The Monument City Bicycle Scavenger Hunt

Today’s blog post comes from Matt Kelly, one of the organizers of the Monument City Bicycle Scavenger Hunt that took place Saturday, July 24th.  Thanks for putting on this event, Matt!!

If you’ve ever watched movies from the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s you have probably noticed that back then it wasn’t uncommon for characters to mention Baltimore as a place where music and art flourished along side a booming business district and a bustling port.  It was a place where people came to follow their dreams and make it big!   Unfortunately as the years passed businesses moved to other cities, or went bankrupt, resulting in a decline in the cultivation of art and culture as well.

Now a-days when you ask someone what they know of Baltimore more often than not people say “The Wire!” and act as if prior to gang banging and drug dealing the only thing we had going for us was Francis Scott Key and Edgar Allan Poe.

Well Wake up people!  Baltimore is so chock full of awesomeness that everywhere you go you see monuments to someone in this town who did something bad ass.  So much so to the point that Baltimore has gotten the nickname “The Monument City” and on Saturday July, 24^th, amid the record breaking heat, brave teams riding their noble two wheeled steeds of carbon fiber, steel, and aluminum converged on the front doors of Sonar for the first annual Monument City Bicycle Scavenger Hunt.  The rules were simple; find as many monuments on a designated list as possible.  The catch; the list doesn’t tell you where any of them are.

Photo by Keith Teket http://bmorefixed.blogspot.com/

There is only one thing cooler than seeing a side of a building lined from edge to edge with bikes, and that is knowing that it means you can get 30-40 people together for a good time without burning any fossil fuels or using motorized modes of transportation (you know humans used to do it all the time).  Oh and the only other cooler things would be any day other than this day, this year, temperature wise at least.

Photo by Matt Kelley             Mkelley@illumecommunications.com

Prior to the start of the Hunt cast members “Waldo” and “Mr.Bufano” made a brief appearance so that the teams would have a better idea as to who and what they were looking for. Yes we know that waldo is not from Baltimore but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t like to visit from time to time.  (Special thanks to Alex Scally from Glass Mind Theatre Company and Kate Lally)

Photo by Matt Kelley Mkelley@illumecommunications.com

People heard what could only be described as a small explosion prior to the beginning of the hunt.  The crowd soon discovered that this was not the sound of a gunshot or a firework going off, but Methistophilese, the spirit of the hunt taking physical form beneath I-83.  Participants became weary as Methistophilese spoke of the perils that lay ahead, but there was no sign of wavering as they heard of strange four wheeled chariots that ride at treacherous speeds or packs of teenage demons that snatch you from your bike when you enter their domain.

Photo by Keith Teket http://bmorefixed.blogspot.com/

Teams followed the footsteps of Indiana Jones in the Quest for the Holy Grail as they took paper and crayon or charcoal to make rubbings of the words on the monuments as proof of completing their quest.

Photo by Mike Anderson andersonphotography@gmail.com

Spirits were high as team “Late and Sweaty” arrived at the Johnny Unitas monument (late and sweaty) in front of M&T Bank Stadium.

Photo by Mike Anderson andersonphotography@gmail.com

Team “Edgar Allan Boh” swept the team creativity categories when they won both coolest team name and coolest T-shirt.  Don’t get me wrong.  There were some fine costumes out there but Edgar Allan Boh clearly put time and effort into their team and that is something that is appreciated at the MCSH.

Once everyone drank gallons of water to re-hydrate from a day of hellish heat and humidity, participants and latecomers were entertained with the tricks and hijinks of Natan the Magician and musical talents of Harwood, The Water, and Pansori.  There is already talk of another scavenger hunt next year.  Only this time it will be held in September or any other month that doesn’t see a heat index of over 100 degrees.