Interviewee: Monica Gallagher

Occupation:Drug counselor for adolescent teens

Riding style: leisure, group rides

Her ride: a 43 cm green Felt roadbike. "My size definitely narrows down my options quite a bit. For how small my frame is I really like 650c wheels which narrows [my selection] down even more."

On Saturday, June 11, Menstrual Monday, a group of women who ride together every first Monday of the month, will host their first All-Girl Alley Cat race.

Alley Cat races are popular in Seattle and in urban environments but few cater specifically to women in its prizes and participants.

Advertised as "an adventurous romp through the Seattle city streets celebrating the best thing ever, GIRLS ON BIKES," the Girls on Summer Alley Cat is organized by Monica Gallagher and Kristen Forseth.

I met up with Monica Gallagher on a beautiful sunny day at the Ballard Locks for a ride to Fremont.

"I'm really, really excited," said Gallagher, who has been organizing this event for the last two months.

"I have done quite a few Alley Cat races and three years ago I did an all-girl Alley Cat that was really fun but there hasn't been one since."

Gallagher's definition of an Alley Cat race is "an unsanctioned race with various stops throughout the city." Racers are informed about the whereabouts of the stops at the start and then quickly have to map out the quickest route to those stops. At the stops, "something silly" awaits them.

"Once at an Easter ride, we had to do an Easter egg hunt at a stop. And in the girls race we had to jump into the water in Fremont," Gallagher said.

Once the task is completed, the racers will move on to the next stop.

At the Girls of Summer Alley Cat, the 'silly tasks' will be a combination of making fun of women stereotypes while celebrating being a girl, Gallagher said.
" We definitely have some fun, silly things planned out."

With over $2000 worth of prizes, the race will not only award the fastest riders, there are also prizes to be won for fun and creative categories to encourage new or non-competitive riders.

"I was really surprised how many [businesses] were really receptive to idea of sponsoring the race," said Gallagher.

Menstrual Monday has received prizes from brands and companies such as Recycled Cycles, Pryme, Knog, Bust Magazine, Chrome Messenger, Mad Housewife, Two Birds Tattoo, and many more.

"For the sponsors, I started with a list of products I personally like or companies that are supportive of women sports. Like Mad Housewives wines for example ("because women want their wine"), their theme is to make wine more approachable to a casual audience which is kind of what we are trying to do on bikes," Gallagher.

Gallagher and a friend started the group, Menstrual Monday a year and a half ago to offer a casual weekly ride specifically for women.

"I think often times people are intimidated by biking in the traffic here and I think if you're on the outside looking at biking it sometimes does seem very intimidating. You see people all suited up with their gear and their helmets racing 15 miles per hour ,weaving in and out of traffic. It doesn't seem like the friendliest, easiest thing, she said.

After a school-related pause in the weekly rides, Forseth and Gallagher brought the Menstrual Monday rides back as a monthly event.

The monthly Menstrual Monday rides have been going on rain or shine since October with theme-rides such as Tour de Patio, Christmas lights ride, and pursuit of exotic beer.

The monthly rides average at about six women and Gallagher would like to see that number go up in the summer months.

"It's the season where people are getting into bikes, if we can encourage that a little bit more, I think it's great," she said.

While the Menstrual Monday rides have been fairly small, Gallagher is hoping for a good turn out at the Girls of Summer Alley Cat.

"Depending on the weather, we should for sure get 30 people, if not more," she said, adding that if not for the race itself, "women should come out just to get to know other women who are really into biking".

In closing, Gallagher wanted to "give props" to the male biking community.

"Everyone who's manning our stops is going to be male so we can have every girl race. We have a lot of people volunteering who thing this is a great idea and are very supportive," she said.

The Girls of Summer Alley Cat takes place on Saturday, June 11. Registration take splace at the I-5 colonnade at 2 p.m. and the race starts at 3 p.m. sharp.
It's $5 to race and racers should bring a map of seattle, a bag, lock, pen, and of course a helmet.
The after party will be held at the Boxcar Alehouse where the prizes will be awarded and racers will enjoy a free beverage.

Menstrual Monday rides take place every first Monday of the month starting from the Seattle Center Fountain at 6:30 p.m. To learn more, visit menstrualmonday.com.
 
The Riding Reporter is a feature series in which BNT's bike-riding reporter, Anne-Marije Rook takes interviewees on a short bike ride around town to talk bicycles, transit, and any other issues that may arise when seeing the city from a two-wheeled point of view. Previous interviewees include Mayor Mike McGinn, ultra-cyclist Chris Ragsdale, bike messenger world champion Craig Etheridge, Executive Director of Cascade Bicycle Club Chuck Ayers, and more.