Frank Tuesday Pirate Ride wrap up

Last night was the Frank Tuesday Pirate ride.

Rain, bikes, beer, friends, pissed off homeless guys, and racing... that would be the short version.

The long version...get a beer and a smoke and get ready to read------

I hopped on my bike and headed out...time? After dark, about 8ish.
I was at about the Plaza when it started to rain. Continue on or go home? Hummmm....I will continue. The rain picked up as I got to down town. I slowed my pace a bit. I have a habit of laying my bike down in the rain. Plus wet glasses and shiny streets do nothing for the one eyed guy. No worries, I made it with no problems. Well except for that near miss with the Metro bus (where in the hell did that thing come from!) and the run in with the hillbillies in the pickup. They seemed to think that I should be in the side walk...news flash fuck-o its called a side walk because you WALK on it!
I rolled up to the River Market Brewery soaked to the skin. I parked my ride and popped in for some chit chat and to have a quick beer (one of may free beers I got that night some how, gotta like that). Small crowd of bikes and some there to ride a few cycling ladies were looking very nice, they had been at a art show that they had donated some of there art work too. It was karaoke night at the brewery...I wanted out of there bad. I am surprised that riders had stayed as long as they did. You can only here some one do a horrible version of AC/DC's Back in Black (I think the dude was screaming the words) for a few minutes before you want to punch some one in the mouth.
Frank announced that it was time to go start the race. "Race? We are racing?" was the reply from several. Obviously this was their first Frank Tuesday event. Its not just about bike riding and beer, there is always a race. We wondered out side and grabbed our rigs. Close to 15 riders on bikes. By the time we got to the start line that # dwindled to 8 and by the time Frank described the course the field shrank by 2 again.
Turns out this was to be the first cyclocross race of the season. Many were not pleased with their bike selection. I remember seeing only one actual cross bike, one mountain bike, a few beach cruisers, a touring bike, a single speed roadie, and me on my fixed gear roadie. The start line was under a highway bridge by the tracks. The race was to be a timed event, that would go one for maybe 45 minutes...at that point it was hard to say since Jack Static was to be the timer and we had already lost him some where. The first lap Frank decided it would be best to ride together following him since most of his paper plate and duck tape course markers had been rained on and there for hard to see/find. The course took us from under the bridge, down the rutted and now muddy (thanks to the rain) dirt service road that runs along the tracks, hang a left up the concrete slop that runs up under the pier foot bridge, across the wooden pier to the stairs, down three flights of stairs to the paved path, left down the River front part paved trail, right on to the former dock area to the "wall", up the "wall" (in the past used as a loading dock of sorts. It was basically a 8 foot wall with a stair step in the middle. Hoist your bike up to the step, climb up after, climb to the top, reach down and hoist your bike up the rest of the way...kick ass obstacle), down the ramp and hook a left on two the rutted out service road heading back to the start bridge, hook a right, dismount and scramble across 4 train tracks up the slope and you are back at "start/finish". Wow.... Albino on his cross bike held the "lead" for the entire race. I thought I held my own fairly well but the off the bike running sections I felt slowed by the weight of my messenger bag (good excuse?). On the first lap we came across local homeless guy Kent at the bottom of the stairs. Apparently some one had thrown a plastic pirate sword at him so his was all pissed off and didn't understand what was going on. Luckily he didn't do any thing except bitch. As I came around on my third lap he had climbed the stairs and was in a heated discussion with Jack, I hesitated before going down the stairs but was singled by Jack to keep going. I think I did 5 laps of the course. Some where on my 3rd I began to wonder if I was the only one still doing the course. Then Albino lapped me...shit. I made it to the "wall" again, scrambled up and used the high vantage point to see where everyone was. I snapped a couple of pics of guys climbing the wall and then hopped on and headed on my way.
I think back on and got back under way. While at the wall I decided that when I got back up on the pier I was done. Several people looked as if they were stopped drinking beer with Jack last time I went through so I figured why not be done with it. As I hiked up the concrete slop to the start of the pier the rain which had eased back to a light spit at the start of the race returned with a vengeance. As I spun down the wooden board walk of the pier I thought how cool of a pic it would make from my view point. Glasses wet and fogged over, the lights down both sides on the rail, the shiny slick looking wood, and the group gathered in the rain at the turn to the stairs. As I rolled up and locked up the rear to slide to a stop I was told to stop cause time was up and we were done. That was nice to hear although I was stopping regardless, especially if some one had some PBR. The did and I did. The race was called to a close and we moved off the pier and down around the corner to the covered porch of an empty and closed restraint.
We drank our beers, laughed and chatted about the fun, the rain, and the pissed off homeless guy. Jack Static was commended on his ability to keep the bum calm and reigned in, he wanted to hit the "leader" because he threw a plastic pirate sword at him... he wasn't sure who the "leader" was but he wanted to hit someone.
Frank announced the winner. Albino the guy with the most laps had already fled the scene since right as the end of the race was called since he was the one who threw the plastic sword and it would have only been a matter or time for "Kent" the homeless man to figure it out. However, this is a Frank Tuesday event so he who finishes first is not necessarily the winner. Ornery Chick was declared the winner. I don't recall the exact reason but I think it was mostly because she was really the only one dressed like a pirate. Long head band, eye patch, poofy half shirt, mini-skit, fish net stocking, and her normal bike shoes (in Ornery's case combat boots). She was awarded a mini cup style trophy with "Arrrg..." written down the side in marker. A very appropriate FT trophy.
After the awards we moved down the road to Winslow's bar. Many PBR's and $1 Jell-O shots were had and much talk of memories of this and other FT events. After this every one scattered out into the rain to head for home and drier clothes.

Well that pretty much covers it. If I have forgotten any thing...well I don't know but I am sure some one will tell me.


The few picture's I did take are here at my Buzznet page - http://zekesbiken-ridin.buzznet.com/user/photos/ I loaded then last night a bit loaded and tired so for some reason they are shown backwards.