The Gay Games is an international sporting competition, to be sure.
However, with 12,000 GLBT participants and accompanying volunteers
and spectators joining the GLBT community already present in
Chicago, the Gay Games may represent - even if only for one week -
the largest concentration of GLBT people on the planet. That global
community brings with it more than footballs and tennis rackets and
bicycles. They also bring paint brushes and sheet music and
saxophones and dance steps.

Beyond the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, the week is filled with
concerts and exhibits open to anyone who wants to see the artistic
work this community brings with it to Chicago. On Monday morning,
members of the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus performed at lunch
series downtown. On Tuesday night, a mass Gay Games Orchestra
performed and on Wednesday night a mass Gay Games choir did the
same. The Mexican Museum featured a salute to the work of GLBT
Mexican's and the Latin American athletes present at the Gay Games.
And cultural venues throughout the city opened their doors at
reduced prices for Gay Games participants.

Big Crank racers found themselves with a day off on Tuesday. With
grand plans laid out the night before, the racers discovered that a
slower day was a better option. An early morning bike ride on the
beautiful, 60 mile Lakefront Trail led to laundry and lunch followed
by another ride to watch Gay Games Beach Volleyball.

Along the way, tennis matches were underway and signs of the Beach
Volleyball Finals stadium being set up could be seen as the men
stopped for a smoothie on the Beach. The afternoon ended with a nap
on Chicago's Gay beach, meeting more men and women from around the
world and taking a well earned rest in the sun.

On Wednesday, the men will return from the individual time trial
competition and attend the mass choir performance. On Thursday, the
men will be joined by Big Crank Joan Brackman for the Road Race.
Initial plans are to take in some post race soccer matches as the
soccer competition enters the semi-final elimination phases. But
here in Chicago, during this exciting time and with so many options,
knowing where the day may lead is proving to be a challenge for the
men and women of Big Crank.