Riverwest 24

Since moving to Milwaukee in August 2011, we kept hearing about Riverwest 24 (RW24). Our friend Ivan was the first one to tell us about it. It is a bike race the goes for 24 hours through the neighborhood of Riverwest. The point is to raise awareness, build community and to have a hell of a good time. Instantly it was something we wanted to be a part of even though we lived four miles outside of the neighborhood.

2012 - we went to the Czech Republic during the RW24.

2013 - we were riding our bikes across the country. We were somewhere in Eastern Montana during the RW24.

2014 - Jeremy is in Nigeria, plus we completely missed the sign-up day.

But I was going to go anyway considering we now lived in Riverwest! It's a huge community event with around 1,000 riders and  a few thousand spectators. Block parties, costumes, cheering, music, and bikes. All for 24 hours straight. Oh RW24, how grand you are!

Two weeks before, I had been asked by our friend Matthew if I would be interested in riding for Samantha on team Kindred Nipples. Samantha, girlfriend, teammate and dear friend of ours, would be giving adventure tours outwest during the RW24, so her spot was open. I wanted to yes, but I had already committed to help with a friend's wedding on Saturday. I should have said yes.

On Friday, I sent Matthew a text wishing him and the team good luck and just for fun asked if the spot had been filled. I got a text back that I MIGHT be able to ride still if I were interested. My heart fluttered. I might be able to ride! I MIGHT BE IN THE RW24! This was at 9am. I would have to wait until 5pm to find out.
5pm rolls around and I get a call from Matthew. There is another guy, but he can only ride on Friday. Everyone else is still at work, he'll call me once he hears something. 5:30pm, Matthew calls again to tell me I need to go sign in immediately since registration closes at 6pm. I was in! I dropped everything and ran next door to sign in as Samantha.

I joined Kindred Nipples which consisted of: Matthew, Ryan, Will, Leigh, and Me. We got to ride our own bike, and we each did two laps at a time (10miles).  I was the forth rider, and by the time it was my turn I was bubbling over with excitement.  So many bikes, lights, colors, bells, people! Two laps seemed to fly by. It was truely a neighborhood wide event. Down Humbolt Ave, across Marsupial bridge, up the switch backs, down Booth to Clark, up Pierce, across the beer line to Keefe and back to Humbolt. Even late into the night there were people cheering all along the route.  It was magical time.

I took a break from riding from 2:30am till 6:30am. I returned to find a more subdue, peacefully route. None the less the experience was just as intense: weary solo riders, tandum riders chugging along, and team riders fulfilling their time slot. Lap after lap we went.

Another aspect that truely makes the RW24, is the volunteers. SO MANY VOLUNTEERS! At check points, at intersections, at the bonuses, cooking food, keeping score, updating the leader board, fixing bikes.  It was so well coordinated and everyone did an amazing job.

I wasn't able to ride during in the final hours of the RW24, but the I was able to contribute a total of 10 laps and 3 bonuses.

RW24 - you can't and you won't and you don't stop.