Sunday: Bike Works’ Tour de Fleurs all-ages alleycat ride tours Rainier Valley
Registration page via Bike Works.My face has turned into a sneezing, itchy, bloodshot sponge, which only mean one thing: Spring is here!
If you are looking for a way to scratch that bike-riding itch this weekend, Bike Works has got you covered. The fourth Tour de Fleurs meets starting 11 a.m. Sunday at Genesee Park in Columbia City. Ride starts at 12 p.m. sharp. The ride will take you on a self-guided adventure to six checkpoints around Southeast Seattle, each with a fun challenge. Also, it's free! Register online.
The Tour de Fleurs is an all-ages alleycat ride, which is like a scavenger hunt on bicycles. Typical alleycats are bike races on public streets with no set route that test a rider's navigation skills as much as their riding ability. Alleycats are a chance to show off all the shortcuts you know. Riders must reach certain checkpoints that are kept secret until the start of the race. Sometimes checkpoints also include challenges that must be completed before heading to the next one. Some alleycats are a race to the finish while others are about accumulating the most points within a time limit.
Participants in Tour de Fleurs do not need to race to participate. Like with the annual Cranksgiving events Seattle Bike Blog has hosted since 2010, the alleycat format is also a great way to structure a fun bike adventure for folks.
Event description from Bike Works:
How many, many things
they call to mind-
these cherry blossoms!- Matsuo Bash
How often does a bike ride celebrating flowering trees happen? Just once a year, thanks. The annual Tour De Fleurs is an all ages alleycat ride in South Seattle that celebrates fun, belonging, inclusivity, the inimitable cherry blossom, and the many, many things they each call to mind.
Alleycat rides are rooted in bike messenger culture, and riders are tasked with visiting pre-determined checkpoints in a certain order. This ride will begin and end at Genesee park, connecting six different checkpoints along the way. Have fun riding around Columbia City, Genesee Park, Lakewood, and Seward completing fun challenges and earning points to win fun prizes!Join us on Sunday March 30th at Genesee Park at 11AM. Register ahead of time right here!