Alleycat

I raced in an alleycat yesterday put on by Rickshaw Bagworks:

Like most alleycat race days I woke up with an excellent hangover, having gone to bed at 3:00 the night before. I got up early to meet up with a guy interested in buying the RX-7. He showed up with his friend; they were both 16 and neither one knew how to drive let alone had a license. I asked if they brought the money ($1,800) and he said "yeah, but we spent four dollars on the way over". Somewhere around then I decided it might not be the best idea to sell it to these children. I told them to have their parents call me. We'll see what happens.

Anyway, it was a surreal morning. I made it just in time to start the race at the bow and arrow statue on the Embarcadero. There were about 80 people. I ended up placing 21st because I really fucked up the routing. The checkpoints were Union Square, 2600 Taylor, 1077 Kearny, 177 Valencia, the Cathedral on Gough and Geary, rose garden in GG Park, 9th and Judah, 400 block of Cortland and finising at Rickshaw on 900 22nd st.

Instead of knocking out the Kearny and Union Square after 2600 Taylor, I went straight to the cathedral then rose garden and 9th and Judah, which meant I had to double back when I should have gone straight from Judah to Valencia and onward. My plan was to follow someone fast and competent but after the first checkpoint where we had to make souvenir pennies in Fisherman's wharf, I got flustered and mashed out without thinking.

There's nothing worse than losers making excuses, but I did ride fucking fast so I know if I was in the right pack I would have done way better. Shit. Of course half of the race is supposed to be about routing.

At least 21st place got a prize: