BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

« Back to Archive
56

PedalForThePantry - Charity on two wheels.

Last year I attended the Cranksgiving event this past November in Philly, and wondered why there wasn't a similar event that happened in pgh? We have enough people that kind of ride, we have grocery stores, we have a food bank, so why didn't we have an event? There have been similar events in the past, but its been a few years since the last one. In fact i wouldn't stop wondering about it to the point where I was told to "Quit talking about it and do something." So I did something. That seed of inspiration has grown and been cultivated into an event. I proudly present Pedal for the Pantry. A cycling event to benefit the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. This is a food drive alleycat-inspired event. Riders will meet at a central location, be provided a map containing a list of stores & items to acquire, then head to a finish destination. Shopping lists will be tallied, prizes will be awarded, good vibes and fun times will be had by all. (Don't think that just because you aren't the fastest rider that you're out of prize territory, there will be random drawings from the rider pool too.) Event date is noon on Saturday April 6th, the starting point is the Wall in Oakland, 3900 Forbes ave. (Across the street from the O / in front of the Pitt Law Building - Forbes & Bouquet streets.) There are two available ride options, a challenging long ride thru the city, and an easier route that is focused on the riverside trails. There is no set route, participants choose their own path thru pgh. It is free to enter the ride, but riders will have to purchase the food to be donated (which should be around $15). So don't expect to be overburdened or needing lots of cargo space. Additional info can be found on the event website (http://pedalforthepantry.org/) and on the Facebook link (https://www.facebook.com/Pedalforthepantry). All proceeds will be donated to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank (http://www.pittsburghfoodbank.org/).
pbeaver
2013-03-08 20:58:14
That's pretty awesome, great idea
sgtjonson
2013-03-08 21:49:55
http://fatguyorangebike.blogspot.com/2013/03/pedal-for-pantry.html This is something I tried to do last year up in greensburg but the hurricane came in at the same time. I am really behind rides like this and just want to challange all of you to bring extra food, food gift cards, and sponsor a prize.
dbacklover
2013-03-09 09:05:35
bump.
pbeaver
2013-03-11 07:38:12
I have fifteen bucks, hope to make it
teamdecafweekend
2013-03-11 18:47:22
mandatory self-ingulgent Bump for great Justice!!! (there are two ride options, so if you tend to avoid the usual alley-cat, don't worry, there is a casual ride as well. its all about getting awareness & donations to the foodbank.)
pbeaver
2013-03-13 22:05:29
@pbeaves looking forward to it. still forming up a team for the shorter family run. anyone want to join my team. think flock ride for a cause.
dbacklover
2013-03-14 19:04:26
@dback, I'll take the short bus.
marko82
2013-03-14 19:54:22
Nice! I did the ride a few years back (2009?) called Allycat Soup and it was the same concept, but I think it was a benefit for Jubilee Soup Kitchen. I had a blast. Similar to yours, the ride was on a Saturday which meant the grocery stores were insanely busy, so how well you did in the race was also based on how lucky you were with the grocery store line lottery. Erok and I got into an extremely long self-checkout line at Market District and we were like "ohhhhh this is a bad idea," and then the self-checkout machine BROKE. We had to switch lines and watch all these other racers inch up and up in other lines. It was so amazingly stressful (in the best way) and fun.
rachel_ding
2013-03-14 20:33:26
I should add that I have NEVER, EVER seen the Market District lines stretch as long as they did that day in 2009 during the allycat. Incredible.
rachel_ding
2013-03-14 20:34:59
@dbacklover I'll be looking for your group. A casual social ride for a good cause is always something to look forward to.
