Showing posts with label kinetic sculpture race. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kinetic sculpture race. Show all posts
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Memorial Weekend
Road over the bridge to Manila to watch some of the 40th Kinetic Sculpture Race. This was one of the newest floats the Octo-mom. There was music and lots of folks despite the truly abysmal weather. The vendors stayed away, no Co-op with free giveaways and only one hot dog stand. The music was mellow and the racers as usual had gone all out "For the Glory"
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Kinetic roundup
The Kinetic sculptures are on their way to Ferndale and I am wimping out and heading for the couch., the recliner actually. Chasing the race kicked my butt and It shouldn’t have. The problem was all the walking on the sand. I have gotten to the point that I can peddle for 5 or 6 hours in a day with only mild swelling in the knees but walking even a mile or two kills my joints.
Yesterday was land today was water. I first rode to Arcata and watched the start of the race. The prerace takes a couple of hours when they safety test the sculptures making sure they can steer and stop. Then after clearing the wandering stoners from the street the noon whistle blows and they are off. Twice around and then out Samoa boulevard to the school at manila. Then things get tough as the contestants ride for a few miles in the sand before they head down dead mans drop. The folks from “glory hogs” even set up a BBQ at the bottom of the hill and passed out hot dogs to the spectators.
It is a great community event and almost everyone is in the mood to make it a great time for all. As usual though the local police presence does what it can to kill the buzz. Humboldt county sheriffs are just such huge dicks cruising around in their boat ragging on kayakers about life jackets when even if they went in the water there are hundreds of folks to pull them out. A bunch of little Cartmans with “authoritee” but what can you do.
Day two shifts to the water as the sculptures paddle, row, float and sometimes sink along the F street boardwalk in old town before heading to table bluff for the night. I again took the pussy way out and rather than camp I slept at home. The allure of a warm bed after being in the cold wet all day was just too strong. The sky was at least clear on Sunday but the wind was still a bit on the brisk side. I for some stupid reason forgot sunscreen on Saturday so on Sunday I was Radmul the red nosed rider.
Yesterday was land today was water. I first rode to Arcata and watched the start of the race. The prerace takes a couple of hours when they safety test the sculptures making sure they can steer and stop. Then after clearing the wandering stoners from the street the noon whistle blows and they are off. Twice around and then out Samoa boulevard to the school at manila. Then things get tough as the contestants ride for a few miles in the sand before they head down dead mans drop. The folks from “glory hogs” even set up a BBQ at the bottom of the hill and passed out hot dogs to the spectators.
It is a great community event and almost everyone is in the mood to make it a great time for all. As usual though the local police presence does what it can to kill the buzz. Humboldt county sheriffs are just such huge dicks cruising around in their boat ragging on kayakers about life jackets when even if they went in the water there are hundreds of folks to pull them out. A bunch of little Cartmans with “authoritee” but what can you do.
Day two shifts to the water as the sculptures paddle, row, float and sometimes sink along the F street boardwalk in old town before heading to table bluff for the night. I again took the pussy way out and rather than camp I slept at home. The allure of a warm bed after being in the cold wet all day was just too strong. The sky was at least clear on Sunday but the wind was still a bit on the brisk side. I for some stupid reason forgot sunscreen on Saturday so on Sunday I was Radmul the red nosed rider.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Pictures from the race
A few shots from th 40th annual Great Kinetic Sculpture race on the Arcata plaza. The egrets were out along the highway between Eureka and Arcata. Today rode 24 miles on the roads and another 8 on the sand. My legs are on fire as I write this so I will be crashing early but will get more shots up tomorrow. The videos may take a little longer as I will be attending the second leg . This week will be more about bikes and less about political rants you have my word.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Another wierd Wednesday
Spent the day in a funk from the foggy morning to a spacey night. I had a good ride but the new bottom bracket for the machine has still not arrived. The slop is getting a bit worse leading to occasional shifting problems. When your knees are sore missing a shift hurts like a bear. I feel better after this long ride than I did after the last so that is an improvement but I need to figure out a way to keep from getting as dehydrated as.I have been. I am going to sweat and I am drinking lots of water but at the end of the day I am still low on fluids leading to cramps and constipation. Tried the electrolyte drink they were handing out samples of at the tour but it was not the tastiest of beverages. Gator aid and the like tend to have more sodium than I want but at least it tastes good.
Did find an interesting new website from Microsoft called the World Wide Telescope. Killer space shots and talks on astronomy and cosmology but as with all things from the Micro softies it is a pain in the ass to install and get working. Another in a long line of mixed outcomes today. Anna's cam show was the same thing. Enjoyed the chance to chat with my friend but tech problems screwed it up half way through so I was frustrated waiting around for a tech fix that never came.
Want to ride north again this weekend after laundry tomorrow. The Kinetic sculpture race is coming and I plan to hang out and shoot some footage as I ride along. Rocky the porch cat says "hey."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)