Accidental Alleycat
I had some errands to run on Saturday and decided to bundle up and ride around to the places I had to get to. I had a library book to return, a FedEx package to mail, and some cable end caps to get for my bike. I managed to squeeze my library book and the return into the back pockets of my jersey and I was off.
First up: Brooklyn Public Library to return a book that took me so long to finish, I had to renew it twice. I returned the book in the outdoor drop box before trying to figure out if I should look for a FedEx location first, or just head to 718 Cyclery.
I decided to ride to Joe’s first, assuming there would be a FedEx drop box somewhere in that vicinity. I pulled up to the shop and started locking my bike up when Joe asked, “Are you here for the race?!” First of all, me? Race? That is a hilarious notion. Second of all, what race? Also, I just need cable end caps!
Then it clicked.
I totally forgot that the Principles GI Mashing Through the Snow Alleycat was that day (this is one of those moments where I do regret not being on social media enough - I need to set some notifications for these things)! Alleycat races started as underground events with riders racing to various destinations, mimicking routes bike messengers in a city might take throughout the day. I don’t know much about them myself, considering this is the first one I ever bore witness to, but I do know that there are more traditional/strict ones, where competitors can only ride on brakeless, fixies and then ones that are more inclusive. This alleycat, hosted by Katie, the owner of Principles GI, is one of those inclusive ones.
Side note: On the topic of alleycats, this year’s Bicycle Film Festival New York featured a short on the Frigid Bitch, an alleycat in Pittsburgh open to women and under-represented gender identities. Go watch it.
Katie (a different Katie) was the volunteer for this checkpoint at 718 and she and Joe both encouraged me to stick around for a little while to watch the race. While we waited for the first riders, Joe was able to replace the end cap on my shifter cable and gave me a few spares to keep handy.
Thank you, Joe!!!
By the time Joe wrapped up this quick fix, the first riders were coming through. As part of this race, riders would be required to perform a task at each checkpoint and for this one, they had to hop up and down on one foot, while singing a holiday song, before getting a 718 patch and the stamp on their manifest.
With this being a race, there was a sense of urgency, and it was hilarious to watch the riders complete this task, while trying to keep the sidewalk clear for pedestrians.
I wound up hanging out with Joe and Katie for a couple of hours! I got Katie and I some hot chocolate and coffee to help keep us warm in between the times we snuck into Joe’s shop to get a break from the cold.
I’m ecstatic to have stumbled across this alleycat the way I did. I got to meet tons of new people, including Ralph, who was a photographer for the event, and I even got to see Anna and Tracey, two bad-ass ladies I’ve ridden with before, who wound up winning their race division (I think - don’t quote me on that). I was able to catch up with Joe and we talked about how I can maybe, probably replace my shifter cable on my own, the upcoming 718 micro tours, and the NYC bike scene in general. We somehow got around to talking about my blog with a few people; Joe starting sharing more info about it and I just about died. I started this blog as an outlet for myself, but always with the hope that it could be a resource for others. To hear Joe, someone I respect so much (and who has been a huge resource for me since moving to Brooklyn), speak about what I’m doing in such a positive way was incredibly validating. I took in everything going on around me this afternoon, and it felt like things were finally falling into place, like all of my efforts to find myself a community were finally paying off.
I rode from Joe’s to Principles GI for the after party, which included food, local artists selling items, and the prize giveaway for all of the racers.
I made it a point to speak with Katie, the organizer of the event, and let her know that I would be interested in volunteering for the next race she puts together. And then I thought I heard someone calling my name…
It was Polly!!! I had no idea she would be here, but it turns out that her friend, Zoe, was one of the racers! We hung out at the afterparty while waiting for Zoe to complete the race.
And then, she arrived, finishing her first alleycat ever! Zoe showed off her manifest and the spoke card she received for finishing.
I congratulated some of the riders I knew before heading out because, throughout all of this, I still had that FedEx package in my jersey pocket. I found a drop box on my ride home.
*** By the way, it is also an accident that this and the previous blog posts’ titles are both alliterations.
