What the Riverwest 24 tattoo means

Elliot Hughes, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Updated ·1 min read
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It is 3 a.m. and you’ve been riding your steed for hours, with more to go. You are maybe buzzing on a beer or two (or more). You are covered in a film of dirt, bicycle grease, sweat and good times.

It is here and it is now. Why not get a tattoo?

That’s what getting the mark of the Riverwest 24 is all about. Every year, Milwaukeeans turn out for what they call the “People’s Holiday” – a goofy 24-hour-long community bicycle race surrounded by an eclectic neighborhood party.

78. Every year riders in the Riverwest 24 mark the occasion with a tattoo of the current race logo. Each year, Milwaukeeans turn out for what they call the “People’s Holiday” – a goofy 24-hour-long community bicycle race surrounded by an eclectic neighborhood party.
78. Every year riders in the Riverwest 24 mark the occasion with a tattoo of the current race logo. Each year, Milwaukeeans turn out for what they call the “People’s Holiday” – a goofy 24-hour-long community bicycle race surrounded by an eclectic neighborhood party.

The race is about accumulating laps, and racers can earn bonus laps by participating in a range of activities, such as yoga, or … getting a tattoo of the year’s race logo.

Not that the day is about winning. What it’s really about, and what the tattoo symbolizes, is living in the moment, sharing experiences with neighbors and solidarity in loving the community.

See the rest of Milwaukee's 100 objects

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: What the Riverwest 24 tattoo means