Sweetpea Bicycles

(Photo courtesy of BikePortland)

Ladies: What’s the last social function you attended in which a muu-muu, a skin suit, and a fluffy red ball gown were all appropriate attire? If you are taking longer than a second to answer this question, you weren’t at the Fourth Annual S.S. Pussycat all women’s alleycat race.

The S.S. Pussycat is not the typical allyecat race - that stale formula of bros, beer, and balls to the wall bravado. Nope. This is a race in which all types of fun loving, two-wheelin’ women can fiercely compete in the category of their choice: spirit or speed.

This year’s race was organized by last year’s champ Bethany and the amazing Tori. The theme of the race was Portland Fountains taking us all around town; spirit racers competing in challenges including boat races, fountain Twister, rescuing baby dolls adrift in the water, and the soulful rendition of sea shanties (graded on style). This year, I did the speed category which included the same checkpoints (sans shenanigans), but included a brutal hill climb to Council Crest.

Highlights included:

• Two Tandem Teams.
• The pre-race revelation “I really should have a tutu on standby for this kind of thing.”
• Asking for directions in Spanish at the (almost) top of Council Crest.
• Security guards kicking hapless racers out of the mall (for the authentic messenger experience).
• Swapping stories and drinking beer with the ladies after the race.
• Kind of, um, winning the race.

(Photo on loan from the Rachel Red Riding Hood Center for the Arts)

The Big Winner gets two special things: custody of the S.S. Pussycat trophy (which I have been tasked with welding back together) and the job of organizing next year’s race. So rest up, take your vitamins, and start getting pumped for next year!