The Zany Fun of St. Louis’ Diva Cup Bike Ride

In October, The Monthly Cycle, a St. Louis bike collective, hosted its eighth biennial Diva Cup, a city-wide bicycle scavenger hunt open to women, trans, femme, and non-binary riders. Though I’m not a local (I’m based in Cape Girardeau), I couldn’t resist the chance to join a team for this year’s event. I figured it would be the perfect opportunity to explore St. Louis, get some exercise, and meet new people — all while tackling a unique cycling challenge. What followed was an unforgettable day of pedaling through the city, racing against the clock, and discovering St. Louis from a whole new perspective. Here’s a breakdown.

1:30 p.m. I arrive at HandleBar, a bike-themed pub in The Grove neighborhood, to check in and connect with Carolyn Greble, president of The Monthly Cycle. She introduces me to my teammates, Veronica, Gena, Abigail, and Madge. I learn that our team placed second in the previous Diva Cup, and my teammates are hoping to do even better this time around. The bar is set high!

1:38 p.m. My teammates are deep in route planning, and I’m scrambling to catch up. I have participated in other cycling scavenger hunts, but this one’s structure is new to me. The challenges range in points from 5-pointers to 15-pointers. The higher-point challenges are farther away and more complex, and there won’t be enough time to complete all of them. Hence, the pre-race strategizing.

2:04 p.m. All 65 participants gather outside HandleBar, and Carolyn goes over the rules. We will have two and a half hours to complete as many tasks as possible; we must provide photo or video evidence of each completed task; we have to stay together as a team; and we will be penalized for returning late. Carolyn also stresses safety. Then, we take a group photo, giving folks a chance to show off their costumes.

2:30 p.m. The scavenger hunt begins! My team heads south to the basketball courts at Tower Grove Park in hopes of knocking out our first task: to shoot and make a basket. Another team has the same idea, so we quickly roll onto the court and ask the nearest person if we can borrow their ball. After about 10 attempts, we locate our inner Steph Curry, make a basket, and complete the challenge. Hooray!

2:47 p.m. We bike to A&M Cyclery to finish another task, which turns out to be the best part of the day for my team. We each select and apply a temporary tattoo — I opt for a snake on my forearm — then take a photo showcasing our new “ink.” Next, Veronica and I scurry into someone’s front yard to complete another challenge. I pose with my bike while she records me laughing with the giant skeleton on the balcony.

3:01 p.m. We head farther south to Carondelet Park to find the new singletrack trail, the first sanctioned mountain bike trail in St. Louis City. We finally spot it and ride a short portion to complete a huge 15-point challenge. This is another team highlight, as it’s the first time any of us has experienced this trail.

3:28 p.m. We roll up to Pizza Head on Grand Boulevard just as Veronica’s partner and her dog arrive. She puts her helmet on her dog and we snap a quick picture, and then I pretend to surf in front of the surfing-skeleton mural. Next, we cross the street to The Gelateria, and a stranger hands Veronica a cup of gelato, which she feeds to a teammate to complete another task. Turns out the stranger is Veronica’s sister, whom she texted a few minutes earlier. Good planning.

3:43 p.m. We return to Tower Grove Park to find the base where the Christopher Columbus statue used to reside. Madge climbs up and demonstrates a beautiful tree pose to finish another challenge. We’re on fire!

3:57 p.m. We arrive at Compton Hill Reservoir Park just as a competing team is rolling up, so we cut through the park and edge them out to reach the water tower stairs. Abigail records video and Veronica shows off her cyclocross skills, throwing her bike on her shoulder and running up and back down the stairs. What a badass!

4:35 p.m. As our deadline quickly approaches, we ride to City Foundry. At Big Shark, I trick-or-treat with a Halloween joke. (“What did the boy ghost say to the girl ghost? You’re boootiful!”) With two minutes to go, we snap our last photo — of a mural from the St. Louis Mural project — and sprint back to HandleBar.

5 p.m. We find a scorekeeper and confirm our completed challenges. Then, we enjoy a post-race beer and wait to hear the results. We end up placing third, but my teammates and I aren’t bummed. There were some crazy-good competitors in this Diva Cup.

Besides, throughout the day, I’ve come to realize that the Diva Cup isn’t about winning. It’s about building a community where everyone feels confident on their bikes. It’s about the simple joy of pedaling through the city with friends. It’s about inclusion and accepting people for who they are. As Carolyn tells me, “If you show up and everyone is nice and cool and you have a good time, you’ll come back.” I know I will.

Author: Missy Phegley is a regular contributor to Terrain. 

Top image: By Ann Hubbard.