Upcoming Events

I'm going to be off the map (and on another one) from March 15th to April 5th, but I'm all set to do the Monopoly Alleycat as soon as I'm back. I have everything in a file and ready to be printed. I may even get the printing done before I leave. April 9th seems like a really nice date to me.

Here's what I can tell you:
I'm going to be trying a new format for this race. Each racer will have a piece on the monopoly game board. At the checkpoints, the racers will collect tabs with a code on them. The codes match up to a decoder sheet with dice rolls on it. The first racer to get his or her piece around the game board wins.

There will be 8 checkpoints spread around Ionia. Each checkpoint has a unique set of codes designated by a letter. If you happen to be unlucky, and can't get your game piece around the board in 8 moves, you can repeat checkpoints. You must have completed checkpoints A-H before you can start over, and when repeating you may only go to each individual checkpoint once.

Hopefully nobody will need to do 16 checkpoints...but that would be pretty hilarious.

There wont be any prizes for this race. With me being gone, I just don't have time to send out all the emails and deal with all the sponsors properly.

So that's what's up. Get excited. Spring is almost here!

Alleycat Results

Well, I won the track stand competition, was the fastest out of towner, and came back from 5th place at the final checkpoint to tie for 2nd place. The whole race was only 7.6 miles, and the route was kinda planned out for you (cue sheet), but there was still some room to interpret the route. I wasn't given any time to look at the manifest/cue sheet before the start which was kinda lame, but whatever. It's wasn't the way I would do it but it also wasn't my event. I had a good time, and I would probably do it again. I just wish the drive hadn't been so long and the weather hadn't been so crappy on the way home.

Race Day!

In just about 3 hours I'm headed up to Mount Pleasant to race in a Michael Bolton themed alleycat race. I haven't done an alleycat that someone else put together since...gosh...maybe two years? Right now the dog and I are chilling on the couch and waiting for time to pass.

Michael Bolton Themed Winter Race

From Urban Velo:
The Mt. Pleasant Bike Cooperative is hosting a Michael Bolton themed winter scavenger hunt on Saturday Feb 26th. Bring a costume if you’re so inclined.

Urban Velo Link

Mt. Pleasant Bike Cooperative Link

The MPBC facebook page is completely NOT helpful, and doesn't even have any event info up at this point. I sent them an email asking for more info, so I'll add more details if I get them. I have a suspicion that this might not be the most well organized event.

Anyway, it's sorta in the area and it's not one of my events. So that's progress.

EDIT:


I'm thinking about doing this race, but I probably wont go if I have to go alone. I've got a good map of Mt. Pleasant and we can split gas. Let me know. I still haven't heard back from the organizers about any extra details, but we'll see.

EDIT 2
I finally got in contact with someone who knows something about this event. Thank you to Rebecca Wissman and Samantha Fiani, of MPBC, for helping me out. I'm probably going to go up to do this race. I fixed the brakes on my car, so I'm safe to travel again. If you want to go, I'd be happy to get you a sweet map and split the cost of gas. I'll call Gary on Monday and probably Thursday to see if anyone is going. Otherwise: legitimatemustard at gmail dot com

EDIT 3
From MPBC:
"I was the main organizer and route maker last time, so I asked a friend to make the route this time. He is probably going to use the same general area we have used in the last two alleycats, but I can't be sure. If so, the North boundary would be Pickard Road, the East boundary would probably be Mission Street, the South boundary would probably be Preston, and the West is harder to describe because of the river that messes up all of the streets. It would probably go as far west as Island and Nelson parks, but you might want to study a little more in that direction since there aren't many roads over there anyway.

...

The start is at Broadway and Main. We're not officially affiliated with MoMo (ED: Motorless Motion), but we might have a mechanic or two from there racing. Gabe who used to work there is making the route.

The distance? I think the one I organized in October was like 6-8 miles. I've done a few collegiate road races (ugh) and 20-60 miles might have been appropriate, but this is an "everybody's welcome" kind of thing, AND even the fast townies took over an hour to finish the sixish miles last time. I'm hoping that this one is going to be under ten, but regardless it will be fun.

WHOOOO!!"

I've got a good map that covers an area larger than this. I'll be taking it to the printer today. I'm going to have 5 maps made up. Hopefully I don't end up being the only person going...but if I do, more prizes for me!

2011 trip to Ray's Indoor MTB Park

Monopoly Alleycat

No job leaves plenty of time to brainstorm. Sooo, how about another alleycat race? I don't have a date figured out yet, but I'll update this soon. This one will be Monopoly themed. I don't feel like doing all the crazy stuff to get sponsors, so this one is for bragging rights only. It'll be in Ionia again. Stay tuned for updates.

Snowcat III Results

Results:
1st - Gary Ferguson
2nd - Josh Rockhold
3rd - Richard Miller
4th - Tony Holtrust
5th - Jeff Coe
6th - Jeremy Skvarce
7th - Mark Vickers
8th - John Vivkers
9th - Roger Summerfield
DNF - Richard Stilwill & John Flatley

Thank you to all of the sponsors!