so...
it is a day shy of a week since I hosted the Intro to Alleycat\Alleycat 101\Alleycat for Dummies here in Washington, DC
this was an event that was NOT OFFICIALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE NATIONAL BIKE SUMMIT, no - this was an event that was hosted by ME for both Washington DC locals and then also for attendees of the 2023 National Bike Summit from around the United States!
as with any or all events of this nature - the event took a great amount of planning and involved a good deal of preparation...
it was awkward not knowing who or how many people would be attending
often it is not known who will attend an alleycat
but usually there is some sort of rough estimate
maybe word of mouth or general feeling
the Facebook Event Page had lots of people tagging "interested"
but honestly - that is really no measure of anything
hitting the "interested" button is just a way of showing electronic support
no real indication of show up
so... there was anxiety
but... there is always anxiety
it was awkward leading up to the event date
the Alleycat is supposed to be a messenger race, but I feared that I had very little "buy in" from the DC messenger community
I ran my usual SPAM campaign
Facebook... Instagram... Cut and Paste invites and links through various direct message options
there was lots of rain the week leading up to the event so I was unable to pass out as many flyers as I would have liked
and when I did pass out flyers
I did not like the response I was getting each time I handed off a flyer
when I passed a flyer off to one of my delivery culture peers
I could see their hesitation
the half smile along with the backpedaling
people have stuff going on... people have stuff to do...
I get it... I do not attend very much of anything very much at all
I work and then I go home... I get it....
Tuesday night after work - gotta work in the morning...
I get it...
there was much hesitation and not much to make me think that people were going to attend
the Facebook Event page got periodic updates...
if nothing else... the updates to the prizes should have drawn interest... there were definitely sponsors... those same sponsors got mention on Instagram
just the same... very little interest from the DC messenger\delivery culture
the Messenger A Team did not seem interested
the Messenger B Team did not seem interested
it was unclear who would be attending
the National Bike Summit schedule was PACKED with events...
it was not clear who if anyone from the National Bike Summit would be attending...
the conflict of the schedules at the National Bike Summit gave me as much anxiety as the lack of buy in from the local DC Messenger community
conversations with long time messenger\long time friend Suave gave me criticism in all sorts of directions
school night?
after work?
Tuesday?
then the event name "Intro to Alleycat"
what veteran messenger wants to attend an intro to alleycat event?
I tried to squash the notion of anything other than it being a Quick and to the Point Alleycat with LOTS OF PRIZES!
suggesting that the Intro to Alleycat race for a messenger is like taking Spanish 101 when you speak Spanish in your home
you should get an A+
you should win... but you might not...
there was lots of back and forth with Suave
some of it was helpful... most of it just compiled with my already existing anxiety
when Suave learned about the David Confer checkpoint
his attitude changed about the event
Suave then committed to helping Cate at the Tour de Bike Lane
but then Suave got tempted to race... I could sense it!
so yes... I had buy in
I had buy in for my Volunteers
but I would need racers for it to be a race
who would come out and race?
an Alleycat is a Bicycle Messenger Race...
no bicycle messengers drops the Alleycat event status to just a bicycle scavenger hunt...
I am not hosting an "Easter egg hunt!"
I am hosting an Alleycat that is welcoming to both messenger\delivery types and also non messengers
without Pre-Registation... it was a big question mark of who or how many people to expect... I had prizes... but how many of these prizes do I bring? and what do I tell the Dew Drop Inn?
it was one big question mark on top of another question mark
events like Alleycats can take months of planning
things start off without much more than a thought
a thought of potential themes... potential theme and then potential locations... and then potential routes...
highlights...
Starting Times... desired Finishing Times...
potential starting locations and potential finishing spots
everything was just an idea
as I collected ideas...
as I collected ideas for checkpoints I started to collect sponsors
although it is not about the prizes
it is fun to have prizes
I like having prizes
by race day proper... there are a long list of sponsors...
the image above is the two sided SPOKE CARD
the book bindings have the names of these generous event sponsors
Chrome Industries, Bicycle Film Festival, La Colombe Coffee Roasters, Dr Bronner's Magic Chocolate bars, Burley Bags, Knog Lights, Speedy's Hot Sauce, BikeFlights, SRAM, New Belgium Brewing, and then lastly Bike Arlington, ADMO BID, and NOMA BID... WOW... that is a lot of sponsorship!
in my day to day travels of the DC Streets as a Capital BikeShare Field Bike Mechanic I thought about different themes... I thought about locations and how locations would fit into various themes...
the idea of the starting point and end point would factor in greatly on what checkpoints to use and what sort of route to create
as this would be an INTRO TO ALLEYCAT... the manifest would be in order
no reason to try and stump the out of towners
but really... nothing could be done until I figured out a few things...
Event Date!
Event Start Time!
logical Start Location!
logical Finishing Spot!
once I determined those variables... I could start building my manifest\route
it was confusing...
there were a number of events being planned
there were all the official National Bike Summit training sessions, Happy Hours, and rides
then there were also a number of other UNOFFICIAL National Bike Summit events
it was important to figure out if we could work in conjunction with these other events rather than in competition
the start location seemed like an easy thing to nail down
no reason to start at Dupont Circle or Logan Circle
starting near the Union Building where the majority of the National Bike Summit would be meeting seemed to make sense
as a former worker at the Smithsonian the steps at the National Portrait Gallery made sense to me
initially I thought the steps on 7th Street across from the Capital One Arena
later I would modify to The National Portrait Gallery at 8th and F Street because it would be less congested and we would be less likely to obstruct the sidewalk
and then
I later learned that other events were meeting up here... so it made sense for the out of towners to meet up at this location
where would I finish?
there was some talk about finishing at the Bike Polo 101 event
it seemed like a good idea
except...
I was working with New Belgium to work as a sponsor
how would Alleycat participants recover from their ride at Rush Rink?
how would New Belgium show their support at Watkins' Rec Center?
so... I gently stepped away from the idea of ending at Bike Polo 101
which was fine... as planning developed Bike Polo 101 moved their event to Monday and my event would be Tuesday
keep the events separate as there could very well be a fight for the same Summit attendees to take part in these two events
I had been in conversation with the owner of The Dew Drop Inn
Tuesday was a better night than Monday for the space at Dew Drop
Dew Drop Inn has New Belgium's Voodoo Ranger on Tap which fits into the whole beer sponsor idea!!!
Thanks New Belgium Brewing!!!
so... I had my potential starting location and my potential finishing spot
but the question remained... where would "racers" go in between
the world is your oyster
whatever that means
the Alleycat can be ANYTHING!
well... just about anything
the Alleycat is a competition between bicycle messengers to determine who is the superior messenger
like two lumberjacks talking smack about who is the better lumberjack
there is a contest created to test lumberjack skills
chopping wood... sawing wood... scaling trees...
etc.
the same would go for the Alleycat
an Alleycat is set up to test who is the best bicycle messenger
the messenger needs to flex their efficiency, their urban orienteering skills, their bicycle handling in traffic, their health and fitness, and then more specifically there will be pick ups, sometimes delivers, and in this modern age there might be Photo Documentation of the arrival to each location etc.
this event was going to be primarily photos
photos, a few pick ups, and then one checkpoint with a game
the mental manifest grew in my head
I pedaled the city and added more and more checkpoints to my mental manifest
what is the name of the building that the Old 930 Club resided in?
what is the name of the Chinese restaurant on H Street where Mary Surratt plotted with others to kidnap president Lincoln?
and so on and so forth...
eventually I would scratch all the Q&A from the manifest as I knew I was scripting things that would favor locals and slow down tourists... which would not fit into a Quick and to the Point Alleycat design
the mental manifest was growing and growing
started to collect these ideas
I thought about themes...
looked back on previous Alleycats
just a year prior I hosted a President's Day Alleycat that was Lincoln themed...
then the 420 race I hosted was disc golf themed...
there was the recent Valentine's Day Noah's Alleycat with its two of every animal theme...
what about this race?
well... it was in the name
Intro To Alleycat - Alleycat 101 - Alleycat for Dummies
the theme would be a DC checkpoint Best of...
now that I knew I was starting at the National Portrait Gallery and ending a the Dew Drop Inn
it was just a matter of what to put in between
what and how much
the reality is... INTRO is just based of distance and duration
as this would be a post work\school night event
it would have to be Quick and to the Point
there is no INTRO to riding a bicycle in traffic
so...