josgood
2013-03-14 20:57:31
Rachel, as I've been prepping my event I've heard about Alleycat Soup, and did not participate as I was not as involved in the cycling community back then. But I am bummed I missed it. Besides the weather, the store lines / checkout speed are among the list of "Uncontrollable Variables" that will add excitement & fun to the event. Some of the prize donations have been rather generous, so they will be awarded by a raffle-method. Extra items will be put on a separate list and when those items are turned in (along with the rest of the items on the regular list), participants will be entered into a drawing. So people can choose what items they would like to be in the running to win. example: Abra Racing is donating some free race entries, so a rider could donate a 5 pound bag of flour (actual item yet to be determined) to be entered into the race entry drawing. There will be similar requirements for the messenger bags and a few of the other items. So riders shouldn't worry that if they aren't the fastest rider, that they are out of the running for some neat stuff. :) More updates and info to come as the date of the event approaches. April 6th, mark your calendars, and hope its not raining.
pbeaver
2013-03-14 21:04:51
Definitely in for this. Do we need to register or just show up on the 6th ready to mash?
that_tickles
2013-03-15 07:16:26
day of only, no pre-reg. on reg riders get a map, so giving the maps out early would remove a bit of the navigational challenge aspect of the ride. ;) open reg starts @ 11:30 am, and the ride starts @ 12:00 pm 30 min to plan, its best to show up on time for the most time to plot you route. the prize cutoff is 4:00 pm SHARP, and the finish line ceremony @ 5:00 pm (we need a bit of time to tabulate the results.) it is VERY IMPORTANT to keep all receipts (the map will be glued to an envelope so all riders have a storage space for them.) each store has a required item to purchase, that is how we're tracking prize winners.
pbeaver
2013-03-15 08:57:31
sounds great!
bikeygirl
2013-03-15 10:05:55
shameless self-promotional bump
pbeaver
2013-03-19 09:46:14
We had to switch lines and watch all these other racers inch up and up in other lines. It was so amazingly stressful (in the best way) and fun. This was possibly the best part of the event, apart from explaining to perplexed shoppers/employees, seeing dozens of people coming in with bike gear, that "it's kind of a scavenger hunt."
ieverhart
2013-03-19 21:12:41
For those who are not following the updates on the Pedal for the Pantry Facebook page, you should all know that sponsors have provided some verrrry sweet prizes for this event. (If Paul won't brag about the sponsors he's gotten, I'll do it for him.) If getting to ride bikes around the city with awesome people while benefiting a charity somehow isn't enough to get you there, the opportunity to win bikey prizes should be the incentive you need
2013-03-20 08:05:06
I'm actually still waiting on more stuff to arrive.
pbeaver
2013-03-20 08:58:08
i'll be posting pencil sketches of the illustrations i'm doing for this event tomorrow and friday night. one for a big one-off poster and one for a limited signed/numbered print run of 10.
cburch
2013-03-20 16:45:33
BUMP. Bumpity Bump Bump Bump. Bump, BUmp, Bumperooo bumpadellic, wow. BUMP!!!!!
pbeaver
2013-03-23 02:20:03
13 days away. Is everyone getting excited?
pbeaver
2013-03-24 07:52:01
Hey everybody, its the "11 days to go!" Bump. Also wanted to post some updated info (duplicated from the Facebook event site https://www.facebook.com/Pedalforthepantry ) - The registration start time has been changed to begin earlier, 11:00am instead of 11:30am to better accomodate riders & allow more time for Googlemap route plotting . - We're going to upload images of the prize gallery this week. Some really cool stuff is arriving, and we want to build the hype. - Revamping the "raffle" drawing system a bit, the ride has a specific numer of items to aquire, so any additional items will award raffle tickets and then larger bonus items will award multiple raffle tickets. (ex: two extra cans of soup would get 2 bonus tickets, but a box of detergent or a package of diapers would award 5 bonus tickets.) Stay tuned for more info. :D
pbeaver
2013-03-26 09:13:01
Team Fatguy (thats me) is recruiting for anyone who wants to do the non alleycat version of the ride. I am hoping to have tunes for the ride (if I can manage it)
dbacklover
2013-03-27 11:18:37
I love this idea and am hoping to make it.
