Bicycle Races Are Coming Your Way
Saturday, the sun finally made an appearance in St Louis. Good thing, because I was set to ride my bike in the infamous Tour de Moose, a pub crawl on bikes around the city. My great friend/old roommate Susan’s boyfriend is the Moose in question, and this was the fifth year of the Tour, an event he and his friends put on themselves.
First of all, I am not in shape. I get sore from too much kickball. My bike literally had cobwebs on it because I didn’t really ride it this summer. This means I’m a total fraud compared to the people who clipped in and had the whole deal going on Saturday. Fuck it, my one friend was riding a Huffy and another friend rode a 3-speed with a basket on the back, so this wasn’t RAGBRAI. Second of all, and my pride hurts to admit this, but I just can’t drink like I used to. I think it has something to do with the depression meds I’m on, which is bullshit. If I’m depressed, of course I want to drink. How am I supposed to self-medicated when my real medication interferes? So I was apprehensive that the entire ride would be a miserable, epic FAIL.
No worries! The day was so fun I had to spend most of Sunday napping and watching a documentary about LARPers (true story, Monster Camp). We started at Lemmon’s, official Tour de Moose headquarters, mostly because Moose works there when he’s not saving homeless youth of St Louis. This is where cocktail magic happens, folks, because my friend Andrew Veety (who has a great food blog here) proposed we mix up some BLT cocktails for the occasion. You know, the real breakfast of champions. You can read all about them in this week’s Novice Foodie.
Sidenote: Did you like that subtle plug for my other work? I think I’ve been watching too much Biggest Loser. Well, that, and I keep having cravings for Jennie-O Turkey and Extra Sugar-Free Gum.
ANYWAY, we toasted with BLT cocktails, registered with the national bone marrow registry by doing some cheek-swabbin’, and started off. Our first stop was 3 Monkeys on Morganford. When your lungs aren’t quite what they used to be, going up a gentle, gradual hill is brutal as fuck, but I made it, red-faced and thighs-a-burnin’. Moose’s Angels had games and trivia set up at each stop, and each rider collected chips towards various trophies given at the end of the ride. From 3 Monkeys, we rode through Tower Grove Park, down Magnolia, and towards Lafayette Square to Square One Brewery. I wistfully waved at 33, a wine bar I’d rather be at than Square One.
From Square One, we rode to Schlafly’s Tap Room. I love the Tap Room; we even had our wedding reception there. Karen had a pretty boss shirt on:
From the Tap Room, we went to Laclede’s near SLU. This place smelled like vomit, and not in a good way. Two words: never again. This is why we’re outside the bar instead of inside.
Notice I have on shorts over my tights. People of America: TIGHTS ARE NOT PANTS. Unless you are running a marathon or something, put something over your camel toe. End public service announcement.
From Laclede’s, we went to Anthonino’s on the Hill. Anthonino’s is a hidden gem in the neighborhood; they’ve got good gyros, a better-than-average beer selection, and a really chill, friendly vibe. Chris and I go there often. Here, we grabbed a bit to eat, as we were starving. Nothing like shaved meat to keep you plugging away.
Finally, from Anthonino’s, we went back to Lemmon’s. Moose gave out awards (of which I won nothing; some girl Kanye’d Moose for the drunkest award and she didn’t even win.), and we continued to indulge. We ended the night at Double D’s on Hampton for some karaoke. Have you ever been to this Double D’s? It’s the type of place you go when you just want to sing with your friends, because all the cougars and neighborhood pervy-types cleared out once they saw how hammered we were and how enthusiastically we were singing things like Rancid.
All in all, a blast of a day. We really did it guys, we really did. You can see the full Flickr set here.
Addendum:
Congratulations to my girl Alice, whose boyfriend fiancee Adam whisked her off to Florence, Italy, without telling her where they were going, to propose to her. Adam is a fine art jewelry designer and made her the bossest ring ever: its two rings in one, a band hidden inside the first band. Here is Alice and her ring on Saturday:
LUCKY! <Napoleon Dynamite voice> All us ladies squeed when she told us; all our dudes sighed and realized the bar had been raised.
(On October 21st, 2009 at 10:21 am)
We really did it guys! The next day I laid on the couch, ate a St. Paul sandwich, and took a several hour long nap. All was right with the world that weekend, my friend. All was right with the world.
(On October 21st, 2009 at 2:57 pm)
My mom called and asked how hunting for moose on bikes went?
(On October 21st, 2009 at 3:45 pm)
So…this Double D’s on Hampton…dive or corner bar?
(On October 22nd, 2009 at 2:38 pm)
Wow! He did set the bar high for others. That’s awesome.