Argonaut Article

Alley Cat Race to Hit Moscow

Written by Rob Todeschi - Argonaut

Thursday, 09 October 2008

Biking enthusiasts have the chance to compete in a third annual alley cat race at 2 p.m. Saturday at East City Park. Saturday’s race is called Mind E-Racer and is the product of Graham Sours, last year’s MashScow coordinator. Sours said he hopes Mind E-Racer will bring in the old familiar faces from last year’s race and newcomers to the alley cat competition. Described as a biking scavenger hunt, Sours said last year’s MashScow had between 35 and 40 participants hitting eight stops around Moscow before making a final stop at Sours’ place for a post-race party. The stops are yet to be determined but Sours said bars, restaurants and businesses around Moscow will be along the route. “I like that it’s laid back,” Sours said. “You look at a structured race and there’s a course, but with this, you don’t know the route.” Sours is a junior in the business department and has been doing alley cat races for years. He worked for a bike shop in Boise through high school and during his senior year he participated in his first race. Since then, Sours has raced in Oregon, Montana and Idaho. “No one else puts this on,” Sours said. “After last year’s race, people are stoked. You can get your Lance Armstrong on or you can relax and have a few throughout the race.” Sours said Moscow is great for an alley cat race because of the small hills, flat roads and limited traffic. The mystery of the race is what attracted Doug Shaw to Mind E-Racer. “You don’t know where you’re going. It’s a mystery,” Shaw said. Mind E-Racer will be Shaw’s debut in an alley cat race. Through word of mouth and a flier on Facebook, he said he was excited to get out and see what the hype was about. Shaw said he knows to expect a “good time and a little buzz.” Whether it’s the increase in gas prices or the desire for exercise, it’s obvious biking has grown in popularity in Moscow. The bike racks across town and campus are loaded with bikes of all sorts. Mind E-Racer has no restrictions on whom or what type of bikes can compete. Sours said “whatever has two wheels and rolls” is more than enough to compete in Saturday’s race. Along with the array of bikes, Mind E-Racer and last year’s MashScow have tapped into a wide range of participants from living groups, Greek housing, off-campus students and people traveling in from around the Northwest. Alley cat race styles are determined by the organizer. Sours said he’s heard of races being dry, meaning no stops at bars. He’s also heard of races being strictly bars and strip clubs. Sours said Saturday’s race will likely be somewhere in between with a few stops for drinks and a few at restaurants and businesses. Sours said he wanted Mind E-Racer to be a change from last year but build on the excitement and fun surrounding MashScow. “It can be competitive in the sense that no two races are alike,” Sours said. “It’s spontaneous. You don’t know what’s happening.”