I had an idea for an alleycat to benefit a community guerrilla garden months ago, but it never developed, and I don't know that the garden needs a benefit to move forward.
The plan was to do a simple alley cat/time trial (would it qualify as a time trial? I don't know what goes into one) featuring races up all or most of Lawrenceville's hills on the numbered streets, but the garden can support itself (message me if you want to help/grow next year) and there are bigger issues at our doors.
Now that the Anti-Fracking Movement is in full effect (People Are Both Scared and Pissed), I think it might be a better time to organize an alleycat. (Just think of the alliteration in The Hills of Drill-less Lawrenceville, or a b-movie reference: The Hills have Eyes ... that belong to Natural Gas Barons) How well do winter alleycats go, as far as turnout? And what about politically motivated alleycats? I'd like to do a benefit for the anti-frack group in the city, and since Lawrenceville is the most familiar neighborhood (who even knows where Lincoln Place is?) with gas leases on its properties, why not have it here?
I've already received feedback on creating an alleycat based on hills (dave has to understand this), which is a bad idea for a lot of people who would otherwise be interested, and have planned a tour of the neighborhood's properties that have signed gas leases and maybe a screening of Gasland (hasn't everyone seen this yet?), but I've never planned an alleycat and am a bit wary. I've read the Velo Orange article on planning a successful alleycat (probably will look at it again), but I'd like some more feedback.
thanks,
todd
If you want turnout, definitely don't have a fixed gear only hill ride (*cough* climb fixed or die *cough*).
Your best bet might be to organize an event (potluck w/ screening) and then add an alleycat that ends there. I wouldn't worry too much about making the alleycat match a theme, just use it as a way to try to get people to show up and come to the after-event. If you want an easy-going alleycat go with a scavenger hunt.
i like ones that are designed so that people that want to just show up for fun, can, and the people that want to go fast and race can also do that too.
