Fill'er Up...

Image from Brad at UrbanVelo.

A lot of you are repeat attendees. You've been here before, and you know what to expect. Those of you that have graced the Skatium in the past know the ins and outs of the event, so sorry if this is a little repetitive.

Mallets.

If you intend to play polo at the Lock-In (it's cool if you don't), you will need at least one mallet in your possession. You are welcome to bring extras, and those will be helpful when we have grudge matches and special games throughout the night.

But know this:  You are only allowed to have one mallet in the next game rack. We'll have a rack organizing the next game piles, and we are trusting you to be honest and patient and to not put more than one mallet in that rack. If you are caught stacking mallets in order to get more time on the court, you will be caught, and you will be excommunicated form the Lock-In. 

It's harsh but it's true. 

Your time is not any more important than anyone else's at the Lock-In. Line cutting and mallet stacking are dick moves, and what was the original rule of polo (long before NAH Ruleset 2 version 3.5)?*

At a 24-hour polo party, you will have plenty of time to play polo. Make new friends and party with them between your time on the court.

*The answer is "Don't be a dick."

Skirting Drinking Laws...

Inside the Skatium, rules are more like guidelines. Almost nothing is black and white. Pretty much everything is grey, and almost anything goes.

But there are some rules that the establishment that we are renting for 24-hours has to pretend to follow.

Basically, around 1AM the Skatium has to pretend to stop serving alcoholic beverages for a couple hours. Don't be sad. This has happened every year of the Lock-In's existence. Technically, no alcohol is supposed to be distributed after 1AM, but as most of you know, that didn't stop beer from quietly exchanging hands at the bar.

If you want to continue ingesting beer throughout the night, consider bringing a case of beer or two with you to the Skatium. This will help your desire to drink for two reasons:

A). The "stop serving at 1AM" rule won't interrupt your fun if you have your own stash.

B). We have a couple of kegs being donated to our little party. Those may last an hour or 10. After that, we'll probably go on our yearly beer run. If you want to drink without any interruptions, having a personal stash would be wise.

Now you know.

Friday Night - The Party Before the Party

For three years, on the Friday before the Lock-In we'd meet at a bar and then head out into the St. Louis night looking for a place to party. In the attempt to try something new, we've arranged to meet at a new bar...A unique bar.

Imagine a rundown McDonald's. Imagine turning that McDonald's into a Chinese restaurant. Imagine ripping all of the tables out of said McDonald's/Chinese restaurant. Imagine using the old McDonald's counter for a bar. Imagine turning that shell of a former McDonald's into a great dive bar where our group is welcome to party until our hearts are content.

That vision is actually a reality.

This year, we're gathering to party at a bar called CUZ.

A number of us have been going to this bar for a few months now. The owners are laid back and love it when a herd of us show up on bikes. The place is usually dead until the 1am bars close in Soulard, so we'll have plenty of time and space to put the saying "Having fun is easy" into practice. When the 1am crowd gets there, who knows what fun with commence?

CUZ is located at the corner of 7th Street (Broadway) and Marion Street.

1530 South 7th Street
Saint Louis, MO 63104

Party Supplies pt. 1

Partying is awesome.

Partying with sunglasses on is even better.

We insist that you bring a pair of sunglasses to the 2013 Lock-In. Bring a pair that you won't mind losing. We're doing a massive sunglasses swap, and you should participate.

She knows.

Party Playlist...

This time next weekend, we'll be in the depths of a 24-hour party. Soak in that fact.

Okay. We've arranged for a handful of DJs to spin records for us throughout a good section of the Lock-In. But there will still be a few hours without any set musical selections. In order to remedy that situation, we need a little help from you.

If you're so inclined, please make a mixed CD full of hot licks and slow jams for your fellow partiers to enjoy. Anything goes. But just because you can doesn't mean you should.

We'll collect your mixes at the door when you check in. After we've collected all of the mixes, we'll preview them to make sure they're worthwhile. If you're mix is properly put together, it'll probably be an integral part of our upcoming party.

The making of a great compilation tape, like breaking up, is hard to do and takes ages longer than it might seem. You gotta kick off with a killer, to grab attention. Then you got to take it up a notch, but you don't wanna blow your wad, so then you got to cool it off a notch. There are a lot of rules.  -  Hi Fidelity

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The Hardest Partier of Them All...

There is a person that exists without whom the Lock-In wouldn't be the amazing experience it is every year. This person makes it all possible, and whenever someone talks about being a Lock-In "lifer", they all pale in comparison to this individual.

