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7pm
Its hot. Its very hot. A small group of lycra clad cyclists begin to gather at the Toledo Lounge in the middle of Washington DC's historic Adam's Morgan. But they're not here to drink beer this beautiful Saturday evening. While most bike racers are hanging up their wheels for the day, these bicycle messengers are preparing for an evening of tortuous riding across the city. They are here for the annual MayHem Alleycat Race, a fundraiser for the District of Columbia Bicycle Courier Association. As more people gather, it is easy to separate the racers from the spectators. While the spectators retreat to the comfort of the bar, the bike messengers are downing water and stretching their muscles.

8pm
Frank Peele is the perfect picture of concentration. A messenger race in live traffic, or "Alleycat", as they are known to the initiated, takes all of a messengers mental abilities as well as their physical prowess. Frank stares blankly up 18th street. Experience tells him the organizers will send the messengers uphill first. He has chosen his mountain bike today, hoping the maneuverability will overcome the speed of the road bikes next to him. Mark Kerlin will ride his road bike. He's won this race before, and he believes his routing abilities will lead him to the podium again. But his confidence is noticeably wavering. He doesn't have the speed he used to, and he will need to depend even more on his brain to repeat as MayHem champion. Heidi Woolover is the out right favorite amongst the women. She has to know this as she pulls her Timbuk2 bag closer to her body. She is smiling, telling herself that fun is the first priority, but on-lookers can tell that she feels the pressure of a champion. Lisa Martin has won alleycats before as well, including the recent New Years Eve Alleycat. Her attitude is different however. She shows no signs of nervousness as she bounces up to the registration table. She dons her fire engine red Bega Services jersey, then begins to squirt everyone in sight with her water pistol.

8:25pm
The sun is just setting below the stores across the street from Toledo Lounge. A deep rumbling is heard from the bottom of Adams Morgan. It soon turns into a tremendous roar as Rolling Thunder, DC's annual motorcycle parade makes its way to the Asylum, the club that will host the finish of both Rolling Thunder and the MayHem Alleycat. As the motorcycles clear, the bike messengers are thrust into the street, but they still have no idea what is about to be laid in their hands. The manifest for tonight's treasure hunt style alleycat is two pages long. Over 40 checkpoints are set across the city each worth different amounts of points. The checkpoints are only open from 9pm until 10pm except for two that are opened only from 8:30 to 9pm. The racers will have to collect as many points as possible and make it to the Asylum before 10:15. They will need to make the most of their mathematical, navigational, and organizational skills just to finish, and they will need to add tremendous speed to win. John Whittington is leading the 99 DC Alleycat Points Series, having won the St. Valentines Day Alleycat, and a good placing tonight will increase his lead in this five race series. He tries to hide behind the motorcycles, but just before the race begins, the organizers make sure to point him out to the other racers.

8:29pm
Manifests are shoved into the messengers hands, and as one might expect, MayHem ensues. Frank Peele is off before most have even glanced at the manifests, but though he believes he sees the best place to start, he has already made a crucial mistake. He misses both early checkpoints, instead spending the time picking up bonuses like subway transfers. He will finish top mountain biker, but an overall victory will have to wait for another day. Mark Kerlin and Heidi Wollover on the other hand, go for the early checkpoints nailing the second one with minutes to spare. Lisa Martin and John Whittington cut it a little closer, but both make the first two checkpoints as well, literally with mere seconds left on the clock.

9pm
The majority of checkpoints open up and messengers are already spread out over 25 square miles of Washington DC. With places to go like a moving target on Memorial Bridge, a flat tire fix in Freedom Plaza, a pair of stair cases to run, water balloons and water melons to pick up, messengers are left with little time to think. They are being asked to do as much work in a single hour as they usually do in a whole day. Only one racer would collect as much as half of the possible points.