I created a manifest with the destinations in order
thus giving me a little potential control of the actual rider route
the start was just off the 9th Street Bike Lane
the first couple of check points could be found by taking this separated bike lane north
then
a number of check points were off the 15th Street Bike Lane
each of these being separated "contra flow" bike lanes
then sections of the race traversed the National Mall
and then the Sprint to the Finish
was a separated bike lane to a separated bike path
if and only if that was the route you chose
most messengers just ride
not seeing bike lanes
not seeking bike lanes
not necessarily avoiding bike lanes
more than likely
just riding where is most logical and most safe
I know when I ride... I always want to put myself where I am most safe in that moment
oh... and there WAS a second manifest
I created a second manifest... this manifest was for eBikers
if and only if there were a bunch of eBikers
we only had one woman on an eBike
the Alleycat can be chaos
in an effort to make things more safe and more fun
I altered the route for the eBikers
no longer... no different
well... just a different loop for the first 8 checkpoints
I felt that the eBikers would intersect with the other racers at the Tour de Bike Lane checkpoint
sure... I had thought about having eBikers finishing in a different bar or a different state, but not really... maybe... but not really... (insert rant here eBikes are not bikes - put a motor ((gas or electric)) on a bike and that bike becomes a motorbike)
just for safety reasons... there is enough chaos in an Alleycat with just bikes
adding more variables could create more danger
separating eBikes and bicycles makes as much sense as separating bicycle and cars
a bow and arrow is not the same as a gun
a row boat is not the same as a jet ski
a bicycle is not the same as a motorcycle
just because a BB gun is lower power does not mean it is a bow and arrow
sorry... stopping rant
trying to stop rant
eBike rant stopped
I am not anti eBike... I am into bikes
in fact... I love motorcycles
I worked as a motorcycle messenger
I rode my motorcycle across the country, but I had a mountain bike shipped to Berkley so I would have a bicycle when I arrived as I know bicycles and motorcycles are not he same
so I collected ideas for the manifest
the manifest grew and grew
it was complex
there were questions
multiple tasks at manned checkpoints
there were several checkpoints dedicated to DC bicycle advocates past
I thought I would make stickers for Shawn Bega
I thought I would put a fresh Ghost Bike on the street for David Salovesh
and
I thought I would get David Confer Faces printed up for a Tour de Bike Lane checkpoint
well...
there were lots of ideas
lots and lots of ideas
but there was not time, money, or energy for all of these ideas
the manifest had to be trimmed down
the manifest is always created and then trimmed down
cutting the manifest in half does well to trim the fat
I CUT THE MANIFEST I HALF
I reduced my ambition
but I still had two manifests...
not only did I have two manifests
but the backside of the manifest would have some good tips for the beginners
locals?
locals would not even need the addresses
most of these places are DC Iconic and could be found by name alone
the event date approached
I had prizes from a long list of sponsors
I had created what I believed to be a fun and challenging manifest
Quick and to the Point
I felt that this manifest could be knocked out in under an hour by locals
a little over an hour for savoy out of towers
and
there would be a cut off point for handing in manifests so all riders would be at the finish and we could handle awards
Alleycat Checkpoints can be manned and unmanned
the photo\selfie is a good way for a person to PROVE that they went to that location
in the old days questions\quizzes were on the manifest
but with cellular technology... too easy to CHEAT
the selfie removes some of that cheating potential
Manned Checkpoints make an opportunity for hand outs and checkpoint challenges
I wanted to have rider pick ups
and
I wanted to have at least one check point challenge
but I needed Volunteers
I reached out for volunteers
it can be difficult to get volunteers
having an event on a weeknight can make gathering volunteers difficult
the multiple events that week did not help
so...
pick ups and checkpoint challenges would be dictated by how many volunteers I could gather
sorry... I am going to skip the START
there are so many ways to deliver up this story
so many angles
so many perspectives
my angle... to get it down
my perspective... whatever my fingers and my coffee fueled brain decide to toss down
Race Report: Intro To Alleycat - Alleycat 101 - Alleycat for Dummies
it was Tuesday Afternoon and I was down on F Street in Northwest DC trying to gather a few more bodies for my Intro to Alleycat event
without pre-reg I had no idea would would be attending
what people say and what people do are not always the same thing
people's intentions do not always meet up with their actions
who would be attendance?
who from the DC Mess Community would be racing?
what Messenger Adjacent people would be coming out to race?
What about National Bike Summit Attendees?
It sounded like there were lots of people with more pressing engagements
sure... an Alleycat is not for everyone
but hopefully someone would be attending?
then lastly...
what about volunteers?
