Sixth Annual Bicycle Pie Joust Marks April Fool’s Day on Phinney Ridge

04/03/2006

On Saturday, an enthusiastic group of spectators gathered on Phinney Ridge to watch what has become one of Seattle’s favorite oddball April Fools events. Sara Lerner brings us details from the 6th Annual Bicycle Pie Joust.

ABOUT A HUNDRED PEOPLE GATHER ON THE SIDEWALK IN FRONT OF SULLY’S SNOWGOOSE SALOON. ON THE STREET IN FRONT OF THEM, TWO BICYCLISTS PEDAL TOWARD EACH OTHER. EACH HAS A PIE IN THEIR UP-RAISED HAND. THE GOAL IS TO HIT THE OTHER RIDER SQUARELY IN THE FACE. WHOEVER GETS CLOSEST, WINS THE JOUST.

LAST YEAR’S CHAMPION JUST GOES BY THE NAME MARTIN. HE WON’T TELL ME HIS FULL NAME. HE’S WEARING A SILLY GREY PLASTIC HELMET. MARTIN EXPLAINS HIS WINNING STRATEGY.

Martin: "It's all in the hand action, you gotta be able to hold the whole pie. That's the hard part. It's all about keeping the pie and getting it, right, right in the face.

Someone Yelling: "Today's ingredient, banana!"

THE PIES EACH LAND ON TARGET. BOTH RIDERS’ FACES ARE COVERED WITH WHIP CREAM. IT’S TWO HOURS INTO THE TOURNAMENT. THE STEET IS A SLIMY MESS. WE’VE MADE IT TO THE FINAL FOUR. IN ONE BRACKET, BANANA VON KREAMER- WHO’S DRESSED AS A BANANA. HE BATTLES CORY, A GUY IN JEANS AND A T-SHIRT. TWICE, THE CROWD CALLS FOR A REDO, BECAUSE BOTH CONTESTANTS HIT THEIR MARK. IT’S TIME FOR A THIRD TRY. THE CROWD IS GIDDY.

Someone Yelling: “That’s how you write the book on jousting!”

IT’S CLEAR ROOKIE BANANA MAN CAME TO PLAY. HE NAILS CORY IN THE FACE, BUT CORY’S SHOT IS WIDE. BANANA MAN ADVANCES TO THE FINALS, WHERE HE BEATS A VETERAN PIE THROWER. A SPECTATOR, WHO JUST GOES BY JIM, IS ON HIS FEET, PUMPING HIS FISTS.

Jim: "It's a cinderella story. It's unbelievable. A new guy out of nowhere and he just whupped the competition. Look at the people. Both sides of the street. Sun’s out, shining on him. Doesn’t get any better than this. This is what makes this country great. Pie jousting, unbelievable."

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