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live life as a Cutthroat racer for a day and help
them bring more fun and booze to the
racing circuits.
For those of us who prefer to ride sans the
lycra and in a more urban setting, local
cycling enthusiast Duane Vigil has the perfect
alternative to the Cutthroat crew: bike pub
crawls. For those who have been suffocating
behind the Zion Curtain and are just now
opening your eyes to the world around you, a
pub crawl consists of a group of people moving
together from one bar to the next, usually
with the intent of guzzling as many drinks as
possible during the short amount of time at
each establishment.
Though pub crawls aren’t anything original or
exclusive to our city, Vigil has taken it upon
himself to organize Salt Lake’s pedaling
masses out on the roads on Saturday nights.
“I kind of just wanted to see if people would
be into it,” says Vigil. “[My friends and I] have
done it ourselves just hanging out and stuff, but
this time, we thought we’d invite more people
to bring people together that normally wouldn’t
hang but have biking in common.” With about
five people attending the first one held midwinter,
the bike pub crawls have begun to grow
considerably as the weather warms, and Vigil
expects attendance to keep increasing. “People
come that aren’t even drinkers because it’s
such a fun time,” he says.
A typical bike pub crawl begins at a well-known
meeting place, such as Liberty Park or Gallivan,
after which the cyclists cruise on over to local
establishments such as X-Wifes, Johnny’s,
Twilite Lounge, Cheers To You and Junior’s.
“We try to pick bars that we can easily get to
without having to ride a terrible long time in between,”
says Vigil. “We also try to pick bars that
cater to bikers … so it makes it a little easier for
a large crew to go to a place like that.” Twilite
Lounge has actually put a bike corral out front,
most likely due to the many bicycles that decorate
the fence along its parking lot throughout
the summer, and the bars along Main Street
also feature convenient bicycle racks. “It’s nice
to know people are actually taking notice that
people are getting on bikes,” says Vigil.
Of course, since a bicycle is considered a vehicle
by state law, riding under the influence can
get you a DUI, which is why Vigil is very vehement
about bicycle safety. Front and back lights
are strongly suggested, and the group is careful
not to break any traffic laws. “I think that people
are stoked on the idea because they don’t have
to spend money on a cab or drive themselves,
or have a friend come pick them up at a place.
Unless they get tanked, in which case
they should probably stay where they’re at,”
says Vigil. “We’ll get off the bikes and walk for
a bit, or use the buddy system to ride home together
to make things safer. Driving intoxicated
is never really a good idea, but a few beers I
don’t think ever hurt anybody.”
So what’s the best bicycle to ride on a booze
cruise to keep from eating an asphalt sandwich?
Vigil prefers his road bike for its gears,
but suggests a cruiser for those more likely to
get tipsy, as they are easier to keep your balance
with their large wheels and wide handlebars.
What it really comes down to, though, is
genuine fun. “I think the main focus is trying to
promote a good time amongst a large group of
people,” says Vigil with a smile. “I’m a whiskey
guy, honestly. A Jack Daniels suits me fine, but
I can spend a few more bucks if I have to, and
then Cutthroat is a good beer for me, typically
a pale ale guy. A fallback on Pabst never hurt
anybody.”
Vigil’s next bike pub crawl is Saturday, June
25, meeting at 8:30 p.m. at the center flagpole
in Liberty Park. A suggested $5 donation will
go to the Ching Animal Sanctuary so you
can get that warm, fuzzy feeling from more
than just the booze and biking. For more
information on the Cutthroat Racing Team, go
to cutthroatracing.org or join in on any of their
Wednesday “meetings” and be sure to attend
their fundraising event later this month.
Cyclists prepare to get liquored up
at their first Bike Pub Crawl stop, X-Wifes.
Photo: Sam Milianta
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