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A note from MISSION CONTROL

The mass.ave’.a.thon was originally an accident.  One fall night in 1986, a few money conscious college students decided to save on cab and bus fare and to walk home from Cambridge to Boston after an early, unplanned departure from the Hong Kong. In unfamiliar territory, the original “MassAveAThon”ers decided that there was no better way for the territory to become familiar than for the group to visit each of the pubs, taverns, common houses, clubs, lounges, victualers, and barrooms of the Cambridge stretch of Massachusetts Avenue.           How these brave explorers kept track of just where they went is the stuff of legend—they followed a straight line.  After a few years, it was decided that Cambridge alone would not sate them; thus, the Boston side of the Charles was ‘tapped’, and a simply outlandish trail was blazed for the full, modern MassAveAThon you know and love today. Over the years, the MassAveAThon grew in popularity, and in the number of stops.  Some say it hit its ‘peak’ in 2001, with a list of 70 bars, and over 400 participants.  As ‘Thon’ers continued to branch outward each year, new and additional establishments were reported to MISSION CONTROL; to this day, this sort of evolution is the nature of the beast, and the reason why no single line-up exists.           The relatively smaller crowd present at the 2006 MassAveAThon was saddened, temporarily, upon learning of The Founder's decision that the 20th edition, that year, was to be the Grand Finale of this great institution.  Some had thought that it would go out with a bang; yet, amidst outcry from the populace, the torch was passed, and all that actually happened was a hot, sour belch.  As we have unofficially continued onward, new blood has found its way into the crowd annually; along with hardcore veterans from the infant years, attendance has actually increased since that time, remaining at around 120 each year.           And so continues this fine tradition of exploration and saturation.           Your participation tonight is an honor to those original pioneers who were the first to experience what is now the tradition of…                                                                       The mass.ave’.a.thon But on a more serious note, folks….Please be respectful of others.  Please be careful.  Look out for each other out there.  Do what you can to keep the MassAveAThon out of the spotlight.  And most of all, have fun!                                          Thanks in advance for your best behavior, and thanks for coming along!

Help us build a better mass.ave.a.thon MISSION CONTROL isn't always able to keep tabs on the ever-changing faces of Cambridge and Boston; we need your help to find out about potential new stops.  Many of our of carrier pigeons have retired or passed on in the last few years, so if you see a new (or etablished) location that you think we should add to our line-up, try telling us via this new 'email' doohickey. Note: on the Cambridge side of the Charles, try to stick to within a block or so of Mass Ave.  Once you cross into Boston, feel free to stop anywhere along Beacon Street and Commonwealth Ave.  Once you make your rounds through Lansdowne and Fenway, keep heading west on Comm Ave.  Good trekking!

...and what the hell is a 'smoot' anyways?