Wrap up from Tokyo CMWC 2009:

Well, 6 days and 5 night in Tokyo was really fun.

Ok – it took me 4 days to come down from the trip. I feel like I have to wrap up the CMWC before it’s too late, but there are more stories and photos from Tokyo that I have to dig out to share.  For now I will just say……I Really had fun. Tokyo oh Tokyo, what did I get from Tokyo? Let see, two pairs of Japanese natural indigo dyed denim pants, two Japanese chambray shirts, hundreds of new friends, and a proof of true love. Yes – I asked, and she said Yes.

Though I had been to Tokyo numerous times, this trip was the first time I got to travel through the city by bicycle. Was it easy? Yes! Tokyo streets are perfect for city riding, I’m no city planner, but it was very easy to navigate around, very easy to change lane and direction, even though they drive on the wrong side.  The road condition is top notch - smooth,  not bumpy with pot holes like San Francisco. They take care of their streets, they respect them.  Cars know how to share road with bicycles. My lady never rode a bike in any city traffic before, but in Tokyo she had no problem splitting lanes between cars and trucks going 40 km/hr.

Oh I almost forgot, CMWC results!!! Well the organizers only had a chance to announce the first 3 finishers of men and women for the main race.

Here’s the breakdown:

Out of 380 racers that came for qualification, 60 men and 10 women were in the main race

Mainrace Men

Juri (Tokyo). Prize. Custom Crank bag and Soma Frame
Shino (Tokyo)
Stevie (Zurich)

Mainrace Women

JoJo (Stockholm) Custom Crank bag and Gold pedal necklace
Yuki (Tokyo)
Christina (Chicago)

Fixie King

Jumbo (Copenhagen)

Sprint

Men:Alex Forolettii (Canada??)

women: Alex’s girlfriend.. forgot her name..

Skid

Men: Jumbo (Copenhagen)

Woman: Sarah Murder(San Frandisco)

Backward circle

Daz. 149 ROUNDS!!!

Trackstand

I don’t know.  Someone needs to fill me in on this. I left when the organizer decided not to let both men and women do the trackstand at the same time….

How about the two that I followed throughout the event? Both qualified for the Final, Fergus came in top ten. Mr Chas.. DQ because he can’t read the rules! Actually, he finished the race, he scored money that would have gotten him 5th place, but he had 3 packages left in his bag, DQ for him :(

Well you know what? everyone is a winner……

CMWC Tokyo was well organized, perhaps a little too well organized for my taste. I thank them for taking time and organized such event. Turn out was in the thousand each day at the Race venue. After party at disco club was not my cub of tea. Smoke filled 4 level dance floors, with bouncers checking every bags for chocolate bar really ticked my nerves. I would prefer a tall can gathering in the parking lot with friends.

Bottom line is, I had a hell hec of fun. Thank you Incase for all the Japanese denim garments I bought, thank you all the friends that let me take pictures of you doing nasty move and funny faces. Thank you my lady Jassy for booking the room, helped carrying camera gears  and being the prettiest girl in the show, I love you.

I hope you guys enjoys my love story in Tokyo….. Oh and the pictures. Feel free to drop me  e-mail if you want copy of high Res photo puck@cyclezine.net
Or if you just want to help me go shopping in different country, I will do it.

Next year CMWC 2010 Guatamela… I’m going!!!!

and here the slide show if you have time to see 200+ pictures..also posted here in Incase Bloggy

4 comments

We got into Tokyo on Saturday evening. The flight form SF was amazing. Japan airline is my favorite airline now, they did not hassle with me about the large bike cases I have with me, no question about what in the cases, no large baggage fee charge. I think it is because I paced the box and did not go over the 50lb weight limit. I brought Alex Moulton for my girlfriend, and the Track bike for myself. We checked in at Westin hotel in Ebisu. Sunday we got up real early to build the bike and hit the road.

Met up with Yohei at W-base. W-Base is a well known track bike shop. Yohei used to be messenger in San Francisco, he moved back to Tokyo last year and now he is w-base store manager. Of course, many people that in town for CMWC show up one after another while we were at W-Base.


After that I went to register for the race at B1 building, also in Shibuya. The CMWC Tokyo registration team is very well organize. the location set in the basement of the building. You walk down and come to the first table which check your name take your payment, they gave me a package which includes wrist band for oot down competition, race number sign to attach on my bag, my number is 69. Then along the line they would take my picture to make ID card, this Id card is use to enter various event that happening every night.
Lots of people show up at the registration office and flocked the whole street with messengers boys and girls and their bikes, their bag and even their sleeping bag sleeping on the street.


After the registration we went to Club Asia to see Goldsprint race. Club Asia is also in Shibuya. the party start early at 3pm. Again , tons of people showed up and flocked the whole single lane street. By night time about 9pm, the whole street go even more crazy because people would come out the the near by bar…

Some other messenger groups, San Francisco crew are down the street hanging out in front of 7/11, I thought that was funny, drunk messengers decided to pick 7/11 as their drinking base..

Overall, I think lots of people from around the world showed up for the event. We get to meet, Irish, Scottish, Finish, Taiwanesse, Swedes, French, German, and even Australian. Everyone s happy to be in Tokyo, to share their stories, to exchange culture, and best of all, to make new friends.

ALSO .. Read more see more here at Incase Blog

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