This was my second year in a row throwing the MMI in Milwaukee, and it keeps getting better every year. Eric and I are both messengers in Milwaukee working for the same company. We had many of months to plan and organize the invitational, but we both got busy and procrastinated until a few weeks before the race. Any ways this was how it went. 3 mandatory stops, north, west, and south of downtown. 38 point stops strategically placed downtown and just outside. At each stop there were 3 ribbons and a number. A blue ribbon (15 pts.), red (10 pts.), green (5 pts.), and a number (2pts). The racers must get all three mandatory stops and get as many points (stops) as they could in an hour and a half. There were also two bonus points one far north and one far south which were worth 25 and 30 points. And of course the local messengers were handicapped by large fed-ex triangle tubes in which they had to carry during the whole race. And one more thing, if you found a way to cheat you were more than welcome to.
The night before was stressful getting everything ready for the next days event. The Minneapolis crew was coming. I got a call late Friday night from a van load of rowty drunken alleycats and one sober pirate named Spencer. They arrived and finished the night at a local pub called the Nomad. Chris, who was a former messenger in Milwaukee, ended his night with his head between his knees on the back porch of the bar. I reminded him that this was not the Stupor Bowl.
The next morning Eric and I spent a couple hours setting up the ribbons and doing other last minute things. Chicago rolled thick, 3 vans and a carload the past night. A pedi-cab rider from Green Bay made the voyage down, and about eight cycle ninjas from Columbus made the 7 hour trip (cheers to them). Anyways the race want of great we did the traditional lock start they were on there way. As the cats were racing Eric did some finishing up with the trophies and I took breakaway's cargo bike to the local brewery and picked up some kegs. Before we knew it an hour and 15 minutes had passed and they started filing in. An hour and a half hit and we stopped excepting riders. Hey it's strict but ãif your late to the county courthouse by one minute your shits not getting filedä (von Munz). A few Columbus kids got pulled over by Milwaukee's finest and got thrown in the squads. No one got arrested or ticketed so that was cool. Race was over. We tallied up the results as our guests got lit up.
Minneapolis the night before couldn't even get there bikes of the car rack, represented huge with the most points. Christian, props to you! First fixie, first out of towner, and first in points. Matt U. (Milwaukee) second in points was the local placer. First woman racer was Gretchen form Chicago. Columbus despite there run in with the cops got all three manditories and a confusing tour of the Brew City finished and got extra points for a little pill formed gift. The Columbus crew was awarded the worst luck award which was a set of hand made bicycle polo mallets and a ball. And they agreed to a tournament Milwaukee VS Columbus the morning after the jumpinship race on April 26th. Most hardcore was awarded to Gabe from Milwaukee. Even though he was disqualified because he was six minutes late he came in with an impressive eight blue ribbons, 26 numbers and all mandatory stops. Which I didn't believe was possible. Right on Gabe!
Post fixed gear tournaments were at Schlitz Park where the security officers were more entertained than annoyed. Shaggy our local skid master blew everyone away using a bike that wasn't even his. Chicago (I'm sorry I forgot his name) won the track stands by getting down to one foot no hands and holding it for several seconds, Impressive. And finally shaggy once again won the incline sprints on his trek antelope fixed out, 5 to 1 ratio, with chopper bars screamer. Look out this kid will fuckin smoke you.
The MMI was rad, I am really happy to have thrown it the past two years. And I and I am glad Eric and I got to throw it this year. But he torch must change hands, next year we want to race it. The Milwaukee messenger Invitational III will be thrown by Shaggy and Matt U. at the end of March 2004, probably two weeks after the last stage of the Tour da Chicago. Thanks for everyone that came out, Chicago, Minneapolis, Green bay, Columbus and Milwaukee locals it was a blast. I met a lot of really great messengers. And COLUMBUS you better practice if you're going to beat the Milwaukee bike polo team. A special thanks to Reload Messenger Bags, Chrome Bags, Surly bikes, Breakaway Bicycle Courier Milwaukee(space and support), Andy Hargarten(polo mallets), Christian(blazing saddle shirts), and Mr. Balastrari (1st place campy ring trophy) for all the time and/or prizes they donated.
Anyways here are the results:
54 REGISTERED---38 FINISHED
(The top ten I know were fixed the rest I didn't mark because I forgot to mark down. About 85% rode fixed gear in this race)
# -Rider - From? - Pts - *fixed gear
1 - CHRISTIAN - MPLS - 151*
2 - MATT U. - MKE - 148*
3 - CHRIS Z. - MPLS - 136*
4 - TOOTHLESS N. - MKE - 123*
5 - SPENCER - MPLS - 107*
6 - THEO - MPLS - 94*
7 - PETE D. - MKE - 93*
8 - LUCKY - CHI - 90*
9 - SCOTT R. - MKE - 89*
10 - KENNY S. - MKE - 84*
11 - SHAGGY - MKE - 80
12 - ANDY H. - MKE - 79
13 - JAMES P. - CHI - 66
14 - AARON B - CHI - 63
15 - JASON - CHI - 61
16 - GRETCHEN - CHI - 57
16 - CESAR - CHI - 57
16 - WUCHERER - MKE - 57
16 - MIKE - CHI - 57
16 - WAYNE W.- MKE - 57
17 - JEREMY - CHI - 55
18 - DREW - CHI - 53
19 - GIKE - GB - 50
20 - TREY - CHI - 48
20 - ERIN W. - CHI - 48
21 - MARK theSPARK - CHI - 47
22 - MIKE MO - CHI - 43
23 - CHRIS K. - MKE - 41
24 - GHOST - CHI - 30
25 - BRENT - HI - 27
26 - KELLY - MKE - 25
27 - JOE G. - CHI - 22
28 - MIKE D. - MKE - 19
29 - NELSON - COL - 10
29 - CAMRON P. - COL - 10
29 - TONY C. - COL - 10
30 - DAVE C. - COL - 0
30 - PAM. - COL - 0