Ware-Cat Race

Tired and cranky from riding up and down Bald Peak all day could only be remedied by more bike-riding.

I wasn't very happy about driving to an alley cat race, but time left me no other choice.  So, I found the hard-to-find alley address in an industrial neighborhood near downtown Portland, parked and unloaded my bike.

An open bay door to the alley revealed a small space with a stage and a man in red announcing the rules to the race, which he started repeating as new racers arrived.  In true Bike Swam fashion, we were to ride out together, to a single address and ride right back.

We had an hour, a keg full of free beer and some intense live music to enjoy between rounds.  These intermissions lasted an hour so I only lasted for two of the three rounds.  I won a fabulous red spoke card, which I proudly ride with and will until it falls out or falls apart.

I was also interviewed on a recorder by a man who claimed he was a journalist.  He interviewed me because I was the only one there who'd ever raced in an Alley Cat before.  It made me feel like quite the expert and even a little famous.