AZ's Images from The 420 Themed Alleycat... Andy knows how to use a camera or a camera phone! RACE REPORT!
an image from the finish of last year's 420 Alleycat brings things together...
the yarns of time and the web they weave
it is all cyclical
full circle
last year's 420 Alleycat ended at Malcom X Park
this year...
I started the event at Meridian Hill\Malcom X Park
but... I did a different race than Andy Zalan
last year was cool...
AZ is Cool...
but I am me... and I hosted a different style 420 Alleycat..
my 420 Themed Alleycat was a biathlon
Disc Golf and Bikes
4 Disc Golf Check Points
Disc Golf Skills would factor into the scoring!
NOT JUST FIRST FINISHER!
but first finisher got points as well
so... below are some of Andy's photos from The Dead City Alleycat
although... there is no photo of "the statue" at 21st and Virginia Avenue NW
the Discus Thrower
alas no...
no Discus Thrower Image... no points
spoiler alert...
Andy ran a fast and clean race...
strong Disc Golf
first finisher
complete manifest
but...
NO DISCUS PHOTO AT 21st and Virginia
Andy snapped a shot of the Homeless Camp
not what the manifest asked for
RACE REPORT: The 420 Themed Alleycat
An Urban Biathlon
Disc Golf and Bikes
Meet Up Meridian Hill Park\Malcolm X Top Deck
3:30 Registration 4:20 Start
5 Dollars to Race
Free to Hang
Volunteers Needed
ah... the day was greeted with Spring Time Goodness
it is early spring
it turns out this day was pinned between the last days of winter
we were blessed
maybe a dash of rain
but overall
the weather was kind
as it dropped to the 30s the following days
short sleeves and shorts
racers and not racers gathered at Malcolm X
I showed up and tried to take a measure of who was excited to do what
there were a good number of volunteers
and
a decent number of racers
and of course
even more SLACKERS who would just be hanging around and not racing or volunteering
dang... I wanted these people to race
well... fewer manifests to grade!
silver lining.
with racers and volunteers gathered at Malcom X Park things were starting to develop
I separated the racers and volunteers and hosted a pre-race volunteer meeting
knowing that I NEEDED check point volunteers
I went outside the DC Bike Family to nail down some definite volunteers
the commitment of the volunteers would be great
they would have to work the check point with vital scoring
then also...
they may be at the said volunteer spot for hours
waiting for the first racer to arrive
hanging out to make sure that all the racer
even the lost racers arrive
volunteers were sent off in opposite directions
each given the option to pass through one of the Pick Up Check Points along the way
those headed to RFK or Green Leaf Rec Center could easily pass through The Shop DC at 1007 U Street NW (Upstairs) to grab a pick up
while those headed to one of the Checkpoints in Palisades could pass through Dos Greengos at 3116 Mount Pleasant Street in the basement of Dos Gringos to make a pick up before traversing the city to be closer to the finish
not sure who planned for what
what were people thinking?
where people trying to race solo
or
where people trying to team up to knock this out
at 4:20 there was quick pre-race meeting
the racers were all making small talk
hard to steal their attention
tried to give some insight into the day
but no one seemed to care
so... gave them the basic breakdown
then passed off the manifests
there was no rush to escape...
racers all settled in with their phones to a measure of the best order of the manifest
the manifest was out of order
the manifest was moderately complex
4 Disc Golf Check Points
4 Pick Ups
and
Three 2 Photos Selfie Spots
although the manifest was out of order
when done correctly
the manifest would drop people off near the finish near Chain Bridge
The Great Eskape!
aka
this endpoint near the DC-Maryland border caused some immediate drop outs
their loss
so... racers scattered
either to a spot under a tree to plot their course
or
away from other racers so no one stole their route
there was some logic to my design
logic that would suit the racers to try and discover and follow
Capitol Hemp or Don Juan's|Dos Greengos were the best first stop options
then The Shop DC on U Street
the design intention...
send racers to various check points close to the start
then...
thin the herd
so that racers would get to the various Disc Golf Spots without much bottle neck
while I was not there...
it is almost for certain that in the minutes that followed 4:20 on Saturday 4/16 there was most definitely some chaos at Don Juan's Restaurant, Dos Greengos, The Shop DC, and Capitol Hemp
as racers franticly tried to GRAB IT AND GO!
Kevin Dillard snapped some sweet Pics at The Shop DC
Kevin Dillard on the Gwadzilla Page
Don Juan mention on the Gwadzilla Page
it was up to the racers...
the manifest was out of order
but...
with The Great Eskape as the finish RFK would be the most logical first Checkpoint after knocking out the first several local pick ups
unfortunately for some...
unfamiliarity with The Great Eskape caused some confusion
hours of confusion and extra miles for those racers
such is the story of Alleycat Racing!
the Biathlon event had four Disc Golf Challenges
3 Par Hole One at RFK
Longest Throw at Greenleaf Rec Center
2 Par at Hardy Rec Center
5 Putts at Doug's House in Palisades
Volunteers Scoring the Challenges
Nailed Down Volunteers Outside the Messenger Community
Could not risk not having people at the checkpoints for the full duration
as a rule...
it is best to keep the Alleycat SIMPLE
KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID
well... I am either a genius or a fool the way that I created this event
as... it was far from simple
the event and its details was complex
complex from start to finish
ending with the scoring
the scoring was a pain in my ass...
but...
to get the event I created to happen
it had to be scored this way
or at least similarly
One Wheels, Chris Rabadi, and Gus at RFK!
George and Graham at King Greenleaf!
Mark Hagen at Hardy Rec Center
and
Doug at Doug's House
Doug was a funny one...
