Announcing the 5th Annual Bike Bonfire and Beer Exchange

This note is to officially announce that the 5th Annual Bike Bonfire and Beer Exchange will be held on Friday December 17th.  

We'll kick off the evening with the requisite night ride through Marsh Creek State Park where, if the past four years are any indication, we'll experience frozen fingers, mechanical breakdowns, and if we're lucky a couple of spectacular crashes during the mad dash back to the security of the beer and the fire pit.

Upon our return, we'll ignite a massive pile of kiln-dried kerosene-soaked lumber and settle in for a long night of holiday story telling, holiday beer drinking, holiday fire jumping, holiday tooth chipping, and general holiday debauchery under the stars.  There is even talk of setting up a holiday bike skills course so we can increase the odds of a holiday broken collarbone. 

And finally the namesake beer exchange. This is  where we memorialize the evening with the signature "best beer presentation" contest.  As you will see from previous years' reports the competition is stiff and the bar is raised (or lowered depending on your perspective) each year, but the winner earns much exalted alpha-male status at a years' worth of block parties and backyard BBQs. Even last year's runner-up - who lost on an technicality - is now a local legend.

More details to come on what to bring, exact time, contest fine print, etc. Also note we can scrounge up a few loaner night lights, bicycles, and helmets (all required) if you let us know far enough ahead of time. All you really need to worry about at this point is:

1. Informing your wife that you'll be sleeping on the couch that night (if you're lucky) and
2. Planning the theme for your beer presentation (let your brain stem do the thinking here)

Chris

P.S. In case you want to see how "low" you can go with the contest or just get stoked by reading about the previous years' events, here are the ride reports:

• 2009 - dancing clydesdale
• 2008 - flying clydesdale
• 2007 - nothing good happens after 2am
• 2006 - defiled again