Alleycats will prowl the Muncie streets Saturday as part of an event organized by two Ball State University students. Junior Peter Cavanagh and Senior Trever Bennett have publicized the event by distributing fliers around campus and in the Village and spreading the word on campus. Cavanagh said he hopes warmer temperatures and the desire to spend time outside will encourage people to attend the event.
The flier for the event features a cat sticking out its tongue, which turns into a street with a bike on it, Cavanagh designed the flier and said the Alleycat is not so much the name of the event as it is an expression. The term "Alleycat" originated in Toronto in the late 1980s and became a general term for underground bicycle races that were taking place in different cities, he said. Alleycat races generally would take the racer from checkpoint to checkpoint around the city.
"The race is more for fun than for competitive reasons," Cavanagh said.
Because racers do not have to be knowledgeable or skilled bicyclists, participating in the race is free, and anyone can compete. Cavanagh said he hopes the race will bring the Ball State community together in one free and fun event.
The race will start and end at Ball State's Shafer Tower, and the first three bicyclists to finish the race will receive prizes. The bicyclist to finish in first place will receive a case of beer, and the rest of the prizes will be announced at the race.
The Alleycat will last about an hour, or until the rest of the bicyclists make it to the finish line. The last bicyclist to finish will win a prize as a joke, Cavanagh said. The bicyclists' success will be based on their knowledge of the streets and intersections in the Muncie area.
In the spirit of the original Alleycat races, racers must arrive at various checkpoints set up around Muncie in order to get clues as to where the next station is. The first checkpoint will not be disclosed until the beginning of the race.
Knowledge of the city is necessary for riders to get between checkpoints, Cavanagh said. Though he will not participate in the Muncie Alleycat, Cavanagh said he will be riding around Muncie and the checkpoints to make sure all of the racers are safe and on the right track.
The bicyclists will spend part of the race on the Cardinal Greenway, a bike path that runs alongside the White River, Bennett said.
Cavanagh said he was unsure how many people will participate in the Alleycat race, but he is optimistic about the potential turnout.
"Fifteen participants or more will be considered a success," he said.
Cavanagh did not get a permit for the race, but said he doesn't expect police officers to stop the race.
"Friends and I usually go out for night rides, and the group sometimes gets up to ten people," he said. "We have never had any problems with police officers."
Bicyclists interested in participating in the Alleycat should meet at 2 p.m. at Schafer Tower. Cavanagh said he hopes the race will become a monthly event.
If you goAlleycat Bicycle RaceWHEN: 2 p.m. SaturdaySTART/END: Shafer Tower
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