Today is the 15th of November--the middle of the month. It means, among other things, that Thanksgiving (in the US) is not far off.
When I first saw an announcement for a "Cranskgiving" ride, I thought it would be just a post-prandial pedal trip around local streets, perhaps beyond.
Turns out, the ride--at least the version scheduled in Miami--is a bit different. For one thing, it will run on the 21st, the Saturday before Thanksgiving. But even more important, it's something I could not have imagined before I heard about it, but made perfect sense once I did: a combination alley-cat race and scavenger hunt/food drive.
Actually, in one way it resembles a brevet: There are check points and riders have to stop at every one of them. But those checkpoints aren't just tables where ride cards are stamped. Rather, they are stores, and every rider has a list of items to buy. The first participant to the finish line with all of the items on his or list, and having visited each checkpoint, wins the race.
Of course, one doesn't have to race in order to be part of the ride. Simply doing it for the sake of the cause--all of the food purchased will go to Camillus House, a one-stop place for those who are homeless, addicted to substances or otherwise in need or other difficulties.
Versions of "Cranksgiving" are scheduled in other cities on the 21st, including my home town of New York. Had I known about it earlier, I wouldn't have made the commitments I had already made for that day. Oh well. Maybe I'll do my own version on another day.
When I first saw an announcement for a "Cranskgiving" ride, I thought it would be just a post-prandial pedal trip around local streets, perhaps beyond.
Turns out, the ride--at least the version scheduled in Miami--is a bit different. For one thing, it will run on the 21st, the Saturday before Thanksgiving. But even more important, it's something I could not have imagined before I heard about it, but made perfect sense once I did: a combination alley-cat race and scavenger hunt/food drive.
Actually, in one way it resembles a brevet: There are check points and riders have to stop at every one of them. But those checkpoints aren't just tables where ride cards are stamped. Rather, they are stores, and every rider has a list of items to buy. The first participant to the finish line with all of the items on his or list, and having visited each checkpoint, wins the race.
Of course, one doesn't have to race in order to be part of the ride. Simply doing it for the sake of the cause--all of the food purchased will go to Camillus House, a one-stop place for those who are homeless, addicted to substances or otherwise in need or other difficulties.
Versions of "Cranksgiving" are scheduled in other cities on the 21st, including my home town of New York. Had I known about it earlier, I wouldn't have made the commitments I had already made for that day. Oh well. Maybe I'll do my own version on another day.
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