much love to all those that are into cycling now with the change in mind set ... yet I have to ask why does it have have to have the word "alley" in the race title when it is obviously not an alley kat race .... I know that every one has begun to jump on the messenger band wagon, yet I would like to think that there would be some differed respect to the community who it seems to have started all of you down this road. Don't get me wrong ... it is great to see ... just there is a reason why messenger races are called alley Kat races (within SF I have heard it was a kind and respectful pull from the station 1 "Alley Cats" of SFFD, who is to know ..."), they are in a city and usually consists of moving around a metropolitan area via the fastest routes which would sometimes include alleys. BE PROUD OF WHO YOU ARE AND FIND YOUR OWN WAY ... or BECOME A MESSENGER!
i appreciate you bringing that up. and i mean no disrespect to bike messengers or the historical meaning of alley cats (kats?). broadly speaking, i understood "alley cat" to mean an underground event, and "alley cx" is just a play on the term - or a convergence of underground racing and cyclocross. i think the term "alley cat" has changed since the days before seeing track bikes and "messenger style" on every corner in san francisco and oakland. many "alley cats" these days are not organized and ridden by bike messengers. i'll keep your ideas in mind if and when i organize events in the future. and by all means, come out and ride with us!
Local note: There's an ancient funky bar on Grand Ave. called "The Alley" on Grand Ave in Oakland. Does the course go behind the Chabot rifle range? Good fun. Cheers,
much love to all those that are into cycling now with the change in mind set ... yet I have to ask why does it have have to have the word "alley" in the race title when it is obviously not an alley kat race .... I know that every one has begun to jump on the messenger band wagon, yet I would like to think that there would be some differed respect to the community who it seems to have started all of you down this road. Don't get me wrong ... it is great to see ... just there is a reason why messenger races are called alley Kat races (within SF I have heard it was a kind and respectful pull from the station 1 "Alley Cats" of SFFD, who is to know ..."), they are in a city and usually consists of moving around a metropolitan area via the fastest routes which would sometimes include alleys. BE PROUD OF WHO YOU ARE AND FIND YOUR OWN WAY ... or BECOME A MESSENGER!
ReplyDeletei appreciate you bringing that up. and i mean no disrespect to bike messengers or the historical meaning of alley cats (kats?). broadly speaking, i understood "alley cat" to mean an underground event, and "alley cx" is just a play on the term - or a convergence of underground racing and cyclocross. i think the term "alley cat" has changed since the days before seeing track bikes and "messenger style" on every corner in san francisco and oakland. many "alley cats" these days are not organized and ridden by bike messengers. i'll keep your ideas in mind if and when i organize events in the future. and by all means, come out and ride with us!
ReplyDeleteLocal note: There's an ancient funky bar on Grand Ave. called "The Alley" on Grand Ave in Oakland. Does the course go behind the Chabot rifle range? Good fun. Cheers,
ReplyDeleteMarco