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I took a day trip to New York City this weekend for Monster Track–the alley cat bike race in which you ride to different checkpoints throughout the city and the first one to finish wins.  The race is easiest for those who live in New York and know the streets well, but my friend and I just went to experience the brutality of it all.  What is unique about this race is that it is on the streets in full traffic – there is no closed course – and the only rule is no brakes allowed.

We took the Fung Wah bus down in the morning and rode through Brooklyn for a while.  It was a calm and chilly day, but we were very excited to be there. We went to the bike shop we were told to visit in order to find out where the start of the race was going to be.  You might think that we should have known where the start point was before we got there, but since it is an unsanctioned race, we had to just get there and figure out the details later.  Thinking that the race would start within a few hours of our arrival, we waited patiently and looked at all the fancy bikes that were showing up.  Then the cold set in.  It was cold.  Four-and-a-half hours of waiting outside was rather tedious and annoying.  We kept waiting and at one point decided that we didn’t even want to race any more.  We were so cold and it didn’t seem like anyone had any intention of starting the race.

Just when we were about to catch the bus home, we received our manifests.  This was a sheet of paper with 15 different checkpoints on it.  It might as well have been in a different language.  We had no idea where any of these addresses were, so we knew we had to improvise.  I had brought maps for the two of us, but using a map while on a bike was no help whatsoever, especially at a fast pace.  After a quick debate we decided it would be in our best interest to follow some of the locals.  Then we heard, “GO!!”  Everyone had to run for their bike, hop on, and take off.  We followed a large pack at top speed.  It was exhilarating.  Dodging cars and people and finding yourself in many near-death experiences makes you go even faster.

Two hours later we had a few of the checkpoints done.  We knew this would happen and decided to head back to see the finish.  The winners of the race had hit all the checkpoints really fast, but we were happy just to race and experience it all.  The good thing was that we didn’t hear of anyone who had been hurt, and thankfully we didn’t get hurt either, despite all the close calls.  The race was great and I can’t wait for next year’s Monster Track.  We headed back to Boston that evening and slept extremely well.

I highly recommend taking a bike in New York.  I saw more of the city in two hours than I ever have.  I do not recommend doing it at lightning speed and in a bike race, however.  Having the ability to go anywhere for free in the city and getting there quickly, though, is a great and efficient thing.

I had pizza while I was there too.  It was was also great.

Read more: Bike Tours, Brooklyn, Fung Wah Bus, New York City, Outdoor Recreation, Travel, Travel Tips and Resources


Dan is a musician specializing in West African drumming and dancing. Other then drumming for his multiple bands, his favorite hobby is bikes bikes bikes. He also thinks that tattoos are totally sweet.

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