A Couple of Bike Events
Yesterday I rode in the Tangletown Poker Scramble, a St. Patrick’s Day race organized by Lee Williams from .83. You had 90 minutes to cruise around the triangularly-shaped neighborhood between Greenlake, I-5, and Wallingford, trying to find a handful of roving checkpoints: folks on bike or foot who would then deal you a playing card. The goal was to gather up a poker hand, with prizes for first hand completed, best hand, worst hand, and so on.
My strategy was to get stoned at the race start and then ride slowly, in an attempt to just vibe where the checkpoints would be. That failed dismally, as I only found one of the six in my hour and a half of riding about.
Still, it was a lovely day—overcast and cool—and a pretty ride through a very sweet neighborhood. I stopped for a coffee at Zoka and a drink at the Tangletown Pub and finally, after all these years in Seattle, have figured out how the streets work in that strangely-gridded part of town. So, although I finished well out of the money, I count the event a success, no less because it gave me a few ideas for things I’m going to try in the Half-Century Ralleycat the week after next.
Today, I used the trailer to help Chris Nygaard, who organized last years, “Brews, Brewed, and Bruise” race move some boxes from his old apartment on Interbay to his new one in Fremont. I carried six boxes of books—I’m guessing around a hundred pounds—and felt particularly good about myself for getting up and out Sunday morning to help somebody while getting a bike ride out of the deal, too.
The trailer continues to perform beautifully, although sitting here, I do feel a residual bucking motion from the way the weight pushes and pulls me as I pedal.
I take it as a pleasant reminder of the past two days on two wheels.
My strategy was to get stoned at the race start and then ride slowly, in an attempt to just vibe where the checkpoints would be. That failed dismally, as I only found one of the six in my hour and a half of riding about.
Still, it was a lovely day—overcast and cool—and a pretty ride through a very sweet neighborhood. I stopped for a coffee at Zoka and a drink at the Tangletown Pub and finally, after all these years in Seattle, have figured out how the streets work in that strangely-gridded part of town. So, although I finished well out of the money, I count the event a success, no less because it gave me a few ideas for things I’m going to try in the Half-Century Ralleycat the week after next.
Today, I used the trailer to help Chris Nygaard, who organized last years, “Brews, Brewed, and Bruise” race move some boxes from his old apartment on Interbay to his new one in Fremont. I carried six boxes of books—I’m guessing around a hundred pounds—and felt particularly good about myself for getting up and out Sunday morning to help somebody while getting a bike ride out of the deal, too.
The trailer continues to perform beautifully, although sitting here, I do feel a residual bucking motion from the way the weight pushes and pulls me as I pedal.
I take it as a pleasant reminder of the past two days on two wheels.
posted by Professor Dave at 12:47 PM
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