Doug is a friend of a friend... never met Doug... but we were able to string this together
heard that Doug had some baskets
and well...
Doug's House was a great Check Point for directing people to The Great Eskape Finish
that is...
if you were wise enough to hit Doug's House Last
there was one duo that hit Doug's House First
well... that was not good
so...
with racers on their bikes and gone from Malcolm X Park
I thought about how to spend my day
hmmmm...
RFK? King Greenleaf?
NAH!!!
TOO FAR!
no way I could head to those outer reaches and still be at the finish
it seemed to make sense for me to push toward the check points near the finish
maybe a stop at Greengo's in Mount Pleasant
so... on the bike... rolling
then I get a call... I was getting all sorts of calls and all sorts of text messages
not being that popular...
my phone does not ring that often
I do not get that many text messages
well... except from my mother
but on this day...
MY PHONE WAS BLOWING UP!
on the fly I answered the phone
it was Danny Lesh... Mobile DJ
THE MUSIC MAN
I told Danny I would loop back to Malcolm X
back at the park I tried to get a read on what Danny was looking to do
he had the time and the desire
so...
I figured I could take him to The Glass Forrest near the Finish
although The Glass Forrest was a Selfie Checkpoint
I still sent two volunteers there to help draw people in towards that hard to locate spot
so it was decided
Danny Lesh and I traversed the city climbing all the way
down into Rock Creek Park
climbing up Klingle Valley out of Rock Creek Park
then climbing up to the National Cathedral
then on towards Palisades with some more climbing
Danny Lesh was a MACHINE
a music pulling non eBike Machine
the speakers are electric
but the bike was all Danny!
lots of DC Bike Party fun with Danny!
Chris and Angel were excited to have company at The Glass Forest
at The Glass Forrest
I caught up with Angel and Chris
listened to Danny's playlist
and then watched as some racers came through
Ashby Showed Up!
Ashby Loves 420!
Ashby was one of the Prize Sponsors
as she was one in a Women Grow group
and had some serious 420 SWAG
SWEETNESS!
I had sent Ashby to Doug's as well as Hippie Carl
Ashby was digging Doug's but wanted to experience The Glass Forest
in from Harper's Ferry
she did not make it downtown
but Ashby did make it to the party!
after maybe the third racer came through I realize
OH SHIT!
I NEED TO GET TO THE FINISH!
but only I made a pass through Doug's House
now...
having never met Doug before... I only had a rough idea where his house was
but I knew that The Old Trolley Trail was the best path to get there
headed that way... I encountered AZ and Nicole
seems some people were turned around
being anxious to get to the finish but knowing I wanted to make contact with Doug
I pointed the racers towards the selfie spot
made my way to Doug's
amusingly enough
AZ and Nicole showed up at Doug's shortly after me
not much time for socializing
had a quick exchange with my new friend Doug
met Hippie Carl
and snapped a few shots as AZ made his approach
Carl guided the 5 Putt Check Point
it was great to see AZ commune with his OLD friend Hippie Carl!
but there I was...
again trying to relax
trying to socialize
trying to have fun
THAT WAS NOT WHAT I WAS THERE TO DO!
I had to get to the finish
I asked Doug for directions to the Capital Crescent Trail
he gave me the worst directions ever
I assured him I could easily find it
as this was not my first time down this path
just the first time to Doug's orange house
so...
just a block away there was a set of stairs off Potomac Ave that take you to the Capital Crescent Trail
now sure...
there are some single track trails
but the simple clean and safe path would be
Capital Crescent Trail to the Tow Path
not far along my ride
I was back with AZ
Andy Zalan was on his way to the finish
The Great Eskape entrance is roughly three quarters of a mile up the tow path
not well marked
obvious once you know
but easy to miss
I rode with Andy
but my fat tires and injured achilles were no match for Andy and his IF with skinny tires and fast legs
so I rode behind Andy
now... had I been racing... I might not of said something
ANDY PASSED THE LEFT TURN!
I called him back
we rode down to the finish together
ANDY ZALAN
COURIER EXTRODINAIRE
FIRST FINISHER
but...
the manifest would need to be scored
scoring the manifests
scoring the manifests
scoring the manifests
scoring the manifests
I prayed for the rain to stop so I could score things without soaking the manifests
the rain stopped
nothing but a few drops
so... I prayed for wind
I prayed for wind to carry the manifests away so I would not have to score them
to my discredit
I used card stock paper
I was stuck scoring the manifests
but...
I could not score the manifests without the points
needed the points from the Check Points!
emails...
text messages...
and volunteers rolled in
so did the results
it was a few minutes after sunset
we did not have a moment of silence for Shawn Bega Blumenfeld
Shawn would have understood
Shawn would have known my struggle
got the results tallied with Nate's assistance
we had winners... but no losers
the podium had medals for the top three
prizes ten deep
BAGS OF SWAG!
420 Themed SWAG for a 420 Themed Event
More on the Results and such in a future post
this should be good for now
everyone had an adventure getting home in the dark
I think people took the fast safe route back to Georgetown
The Capital Crescent Trail would be he smoothest way home
it was a good day...
Glad to Host!
Stoked for all that Attended!
more words later
Bruce Lost His Phone...
it was a struggle for him to find this "secret spot"
ah... The Great Eskape
not where I would end EVERY RACE
but glad to do it at least once
I have never done one
but yes...
that spot
the water
it is powerful
it was beautiful
the clouds over head
the setting sun
the bird activity
the fish and the fisherman
lightning
a smattering of rain
bright sun reflecting off falling rain drops in the distance
and
gathering of friends
old friends and new friends
it was a good day...
glad I hosted
thanks to all that volunteered
thanks to all that race
and
thanks to all our sponsors!