pinky
2013-03-27 11:40:04
7 days to go bump....
pbeaver
2013-03-30 09:45:05
Bump. Team Fatguy grows and I am looking forward to next weekend. Pedal for the Pantry Black and Gold Sprints Cycling Expo Can't wait!
dbacklover
2013-03-31 21:12:19
My college has also been recommending the Pittsburgh Food Bank's virtual food drive: http://vad.aidmatrix.org/pitt.cfm?driveid=832 The foodbank can buy in bulk and get more food on the dollar I'd also recommend writing to legislators to encourage them to continue support SNAP and school lunch programs, and maybe even to encourage them to expand the USDA's summer program which gives families more money during the out-of-school season, which fills the gap between the meals that are normally provided by school lunch
sgtjonson
2013-03-31 21:52:29
@Pierce - yes, those are excellent programs to support, although they don't encourage anyone to hop on their trusty iron steed and enjoy a day in the sunshine. A couple updates.... - Bump, 4 days to go. - The Challenge ride has been modified, some stores have been swapped around and about 5-7 miles have been shaved off the ride. This will speed the ride up, and allow for more riders to complete in the time frame (while still enjoying the post ride atmosphere.) - II've gotten some of the event prize pics online (they are in FB though) https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.592716960740141.1073741829.551035534908284&type=3 - Looking forward to enjoying the weather & a fun day. If you can't make the ride, swing by and drop off some canned goods for a worthy cause. Don't forget there are gold sprints in the evening.
pbeaver
2013-04-02 18:17:41
@pbeaves Agreed on the cycling, and that our ongoing hunger issues will best be solved by a variety of tactics and support, including alleycats :P
sgtjonson
2013-04-02 18:27:28
Holy MACARONI, IT'S TOMORROW!!!!!! Don't be a hater, be a donator. :-D
pbeaver
2013-04-05 09:44:56
Wait...is there some sort of event tomorrow?
andrew-s-part-two
2013-04-05 10:06:08
Very excited for this. The weather and the mashing will make it one heck of a Saturday.
that_tickles
2013-04-05 11:58:51
yes, also with goldsprints following this ride and the cycling expo on sunday, this is one heck of great weekend.
pbeaver
2013-04-05 14:06:51
I'll be with Team Fatguy! Yay pbeaves!!
mick
2013-04-05 14:28:03
I am SO incredibly bummed that I can't participate in this. Another commitment completely overlaps the schedule for this. May you all enjoy your rides, win great prizes AND bring in a ton of food for the food bank!
swalfoort
2013-04-05 15:40:52
Can't wait - the tension is building!
teamdecafweekend
2013-04-05 20:20:49
+1 for Team Fatguy
pseudacris
2013-04-06 08:09:34
This was great! Thanks to Paul for organizing, thanks to volunteers, and thanks to everyone who participated!
stefb
2013-04-06 18:51:54
I was impressed at the turnout. That father-son team? They traveled down here from Erie for this! Well, this and a couple of other things, too, but wow!
stuinmccandless
2013-04-06 19:18:14
Great day, even with the mechanical difficulties!
teamdecafweekend
2013-04-06 21:03:28
This was a great ride and it's awesome to see a truly grassroots effort get so much support. Great job by Paul and everyone else who helped organize this!
salty
2013-04-06 21:05:29
Echoing the above. This was great!
jeg
2013-04-07 00:07:52
I had the privilege of riding the father-son team back to the wall from OTB. So cool. If I had I dad like that at that age, I would be tearing it up by now. That kid will win P4TP 2017 for sure. Thanks for coming if you happen to check this board!!
andrew-s-part-two
2013-04-07 01:32:40
Big thanks to Paul for organizing that event. Massive amounts of fun all for a good cause. Also really raised awareness of the cycling community in Pittsburgh. Every cashier at the stores on the circuit that I talked to knew what was going on, and thought it was a great idea. I also had some non-cycling friends who heard about what was going on.
