Jeramey Jannene

2016 Riverwest 24 Live Blog

Following the action of "the people's holiday."

By - Jul 29th, 2016 08:56 pm

It’s time for the annual live digest of what’s happening at the Riverwest 24. For the uninitiated, the 24 is a 24-hours-long bike race through the Riverwest neighborhood. Urban Milwaukee’s Dave Reid and Jeramey Jannene compete on a team of six, with their better-halves racing on a competing team of six.

For a primer, here’s our 2014 and 2015 editions.

This year we’ll be posting updates every couple of hours.

  • 1:10 p.m. – Voted early at Milwaukee City Hall. Can’t race until your civic duty is complete.
  • 1:25 p.m. – Applied for my marriage license with competitor Alison Peterson at the Milwaukee County Courthouse. A full day of government and the race hasn’t even begun.
  • 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. – I work my volunteer shift at Club 99. Registration! Turn in your waiver here, get your wrist band over there.
  • 6:59 p.m. – We missed the safety speech from Jeremy Prach (given from his front porch). We didn’t miss the illegal fireworks. Off we go! Another Riverwest 24 is underway.
  • 7:10 p.m. – My legs are harshly reminded that half of this course is uphill. The other half is somehow not downhill.
  • 7:30 p.m. – I do the bonus checkpoint at Townsend and Buffum, members of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra play the chorus to movie themes. Good times. You get points for this stuff?
  • 8:10 p.m. – The City Haulers aren’t racing this year, but are still registered. We’ll finally beat city hall!
  • 8:55 p.m. – We’re already flubbing the transitions. We’re not even to our fourth rider yet.
  • 9:51 p.m. – What’s the best Mexican restaurant in Walker’s Point? Casa de Alberto and Cielito Lindo are crowd favorites around the campfire.
  • 9:57 p.m. – We’re checking the standings, we’re already not in first. No surprise there.
  • 9:59 p.m. – Here’s my video from the first lap. Clearly have to work on the camera mounting skills. Also, the gears on my bike clearly need work. We’re off to a good start!
  • 11:28 p.m. – We’ve reached the tipping point where the campsite becomes 50 percent riders, 50 percent free beer enthusiasts.
  • 1:38 a.m. – My night shift begins. No bonus checkpoints, just me and the somewhat open road.
  • 2:12 a.m. – I’m mooned north of W. Locust St. as a co-conspirator yells out “extra bonus checkpoint.”
  • 2:40 a.m. – Back at the double-super-secret campsite, 15 miles down, three laps.
  • 3:00 a.m. – To sleep I go until 7:00 a.m. I can’t be blamed for anything bad that happens from now until 7:00 a.m., unless it’s awesome. Then it was totally my idea.
  • 6:09 a.m. – Photo from Alison of the Kadish Park “Eye’s Open” bonus checkpoint.
  • 6:59 a.m. – I’m awoken to the terrible news that it’s ride time for me.
  • 7:05 a.m. – As I cruise down N. Humboldt Blvd. I’m unsure if I’m dreaming or actually awake.
  • 7:10 a.m. – The Champagne Diet campsite is unguarded. Do I pillage? Do I loot? I decline.
  • 7:23 a.m. – I’m stuck in line at La Escuela Fratney school for a bonus checkpoint.
  • 7:24 a.m. – It’s a long line.

  • 7:30 a.m. – Overheard: “That’s a great idea, a line beer.”
  • 7:45 a.m. – Finally leave the school. One more lap and then I’m back to HQ. I just recited a Tupac Shakur “poem” to earn points.
  • 8:10 a.m. – I return to the campsite to learn of a fight that took place at the start-finish line at E. Center St. and N. Pierce St. around 3 a.m. No one has any details.
  • 8:17 a.m. – The Corrections Dept. has issued a few change orders.
  • 8:24 a.m. – Much discussion continues to be made of the fact that there is a checkpoint in Shorewood at Atwater Beach. Have the promoters violated the sanctity of the event? Do we just need something to complain about? Take the latter.
  • 8:35 a.m. – Alison and I walk to Colectivo. Desiring to eat something other than bratwurst, Skittles and cookies, I scarf down a cinnamon roll and smoothie, and stimulate the Riverwest economy with $8.75. Alison takes advantage of the free espresso shot.