I had a 6PM Registration... but I had an earlier request for volunteers
who would show support in this time of need?
sure enough... no everyone was on time... but everyone, well, just about everyone showed up
my key players were in attendance
there was the need for volunteers
there would be Dr Bronner's Magic Chocolate Bars at the Love Mural
Disc toss through a bicycle rim at Sylvan Theater with BikeFlights waterbottles and Koozies as pick up
and lastly
there would be the David Confer Tour de Bike Lane Checkpoint
luckily I reached out to Cate Cohen
Cate was David's partner and was excited to carry the torch and run this checkpoint
not only would Cate run the checkpoint
Cate took care of enlisting volunteers for the Tour de Bike Lane Checkpoint
The Tour de Bike Lane Checkpoint had David Confer Stickers
with a message about how David would still be alive if it were not for systemic racism
David did not get the cancer treatment he needed and deserved
and
David Confer died young when he shouldn't have
David was a tireless advocate!
Cate Ran the Checkpoint
the Volunteers Carried the energy of David Confer
Race Report: Intro To Alleycat - Alleycat 101 - Alleycat for Dummies
the volunteers were sent off to their various checkpoints
Idaho Advocate Lisa Brady would join Nick from Bike Talk and my friend Marina Smith at Blagden Alley
Blagden Alley would be a photo a The Love Mural
with a bonus chocolate bar pick up
My mountain bike riding buddies George Flam and Graham Davis worked with a a DC Bike Party representative Steven to run the 5 frisbee toss at Sylvan theater
and
Cate and Company would be at Tour de Bike Lane setting up early... cheering on commuters as they waited for racers to arrive
awarding the David Confer arm bands to the first racers to arrive
the race start was exciting
the number of racers was just shy of 50
a good mix
there were DC Mess Life people
there were DC messenger adjacent people
there were DC people curious about trying an Alleycat
and
there were all sorts of people from the National Bike Summit
some people taking the event more seriously than others
now... I did not witness the race
but I can imagine how things went
the first checkpoint was just a city block away
PICK UP AT MLK LIBRARY
shamelessly I sent the chaos into the library
on the fourth floor are 3 mini museum pieces on contemporary dc history
Go Go Music, DC Hardcore Punk, and Mayor Marion Barry
racers had to pick up a copy of the PUNK ZINE
I worked with the curator of this exhibit to be sure there were enough ZINES for pick up
the manifest was in order
at the start a local delivery guy who was race asked
"DO WE HAVE TO DO THE MANIFEST IN ORDER?"
to which I responded
"JOY THINKS HE IS SMARTER THAN THE MANIFEST"
and then
"No... you do not have to do the manifest in order... but I suggest it to be the best route"
it was chaos
there was as crash among racers before the first checkpoint
to avoid the madness some racers tried to shuffle the order of the manifest
not sure if that paid off
MLK to Blagden Alley
at Blagden Alley it was a Photo of the Love Mural
a photo of the LOVE Mural and a bonus pick up
Dr. Bronner's Magic Chocolate Bar
Blagden Alley to Ben's Chili Bowl
ICONIC
gotta have some old DC shared in these days of new DC
my buddy Brian snapped this shot of Chuck Brown at Ben's
ICONIC IMAGRY
Ben's to Tour de Bike Lane
Dario was running the manifest out of order and was the first racer to the Tour de Bike Lane
Anna Kelso was the First Out of Town
I heard that the Tour de Bike Lane was a BLAST!
thanks Cate!
loves seeing so many people at the finish!
Tour de Bike Lane to Black Lives Matter Plaza
Black Lives Matter
Black Lives Matter Plaza
YES... DC!!!
BLM Plaza to Sylvan Theater
Sylvan Theater is somewhat hidden
clue to it being near the Washington Monument with the street corner should have been enough
I need to review the results
the number of scored putts did not effect the finishing order
just had the winners in order of fastest completed manifests
most everyone had a completed manifests
everyone except for those that did not have complete manifests
Sylvan Theater to Smithsonian Castle
at the start I was informed it is Joseph Henry and not John Henry
how did Nicole know that?
I guess I always viewed the messenger as a "John Henry" type
SI Castle to National Gallery of Art Mirror Pyramid
National Gallery of Art is not part of the Smithsonian System
National Gallery of Art to Union Station
really... Union Station was tossed in there as an effort to get racers to First Street to give them more obvious access to the Metro Branch Trail
Union Station Statue to Mural on Metro Branch Trail by Miss Che Love
and then...
SPRINT TO THE FINISH
at the
DEW DROP INN
I will need to take a photo of the results
NICOLE WAS TOP FINISHER OVER ALL!
a photo of me with some of my cycling friends at the National Bike Summit