that_tickles
2013-04-07 06:52:50
Wonderful day yesterday--great weather, great ride, great friends, and Great Scott! 200 families fed for a week!!! Well done, Paul and sponsors!!
joanne
2013-04-07 08:14:34
This was awesome!!!! I had so much fun. The pgh cycling community rocks. Thanks for organizing this Paul. I know you worked your ass off. We did the longer ride but not competitively and it was super fun; we finished well within the time limit. I bought double everything and had no trouble carrying it all. Next time I am going to try for the bigger items (TP, diapers, etc).
sarah_q
2013-04-07 09:01:18
oh, and I got an awesome prize -- one of Colin's prints! yes!!! -- even though we were slow as sh*t. :)
sarah_q
2013-04-07 09:02:30
ok, so my little ride thing was yesterday, I was hoping to have a few people show up and collect a bit of food. 90+ riders 987 pounds of non-perishible food 187 pounds of non-food (diapers, laundry detergent, and bathroom tissue) 1164 pounds of donated goods gathered & delivered by bike inside of 4 hours. Wow. Dang. Holy $*!# I wanted to thank: - everyone for riding - everyone who volunteered - everyone who helped to keep me from freaking out - all of the prize sponsors - the staff at OTB - the pgh cycling community The turnout & enthusiasm for this event reminded me of what an awesome group of people we have here in this city. This was an event about all of us coming together as a community to have a good time and do a bit of good. Thank all of you who showed up, rode, and donated a bit of your time. Thanks.
pbeaver
2013-04-07 09:17:59
Great job, Pbeaves. Good cause, good weather, good ride... doesn't get much better. Appreciate all the work done on this by you and Nick and whomever else was behind the curtain. Toward the end yesterday, someone from the food bank was passing out info on another ride to benefit them coming up in May. She said they put it on the events calendar here, but I told her to make sure she posts it on this forum if she wants people to know about it. So - if you enjoyed this or if you wish you hadn't missed this one - look for something happening in May.
srpit
2013-04-07 13:28:56
I am still trying to wrap my head around this whole thing. I personally was gobsmacked speechless by the whole day. Team Fatguy had (unoffically) 14 people (I say unoffically since i dont think all of them knew they were on my team) we were just the people taking the easy route. The sight of all these riders standing in line all buying the same items became an instant conversation starter with the checkout people and the other people in line. I had a conversation with a guy infront of me inline at Giant Eagle on southside. it came down to him saying it was a great day for a bike ride. I agreed and showed him the Pedal for the Pantry Manifest and explained to him what we were doing. He said it was a great idea, wished me a good day, and checked out. I wished him a good day as well and checked out as well. He stopped me as I was leaving the store and handed me some cash to donate to the food bank. Two total stangers - again Gobsmacked. Part of me, as I sit here looking longingly at my bed (Im tired) wants to say "We have a special group of cyclist here in Pittsburgh" We don't We aren't special we just saw a need (well pbeaves saw a need) and we found a way to fill that need while doing what we do. Kudos to everyone who rode yesterday, and for everyone who spoke up and talked about the ride. I find myself humbled by all of you. I hope to have a post and video edited by friday. Right now I need some quiet time with my pillow.
dbacklover
2013-04-07 21:14:18
I may have been the public face of this, but there is no way I could have done it alone. NickD is the man, I owe him a tremendous thanks. Without his help, guidance, perseverance, efforts, and focus I would have floundered, The events success are a direct result of his input and influence. @srpit: that was Amy, she is doing the BiketofeedFamilies event. the date is May 11th. there is more info on her facebook site. (see epkiley's post above.)
pbeaver
2013-04-08 09:54:17
I particulary enjoyed the cashier at at Aldo's on te eSS, who looked at my p4tp items and looked at me, then said "But you're not a biker!" Even the cashiers have me pegged.
mick
2013-04-08 10:51:32
^ha, funny, Mick.
teamdecafweekend
2013-04-08 13:01:59