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Ten-hut! One-day ‘Bike Scout’ scavenger hunt will roll out Aug. 31


Bike Scout poster
Official poster for Bike Scout.

One of Portland’s best-known bike event planners is trying something new this year: A free citywide bike scavenger hunt game that she says is inspired by board games like Ticket to Ride and Agricola.

“Our original idea was to do it next year during PedalPalooza,” said organizer Ayleen Crotty, maybe best known as the woman behind Filmed by Bike, in an interview Monday. “And then my friend Matt said, ‘Why don’t we be some of those people who keep the fun going outside of PedalPalooza and put this on in August?'”

That was the beginning of Bike Scout, an all-afternoon event happening Saturday, Aug. 31 that’ll pit “troops” of three to five bike riders against each other for fun and prizes.

“Get your compasses, searching devices, friends, costumes and bike ready,” the event’s website reads. “You’ll circle the city on an expedition to answer riddles, find treasure, document experiences and conquer challenges in hopes of winning the coveted troop trophy.”

Crotty said this event was inspired in part by the Bike Walk Vote scavenger hunt organized during PedalPalooza by Lisa Marie White, which challenged participants to track down as many bike rides as they could in a single day.

It’s a free event, with an optional $10 donation to support its costs and get a leg up on points. Preregistration is required, however. Participation is capped at 100, and Crotty said Tuesday that one day after going public, 41 slots are filled.

A $200-value tour of Portland, with certificates to local businesses, will be the grand prize, Crotty said. There’ll also be a prize to encourage “troop identity and fun and flair.”

“We really want to see people rallying around their troop theme,” she said. “Our favorite so far is the Naughty Nauticals.”

The event is being produced by Filmed By Bike, the annual film festival that Crotty directs. For its first year, Crotty said, the operation is just aiming to cover its own expenses.

Crotty said she and her co-planners are “Big fans of games that require a lot of strategy – not necessarily knowing crazy knowledge. … Games where there are many different ways to win, and you just have to choose the one that works best.”

Sounds like a great time. You can sign up for the event and get complete details its website.

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