ABOUT
Think scavenger hunt on a bike: you get a list of stops around town, ride between them your own way, and answer a little question at each one. It’s part ride, part puzzle, part exploring Carleton Place.
Alleycats started with bike messengers and curious riders who wanted a fun excuse to see the city—not a stiff race with a referee on every corner.
Stickers with QR codes are posted at spots around town. Scan one with your phone, answer the question, and keep riding. When you’ve hit every stop on your route, scan your starting sticker again—that’s your finish line and your time goes on the leaderboard.
Shorter loops are about ~5 km (~3 mi) each. Hit every sticker on the Figure 8 or Alley Cat route and you’re looking at about ~10.5 km (~6.5 mi)—give or take, depending on which streets you take.
Official site: dillydalleycat.com
You’ll spot these around Carleton Place. The colour tells you what kind of stop it is—scan the QR with your phone camera to jump into the ride.
Black info sticker — scan to learn more and find your way in
- Black — info / home. General “what is this?” stickers and the website.
- Green — North Side checkpoints.
- Blue — South Side checkpoints.
When you scan your first checkpoint, pick the loop you want. Distances are rough guides—your actual ride depends on the streets you choose.
- North Side~5 km (~3 mi)
4 checkpoints · North-side loop—four checkpoints along the High Street side of town.
- South Side~5 km (~3 mi)
5 checkpoints · South-side loop—five checkpoints around Carleton Junction and the river.
- Figure 8~10.5 km (~6.5 mi)
9 checkpoints · Full figure-eight through every sticker—north and south in one ride.
- Alley Cat~10.5 km (~6.5 mi)
9 checkpoints · All nine locations, in any order you like—finish where you started.
Forward and Reverse are the same loop, just backwards. Alley Cat is all nine stickers in whatever order you like—then back to where you started.
No fixed order, no “head here next.” Choose Alley Cat when you start, then visit all nine stickers however you want. The map fills in as you go so you can see what’s left.
- All nine stops, your order. Hit whichever sticker you can reach next—just don’t scan the same one twice.
- Map keeps score. Completed stops light up on the route map so you’re not guessing what’s left.
- Finish where you started. After all nine unique stops, ride back to your first sticker and scan it one more time.
- Brains beat speed. A smart route through town often beats pedalling hard in circles.
Want the app to tell you exactly where to go next? Pick North Side, South Side, or Figure 8.
Tap a question to see the answer.
›How far will I ride?
North Side and South Side are each about ~5 km (~3 mi) between four or five stops. Figure 8 and Alley Cat hit all nine spots for about ~10.5 km (~6.5 mi) total. Your mileage might vary a bit depending on detours and which streets you pick.
›What’s a QR code? Why stickers?
It’s a square barcode your phone camera can read. Each checkpoint has a sticker—scan it and you land right in the game at that stop, ready to answer the question. No paper clue sheets to lose in your pocket.
›How do I start if I’ve never scanned before?
Tap Find closest QR code on the home page, allow location when asked, and follow your phone to the nearest sticker. Scan it, enter your name, pick a route, and you’re off.
›Can I start mid-route instead of using maps first?
Sure. Walk up to any sticker in town and scan it. On your first correct answer you’ll pick your name, route, and direction—same as starting from the map, just without the directions first.
›What happens each time I reach a checkpoint?
Scan the sticker, read the question, pick an answer, and submit. Get it right and the stop counts—you’ll see where to head next (unless you’re in Alley Cat mode). Wrong answer? Try again.
›Forward vs reverse—what changes?
Same loop, opposite direction. Forward is one way around; Reverse flips it. Alley Cat skips the fixed order—you visit every unique stop in any order, then return to start.
›What makes Alley Cat different from the other routes?
You’re the navigator. Other routes point you to the next sticker; Alley Cat hands you the map and lets you choose. You still need all nine stops and a finish scan at your starting sticker.
›What do the route names mean?
North Side and South Side are separate ~5 km (~3 mi) loops on different sides of town. Figure 8 does both for about ~10.5 km (~6.5 mi). Alley Cat uses the same nine stops in whatever order you want.
›How do I finish?
After every stop on your route, ride back to the sticker where you started and scan it one more time. That’s the finish line—your time lands on the leaderboard.
›Does this track location or need GPS?
When you submit at a checkpoint, your phone checks once that you’re near that sticker—no continuous tracking, just a quick “yep, you’re here.” Allow location when your browser asks. You’ll need internet and a phone that can scan QR codes.
›What if I lose signal or close the tab?
Don’t panic—your progress is saved on your phone once a run starts. Open the same browser again and tap Resume race in the menu, or scan the last checkpoint sticker you visited.
Built with love in Carleton Place — say hi on socials below.