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Tyler put on a great race. it was cleverly routed and on the busiest day of SXSW. i dunno how many showed up, but it was a big crowd - with a handful of out-of-towners. the instructions were to pick up delivery tickets most likey taped to poles at each checkpoint. then, do what the delivery ticket told you to. and make all your checkpoints on the manifest. we were to sprint down 6th street to whole foods and pick up the manifest and go from there. perfect. i couldn't wait to get started.

on go, we all headed out. we started at like a block east of IH 35 off 6th street. so in mass, we took over the access road getting across and over to 6th street. 6th was closed off to cars...and thankfully it wasn't clogged with people in the streets just yet. this part was so fun -- squeezing throught the barriers at times was risky. one guy on a mtbike ended up wheeling through one because his handlebars were not going to make it. i was behind a tandem and they hit it and got through but SHIT. it was so tight...i figured this will be a real 3 stooges moment.

at whole foods, everyone split and started out. one of the best was picking up a slice of pizza at 400 cesar chavez and throwing it in your pocket, then riding up the hill to the library on guadalupe where you had to eat it. ha.

i should win the race of most inventive or retarded, depending on how you look at it. first: after the 2nd checkpoint, i lost my manifest. i should know by now: never lose your fuckin manifest. i remembered 2 of the ones i needed. but, couldn't remember the last. so headed back to the finish. tyler tells me the one i'm missing, and i figure i might as well head out and get it. before i leave, patrick rides up for 1st place. i go out and get my last one (the pizza one).....but after coming back in and talking to whitney, i realize i ended up missing 2 of the delivery checkpoints that you had to read on the delivery slips. brilliant.

hmmmm.....oh......so, i guess when i got the checkpoint at lombardi gallery and it said 'lock up your bike and get a signature.' that didn't mean just of anyone standing around there. (which i did and i'm sure the guy thinks im a deluded person) and when it said: 'get a cookie and bring it to the finish.' it didn't mean....but, if you have one in your bag from earlier in the day...that counts. again....brilliant.

nevertheless, it was smashing fun...good crowd and balls out riding. it ended at bens house (which is the most fabulous house/compound in austin): party, beer, firepit, fireworks, prizes and band. thanks tyler and all for putting it on.

RESULTS:

1ST: Patrick - spanking chrome bag
2ND: Dustin - wad o cash
3RD: Gordo - sexy dropbars