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Tag: Detroit

  • Detroit Alleycat: Meow, Meow, Meow, Meow

    In case you missed it, the April Detroit Alleycat was a great time as these photos show.

    The theme was “drug wars”, so basically you got a brown bag at the start containing “medications” and directions. You had to ride to the different locations, deliver the medications, and get paid. You had to be at the bar by 6pm. Whoever got there first with the most money won.

    The key to doing well is knowing your streets and choosing an optimal order and route between all the stops. Fortunately Skeez and I know the area pretty well. Our team made all the sales. There were around 50 teams (over 115 riders) and we finished 7th or 8th.

    The after party was at TV’s on Grand River at 4th. They had $2 beers and grilled cheap food for us on their outdoor patio. The decor was very, very mod and cool.

    The next alleycat, called The Gay Velocipede and the Darling Buds of May is scheduled for May 7th, 8PM at Hart Plaza.

  • Detroit Tigers Opening Day Ride

    Opening Day at Comerica Park

    Today was opening day for the Detroit Tigers.  With temperatures edging into the fifties and the rain staying north, I rode downtown.

    I started by riding past old Tiger Stadium.  The streets and parking lots were full of cars and Tiger tailgators.   Cabs were circling like vultures looking to give rides over to the park.

    I headed down Michigan Avenue and made a stop at the Urban Bean Company.  The owner Josh hustled outside as I pulled up so we could talk about my Kona King bike.  He’s got a Kona Chute.  Josh has really gotten the coffee shop going now.  He’s added the cold beverages and baked goods.  He’s got the Tiger’s on TV.  He’s just picked up a hookah.

    After a quick coffee and muffin, I rode around and past Comerica Park.  The streets were buzzing with excitement for the upcoming Tiger’s season.

    Then, while riding home, I made a quick detour at Holbrook to ride past the striking workers at American Axle in Hamtramck.  I didn’t have a horn to honk for support or even a bike bell — probably a good thing on the latter.  They did  have the Tigers game on the radio.

    Unfortunately Detroit ended up one down on Kansas City after 11 innings.

  • Next Detroit Alley Cat is April 20th

    Detroit Alley Cat from their myspace pageWhat the heck is an alley cat? It’s a fun, low stress, high fun urban biking challenge. It’s not something for the lycra-clad racer boy crowd. It’s a sure fire way to embrace or rediscover the simple fun of riding a bike.

    The last one I did started with cans of Red Bull and ended with cans of PBR. They was a whole lot of fun and mischief in the middle.

    Here’s an announcement for the next Detroit alley cat:

    On April 20th (4/20) at 4:20pm! This will be on a Sunday. Friends are doing this one and this is the info I have so far. This is going to be a fun race and not so much a crazy fast one! Teams of 4 so tell your friends and get your bikes ready! And yes this is the drug wars 4/20 race and frome what I know this is going to be sooper fun and a bit funny!

    Normally they start at Hart Plaza. You can watch their myspace page for additional updates.

  • Careful Riding on St. Patrick’s Day

    Chicago RiverI’ll ride in most any weather or conditions. That doesn’t scare me. Riding the roads on St. Patrick’s Day and other drinking holidays does. It’s a good time to be extra defensive.

    This photo of the river is not in Detroit, but Chicago. It was taken by Soupy who recently relocated there. Soupy’s got more cool photos and entries on his blog.

    While St. Patrick’s Day was celebrated on Saturday in Chicago, Detroit’s Corktown turned green on Sunday. Mike Connolly, Black Eyed Skeez, and I rode down to particpate in the fun.

    On the way there, I hijacked our ride so we could check out the pygmy goats and other farm animals on Cochrane just north of Old Tiger Stadium. They all came over to greet us, including their kids and a bunch of hens.

    I’m glad they’re back after being MIA over the winter. This spring I stopped in the neighborhood party store next door and asked about them. The lady behind the glass said the owner had recently stopped in to buy four loaves of bread for the hungry goats.

    Off the farm, we road over to Michigan Avenue and cheered on the Corktown 4-mile runners, grabbed free snacks from the Mercury Coffee Bar, and found a few spots at Slow’s bike rack — a rack that later became filled. Slow’s was packed. Nemo’s was packed. Even the LJ Lounge was shoulder to shoulder.

    We also stopped by a friend’s place in the Grinnell lofts. Wow. It was a great place with a very cool outdoor deck on the rooftop.

    Eventually we got back on our bikes and rode home into the wind. Another holiday in the saddle.

  • Two Wheel Revolution

    Todd Scott in a Ferndale bike laneThanks to metromode for writing about cycling in Metro Detroit. As I told my friends, I don’t normally ride in baggy hiking pants, but it had rained the night before and my cycling tights were still damp. I was wearing my Patagonia Windshield top, which was a great choice for the balmy Michigan winter weather.

    I’m “practically evangelical when it comes to cycling?” What does it take to become “full-on evangelical?”