SUZY STUMP: DEATH ON TWO WHEELS >>>

The concept is simple: Pick an area of town and patronize as many bars as you can in the allotted time (that is, before last call has passed and a angry bartender swipes the final drink from your lips). Pub crawls, with their chug-and-run near-athleticism, are almost a drinker's triathlon - events requiring endurance in walking, drinking and remaining standing - except the payoff is sheer fun rather than gold medals. Don't expect to get your face on ESPN, though; if you're not careful to stay within limits, you may end up in the Weekly Volcano's Ragnet crime column instead, especially if you're dressed as a skeleton on a bike.

You see, even though there's nearly two weeks until Halloween hits, the undead will be starting the party early, as peddling and mumbling stiffs will take over the streets of Tacoma this Saturday. The Reaper Ride, a costumed pub crawl on bikes - a spooky peloton if you will - will begin with drinks at 6 p.m. inside the TenTwentyTwo South bar on Hilltop Tacoma. At 7:30 p.m., riders dressed as skeletons - costumes are strongly encouraged - will peddle to the next bar - which is a mystery as the bar route will not be exhumed until just before the ride.

As you can probably guess, tucking your skeleton pant leg into your sock has never been more important.

[Tentwentytwo South, Saturday, Oct. 24, 6 p.m., no admission fee, 1022 S. J St., Tacoma, knystrom2@comcast.net]