about hosting an Alleycat!


I am also thinking of hosting an Alleycat
another Alleycat

the topic is intriguing to me

Amos like myself is torn

does he host an Alleycat or does he race an Alleycat?

I think he should do both...



so we talked...
just as I had talked to other Alleycat Hosts
tried to share some advice
advice that was shared with me
much of which I ignored when throwing The Dead City Alleycat

ALLECYAT 101:
Create a Theme
Keep it Simple 
Be Certain the Manifest is Correct and Clear
(no misspellings or wrong addresses)
work to get "buy in"
do not create a volunteer based event
(volunteers are a pain in the ass)

look to previous Alleycats and select a style

Play to the Crowd
logical starting\end points

try to think of COOL\INTERESTING spots

work to get "buy in"
talk with DannyK and\or Bruce 
select a date that may work
Federal Holidays are good for Day Time Alleycats

learn from other Alleycats
What do you like about certain Alleycats?
What did you not like about certain Alleycats?



so... the Alleycat
I like to create an Alleycat that goes to cool places
a route that takes people to placed that they may have never been to before
ie. Holy Rood Cemetery or the Fulton Street DOWNHILL
or even
National Battlefield Cemetery
after all... 
it was the Dead City Alleycat
we went to at least two cemeteries
three if you count Oak Hill Cemetery 

so... 
Amos and I left with the notion of continuing this conversation at another time
the planning needs to start now if either of us want to host anything next month

I had thought about a Valentines Alleycat
maybe a Couples Event
not sure...
maybe throw something Sunday February 13th with a Valentine's Day Theme
or
the following week is a Three Day Weekend
President's Day

maybe a President's Day Themed Alleycat

all still in the thinking stages...



some links
and