it goes a little something like this...

What's Cranksgiving? - It's a food drive, on bikes, with prizes. Some might call it a race, but you don't have to be a racer to participate (there's two courses - fast/hard, and slow/determined).

When, Where, and How does it happen? - Sunday, November 23rd, 2008. Meet at Bandemer Park at the Main St. entrance (click here for a map) at 3:00 pm. Bring yourself, a bike, some money (to buy food), a lock (for parking outside the grocery stores), and something to carry food in while you're riding.

From the starting point, you'll go to local grocery stores (maps will be provided) and buy non-perishable food items - keeping the receipts to prove you bought them during Cranksgiving. After you've gone to all the stores on your course, you come back to the finish line where you'll drop off the food. Food Gatherers will be collecting and weighing the food, and there will be some post-Cranksgiving warm beverage, and socializing, and awarding of prizes.

Does it cost money? - Yes. But you're not giving the money to me - you're using it to buy food, and that food goes to Food Gatherers, who runs the food bank for Washtenaw County. How much money? - That depends on you - how much you buy/give. I would recommend bringing at least $10. You have to buy something from at least one store, but the prizes are geared towards hauling food, so the more you bring in, the better the winnings. (heh. get it? "geared"?)

Remember though - it's not about throwing money around. It's about how much food. Big cans of tuna, peanut butter, bags of rice, beans - they're nutritious, and cheap, and feed more people. My biggest nightmare is that people come in with 5 single-servings of ramen. My biggest dream is that people do like Adam and Matt and Ben and Natalie did last year, with 5lb bags of rice, 16 lb turkeys, bringing in 18lbs of pasta and peanut butter... that kind of thing.

What's the Course? - There's two: the Super Size course will be long. About 15 miles or so - kind of like last year, but not exactly the same - but probably 5 stores. Appetizer Course will have 3 stores on the route, so shorter.

What is there to win? - Well, everyone wins the satisfaction of knowing that they're helping people in need. But more specifically:

• Grand Prize: Round-trip airfare for one, anywhere that NorthWest Airlines will take you on 50,000 frequent flyer miles. So there's restrictions based on their policies for "award travel", you know... blackout dates, etc. etc. but as long as you can navigate that, it's off you go.
  
• Other Prizes: Merino Jerseys from Swobo, Rims from Velocity, Beer from Arbor Brewing Co. (mug club membership), pads/hats from Yancopads, coffee from Mighty Good Coffee, etc.
  

What the weather is crappy? - Rain/snow or shine, folks. Hunger knows no season, and neither do we. Wear gloves, dress warm, pedal hard.