What, No Bike and Beer?

Mere hours before Mayor John Nutter drives home the official opening tap for Philly Beer Week and only two days until the 26th annual running of the Philadelphia International Cycling Championship through the streets of Fairmount Park and Manayunk, I have just one question for the organizers of the two events.

Why is there no joint bike and beer extravaganza???

I thought the whole point of moving Beer Week from its old place on the calendar in March to its new spot in June was so that it would coincide with Philly's big race day. Seriously! Come on, guys and gals. Have you ever seen Lemon Hill on race day? It's a beer week extravaganza waiting to happen. Add to that the fact that several local breweries sponsor equally local racing teams (Victory and TriState Velo; Flying Fish and the Mambo Kings), promote local races (the Iron Hill Twilight Criterium in West Chester, PA), or have their own cycling jerseys (see the Yards, Flying Fish and Sly Fox kits at GoCycling), and you'd think it would be a no-brainer.

I've been dropping hints left and right over the past year, yet I've perused the Beer Week schedule for Sunday not once but thrice and, nope, there's nary a mention of any crossover event. Guess I'll have to try harder next year (and carry my own cooler to Lemon Hill this year).