  • 8:50 a.m. – Cyclist stopped at light at Locust and Humboldt to car next to him: “You need to slow the f#$k down.”
  • 9:05 a.m. – The Champagne Diet team would like you to know there is free champagne at their “People’s Park.” Just north of E. Wright St. on N. Humboldt Blvd.
  • 9:09 a.m. – Midget Foods is handing out free Popsicles. Free stuff everywhere in Riverwest!
  • 9:11 a.m. – Grace returns with stories of the police shutting down the party at the Swing Park (checkpoint three) in the middle of the night. A dedicated public servant was able to lobby the police to get the party started again.
  • 10:21 a.m. – Campsite security guard.

  • 10:28 a.m. – Time to head home for a quick shower.
  • 10:58 a.m. – I’m squeaky clean, and it turns out everyone on the East Side is moving today. Back to the campsite!
  • 11:02 a.m. – Campers are still laughing over Julie asking “Andy, are you excited to blow through your wood?”
  • 11:42 a.m. – We realized we missed the underwear lap. I mean, I wouldn’t say I missed it, but no one saw it happen. Did it? Does Steve Roche still live in Milwaukee?
  • 11:49 a.m. – A 24-hour race inspires some 24-hour-installed public art.

  • 11:51 a.m. – “You should just hashtag everything ‘drinking'” – anonymous teammate in response to my frequent typos.
  • 12:02 p.m. – As this photo from Champagne Diet proves, the Atwater Beach bonus checkpoint is every bit as weird as we thought it would be. Racer Chris confirms as much on his return.

  • 12:05 p.m. – Another racer on our team just went to the wrong checkpoint post hand-off. If we lose it’s because we’re bad at the small things. And you know, because other teams bike faster than us.
  • 12:12 p.m. – Scandal on the Riverwest Neighborhood Facebook page. One woman claims she saw Riverwest 24 participants break into an unfinished garage and urinate all over. Responses point out to her that not all cyclists are race participants. Par for the course, conversation quickly breaks down into the merits of public urination, economic development and community building.
  • 1:00 p.m. – Headed out on my final ride
  • 1:15 p.m. – Grabbing licorice in Twizzler Alley, a 24 hallmark.
  • 1:30 p.m. – My final bonus checkpoint is a yoga session at W. Ring St. and N. Dr. Martin Luther King Dr.
  • 2:04 p.m. – I’m done with my final ride. Route map posted below.

  • 2:05 p.m. – Beer me!
  • 2:30 p.m. – I take a tour of the neighborhood with Alison. The crowds aren’t as deep as they are at 8 p.m. on Friday night, but people still line the course clustered at campsites.

  • 3:30 p.m. – Local alderman Nik Kovac calls it for the men’s team, which is up by five laps. Print the shirts!
  • 4:00 p.m. – Word around town is that the kids race is much improved this year.
  • 4:31 p.m. – We see that perennial favorite team Pancakes has received a dunce lap (-1 point). We again question how they can possibly do laps so fast. Has Lance Armstrong (Keith Stachowiak) finally been caught juicing?
  • 4:52 p.m. – I am told I missed my dream bonus checkpoint. Cookies, lemonade and a naming Riverwest streets game.
  • 4:55 p.m. – Alison reports drama going on with the fight for first place in the woman’s solo ride. Gatorade and “goo’s” are fueling one of the top two riders. Crying has happened. Will blood be shed?
  • 5:05 p.m. – Jay and Alison reporting all kinds of suspicious activity at the canoeing bonus checkpoint. Jay had a paddle that immediately broke once he hit the water, and a canoe that started sinking shortly thereafter. Another canoe tipped over.
  • 5:15 p.m. – Alison shares that 2014 live blog profilee Zander, who got married at the race, is now pregnant and riding a bike with a baby on board sign.

  • 5:38 p.m. – Discussion around the campfire vacillates between Netflix binge watching preferences to marijuana stock tips.
  • 5:58 p.m. – Champagne toast. A three-peat for the men. Update the banner. Print the shirts. Drop the confetti. Bust out the party hats.
  • 6:08 p.m. – Our recycling bin is filled to the top. Time to think about taking this party on the road.
  • 6:20 p.m. – We’re rolling out to the finish line. Time to see who wins the ice trophies (hint: it won’t be us).
Categories:

Leave a Reply

You must be an Urban Milwaukee member to leave a comment. Membership, which includes a host of perks, including an ad-free website, tickets to marquee events like Summerfest, the Wisconsin State Fair and the Florentine Opera, a better photo browser and access to members-only, behind-the-scenes tours, starts at $9/month. Learn more.

Join now and cancel anytime.

If you are an existing member, sign-in to leave a comment.

Have questions? Need to report an error? Contact Us