9:30pm
John Whittington is at the top of the race course. He is running stair cases and picking up fruit and transfer bonuses. His ride will be good enough for second place, and he will end the night with a tremendous lead in the points series just two races in. Heidi Woolover is having less luck. She can't find Johnson Av, and looses crucial time in her unsuccessful effort to locate it. She also manages only one transfer, and will come to the finish with no fruit. She will take fourth place amongst the women. When she finishes at around 10:05, she is exhausted, and though points have not yet been totaled, it is clear that she knows she has not won. She settles into the sidewalk in front of the Asylum and waits to greet other finishers.

Meanwhile, Mark Kerlin has been riding like a freight train. He is one of only two riders to find the third of three secret checkpoints, and he is one of only four to hit the lock toss target all three times. He is wasting no time searching for anything, and his points are piling up. On the course he is all business. Ride faster, make no mistakes, collect points. Similarly, Lisa Martin is riding the smart race. She skips several low point stops that are on her way and concentrates on ones that are ranked higher. She gets the Johnson Av that Heidi could not, plus the first of the secret checkpoints.

10:15pm
Messengers are lined up outside the Asylum. Hard core Harley riders look on in amazement as their non motorized kin dump their water balloons on the organizers and begin to eat the watermelons. Some of these riders have covered over 30 miles and  30 checkpoints in an hour and a half. At 10:15 sharp, the line is cut off. Kamaal, on a working vacation form Amsterdam, rides up and drops his bike in the street. His total would have been enough for third had he made it in time, but he is shut out.

When the dust clears, and the MayHem subsides, only Lisa Martin and Mark Kerlin are left standing on top. They are garbed in jet black Swobo jerseys, a fitting costume for the winners of DC's toughest alleycat ever . The trophies are equally fitting. They read "I kicked everyone's ass at MayHem 99."

-- Shawn Bega

Racers leaving the Bataan St Checkpoint
 
 
 
 

Roland from Philadelphia got very lost and only managed the Burrito Brothers Checkpoint worth ten points. 
 
 
 
 

The Asylum prepares for the onslaught.
 
 
 
 
 

A couple of Mayhemers finish at the Asylum.
 
 
 
 
 

Lisa Martin finishes her winning tour of the city.
 
 
 

A blistering day. The air temperature would rise over 90 degrees, the temperature of the tarmac was close to 130. These aren't normal messengers. They ride track bikes. No Fear No Brakes No Problem is their credo, and the live up to it every day. The race would pit them against the big evil steel motorized boxes around DC's famous traffic circles. The finish was on 15th Street atop DC's Mount Pleasant. A 10% grade at its steepest. Most of these riders had gears like 48x16 or bigger. They were not looking forward to the hill. 

Eric Roman has won this race twice, and he came today to win it again. John Whittington was here too. He's been on fire lately with an alleycat win in February and a 2nd place the night before in the MayHem when he had ridden a road bike. The top track rider from the MayHem the night before was Eric Gilliland. He felt he had a chance as well, but smart money was on Roman. When the racers left Dupont circle at the start, Roman rode away to his customary lead. But even the greatest heroes must fall. He couldn't hold the pace, and midway through was passed by Whittington and Corey Twyman. The two would battle until 15th St. Then John Whittington took control, and finished atop the mountain over a minute ahead of Corey. Eric Gilliland made a brave move to pass Philadelphia's Altay for third. Altay held on for fourth place. 

Heidi Woolover, making up for her fourth place the night before, would dominate the women. She finished an impressive 5th amongst the men, a good 8 minutes before the 2nd place woman, Sonia who came from Philadelphia to compete. 

Eric Roman wasn't done yet though. He would come back later in the day to win the contest for the longest skid. Squid from NY would take the track stand competition, going over six minutes balancing perfectly still with no hands on his bars. 

--Shawn Bega
 
 

Heidi finishes the track race atop the hill.

Squid lost the skid to Eric Roman, but not for lack of effort.
His stand below was even more impressive: