There will be an overlap of two events at Kennedy Park later today, the Auburn-Lewiston Rotary Club Criterium and a Pokemon Go! hunt hosted by the Lewiston Public Library.
The crit — a fast-paced one-mile bike race around the park — will go off in eight different waves starting at 9:30 a.m., most about an hour apart, ending with the final wave of professional riders pedaling off the start by the post office on Ash Street at 1:30 p.m.
At noon, Pokemon gamers — some experienced and some not — will gather at the library to hunt the downtown. They plan to walk about for a little over an hour before gathering at the park to set up lures and have a picnic. They’re expected to arrive about 15 minutes before the professional cyclists begin their 60-minute race.
So, while a large group of gamers will be setting lures and sharing food in the park, fantastically skilled cyclists will literally be racing around the grounds in a circle.
Knowing Pokemon’s rep for distracting mobile players to the point they run into cars and walk off bluffs, and given that cyclists often look down while racing, there is great need for caution all around.
Event organizers are each aware of the other’s presence and are making plans to accommodate the traffic and the crowd, which is good.
But, the cyclists will not be rounding corners one at a time. They’ll be in a pack, traveling upward of 30 mph, and will not be able to safely stop if a child is standing in the road capturing a Weedle. Or Charmander. Or, the most prized Volcanion.
Both events are worth attending and Kennedy Park is the perfect site for each. Race marshals and police will be watching for potential collisions, and people who have never seen a bike race or watched a Pokemon hunt will certainly have fun.
So, enjoy. But, please, beware and be aware.
jmeyer@sunjournal.com
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