In three years of Lock-In partying, he has been awake for every single minute. He's there every year without fail. He demands that his boss allow him to be in attendance. Basically, this guy is the heart behind the Lock-In, and I want us to make sure that he knows how much we appreciate his dedication.

Obviously, I'm talking about MOUSE.

That's right. Mouse. The big guy that hands you free beer for 24-hours in January. The guy that mops up your messes at the Skatium. The guy that turns a blind eye when we use motorized vehicles indoors, climb the rafters, set off fireworks and nearly paralyze ourselves trying to break the pinata open in creative, ill-conceived manners.

I think he's the most underrated person at the Lock-In each year.

As a club, we've always tried to take care of him by throwing cases of beer his way and stuffing cash into his tip jar when he wasn't paying attention. We've encouraged you to take care of him too.

This year, I want to encourage everyone to bring Mouse something special. It can be as simple as a tallboy...Mouse enjoys beer and generous tipping. Maybe your polo club can spare a XXXL t-shirt? I don't care what it is, but if you can try to think of something special to bring to the Lock-In to show Mouse your appreciation, we would really appreciate it (and Mouse would appreciate it too).

I don't know how many of you know this, but Mouse INSISTS on being at the Lock-In. When the Skatium staff meets to discuss who would be willing to work during the Lock-In, Mouse insists that he be the one to work the event...and not just a few hours...He demands that he get to work the ENTIRE 24-hours. Mouse loves us and we love him. Let's make the extra effort this year to show him how much we appreciate his willingness to hang out with us for 24-hours.

 

The Weekend Challenge...Housing.

If you wanted to establish yourself as a Lock-In All-Star, you wouldn't be concerned with housing. You'd arrive in STL on Friday night, roam from party to party until the city went to sleep, then you'd cross the Eads bridge and party til dawn at Pop's or the "Sauget Ballet" in East St. Louis.

After partying all night, you'd stumble into Courtesy Diner, order a Slinger, and properly refuel before heading to the Skatium.

At Noon on Saturday, you'd arrive at the Skatium having not slept a wink. You'd continue your partying for another 24-hours at the Lock-In, and then drive home on Sunday afternoon.

Now, I don't expect anyone to complete (or even attempt) this feat of hyper partying endurance.

That means most of you will need housing on Friday night, and possibly on Sunday night too...There's no shame in that.

If you need housing, you need to send a polite and informative email to the Lock-In Housing Staff.

LockInHousing@gmail.com

We need to know where your group is coming from, how many people are in your group, and we need to know which night(s) you need housing.

Emails need to be sent IMMEDIATELY.

DO NOT email us on the Thursday before the Lock-In trying to find housing. Your request will go unanswered, and you will be on your own for housing.

Keep in mind that housing is extremely limited. If you have friends or family in STL, we encourage you to explore that option as well.

Now Read This pt. 2

Last year, we had custom t-shirts printed for everyone that paid for a spot at the Lock In.

White people love t-shirts...So we're doing it again this year.

If you've paid for your spot at the Lock In (or made special arrangements to pay at a later date), you should send us your preferred t-shirt size ASAP. We're placing an order in the next few days, so if you'd like a shirt that fits, I suggest emailing us at STLBikePoloLockin@gmail.com sharpish!

Note:  This isn't the real t-shirt design...I think.

Now Read This pt. 1

We are requiring everyone to submit their Lock In payment before 12:00AM CST on Wednesday December 5, 2012.

Do not be late with your payment!

A late monetary submission (without arranging something with the Lock In staff) may result in you losing your spot at the 2013 Lock In. Your spot is not guaranteed until you submit your entrance fee online before the deadline.

For those of you that have already submitted your entrance fee, thanks. Your spot is secured, and you will be partying with us in January!

Regular updates with Lock In details will be posted here in the days and weeks leading up to the big event.

Mo Money Mo Problems

A good number of you expressed interest in attending the 2013 Saint Louis Bike Polo Lock-In. We have compiled a list and sent confirmation emails to everyone that submitted an application.

If you received one of those application emails, congratulations! You are one step closer to partying for 24 consecutive hours on January 19, 2013.

In order to finalize your Lock-In application and secure your spot, you still need to send us money.

The easiest way for you to finalize your application is by sending us $35 through Paypal.

When you send your money, send it to:  HAMCHOVY@hotmail.com

Also, when you send your money, be sure to do the following:

1.  Include your name (the name you used when you submitted your email application).
2.  Include the name of your polo club.
3.  Send the money as a GIFT!

Follow this screenshot:

Please send your payment before next Wednesday (12/05). Failure to pay before the deadline may result in you losing your spot at the 2013 Saint Louis Bike Polo Lock-In.