TimArchy

I've had this idea bouncing around in my head for a while. Your city isn't that big. You've had 50 alleycats and they seem to keep using the same checkpoints because there's only so many bars/shops/people with houses downtown. You need something new.

So you get someone who doesn't live in your city, someone whose never been there, to design your route. Set them up with a map and some parameters (max distance, really, really bad neighborhoods, etc.). They set out 10 or so checkpoints completly blind. Whatever looks good to them on the map. Maybe they'll send you up the hill everyone hates or you'll have to find your way down the worst street in town. Maybe the checkpoint is in a mall or an office tower or the fastest way to get there is the subway.

Maybe it'll be the worst race everyone has done. But maybe it'll be awesome. And everyone can race b/c no one will know the manifest before hand.

andre nickatina

Sounds okay, but there's a lot of room for error and I'd definitely see it resulting in a shtty alleycat instead of a good one. I mean, the best alleycats are the most well thought out ones. The last time I raced, all the riders were in a fenced off tennis court listening to the guy throwing it say a couple last minute things about the race. Then he screams go and we realize we're all locked in the court and you have like 20 guys all climbing up this rusty old 15 foot fence trying to get outside to our bikes. That's the kind of stuff you need to do if your alleycat scene is getting old or whatever.

TimArchy

Doing mean things intentionally can get old though. I was thinking that it would get people to go in different directions than they normally would. different neighborhoods and such.

I think the perfect situation is to have the manifest arrive in a sealed envelope that isn't opened till race day. but then there wouldn't be anyone to staff checkpoints. It would be up to the riders to be honest. And that definately isn't part of alleycats.

bad idea I guess.

JohnnyDoyle

I don't know, I think it has potential. Maybe not worth more than one try, but certainly worth one. I mean, worst case scenario, participants appreciate the 'same old' check points more, because this race was so sh*tty.

Metricoclock

for the loveless alley cat here in Ann Arbor during February we had all the riders walk a good 60ft away, had them all turn around, and we then proceeded to take all their bikes and move them around the corner of the park(the diag on state and n.Univ) where we were starting. It added a nice little bit of chaos to the beginning because they had no idea where their bikes were. We actually had a crowd of people passing by standing across the streets from us watching to see it start, i think they got a kick out of seeing it also.

And instead of regular check points, we had them take pictures of themselves at each check point, which resulted in a photo receipt that they made it to the checkpoints (it was also nice and chilly out, and we were short handed to have enough people manning check points) and it worked out pretty well. More check points, shorter distances around town, and no waiting in a line at a check point.