Beer Run

4.25.2015 20m

Today (for the first time ever) I was fortunate to attend the East End Brewing Company (EEBC)Keg Ride as a marshall. Each spring for the last ELEVEN YEARS, East End Brewing has delivered their first spring kegs via bicycle, in a very popular event that raises money for local charities.

Departed the SouthSide Riverfront Park with R at 0715 in the snow. Tempted to feel Rule9 about that, except it pales in contrast to those racing the Crush The Commonwealth today and so: shut up, self!

Rode to breakfast at Ritters, then out to the starting point at EEBC.

The destination is a closely-held secret, and before the briefing the volunteer marshalls signed a non-dislosure agreement which includes a $500 penalty. Ouch.

This is an extremely well-run and popular event. There was a band at the muster point, pastries for sale, free coffee - lots of goodness. The ride begins with the kegs at the fore:

During the last year, EEBC achieved a license to sell pints at their own brewery/warehouse so the secret destination was: Back to EEBC!

The marshalls were all assigned 3 or 4 intersections to attend to. I got to work with TedZ, which was awesome. We got to our first point, than dashed to our second point. During the marshall repositions you'd see pairs of marshalls criss-crossing the route, hustling to their next intersection. That was very cool.

About a block from our third and final intersection, I flatted the rear tire. No problem. Except that in the morning rush, I did not bring my toolkit, tubes, levers, etc. JonS gave me a tube, that was so much appreciated! Thanks Jonathon!

So many people riding by offered tubes and help, that was really nice. The police officer riding a motorcycle looked at my face, streaked with dirt from the tire, and twisted his rear-view mirror around so I could see myself. Nice guy.

With the splinter of rock found and extricated, and a new tube in place we rode to the post-ride celebration.

Something I enjoy is checking out all the bikes. Before the ride, I saw Doria and she was wearing a kickstarter head's up display on her sunglasses and let me check them out; extremely cool stuff. Checking out the parked bikes I saw one with a secondary rear rack, turns out it's a skateboard mount, very cool:

A very copacetic, bike-beer atmosphere. Later R and I rode back to the southside. Another great day of Pittsburgh cycling.