July 11, 2004
Insane Contraptions Battle For July 31 Supremacy
Adult Soapbox Derby Vs. Flugtag Portland
In a distressing display of massively unfortunate planning, it seems that this year's Portland Adult Soapbox Derby and Red Bull Flugtag Portland have been scheduled for the same damned day.
On the one hand, we have the local tradition of otherwise reasonably intelligent human beings hurtling down an extinct volcano. Or, as the Soapbox Derby website puts it: "Once a year a brave group of racers convene on the daunting slopes of Mt.Tabor to test their metal. These pages are dedicated to all those who have spilled their blood, or even worse, spilled their Blue Ribbon."
On the other hand, we have the other tradition of otherwise reasonably intelligent human beings launching themselves off a ramp into the Willamette River. Or, as the Flugtag USA website puts it: "[A] bunch of creative geniuses strapping themselves to totally outrageous home-made, human powered flying machines and launching themselves off a 30-foot ramp into the wild blue yonder, or alternatively straight into the water."
Now, clearly for us there is no contest. We will be firmly in place at the bottom of the track for the entirety of the Adult Soapbox Derby, as we were last year. But what conniving little god of fate had the bright idea to plant the same date in the minds of the organizers of these two events?
Is there some cosmic prohibition against being able to see people in unholy devices screaming down a mountain and people in unholy devices plunging into a river?
At any rate, for those of you who think there's actually some sort of choice to be made here, the Adult Soapbox Derby begins at 10:00 AM, while Flugtag Portland begins at 11:00 AM. Both, of course, on Saturday, July 31.
Comments (10)
Worldwide Pablo on 11 Jul 2004
The soapbox derby website actually says: "Once a year a brave group of racers convene on the daunting slopes of Mt. Tabor to test their metal"? [Emphasis added]
Grrrr. Did anyone else's "inner stickler" notice that nails-on-a-chalkboard word choice?
Of course, it's mettle. [Not your fault, b!X...]
The One True b!X on 11 Jul 2004
Yeah I thought about adding a "[sic]" in there, but figured I'd just let everyone else decide if it was a bonehead mistake or some sort of soapbox-racer pun.
myrln on 11 Jul 2004
Shit...I'm 3 hours or so too late to make the point! But I suppose, on the other hand, depending upon what the racing machines are made of, it could be a test of metal, too.
Bob R. on 11 Jul 2004
Let us not also forget the Kinetic Sculpture Race at Da Vinci Days in Corvallis, July 16-18.
Watch human powered vehicles navigate roads, sand, a big mud bog, and convert to water craft and navigate the Willamette, and then return to land!
I lived for quite some time in Corvallis and this was one of those must-see annual events for me - put on the sun block, drag out the lawn chairs, etc. I might just go down this weekend and see how things are holding up.
- Bob R.
Bob R. on 11 Jul 2004
The link to the sculpture race is:
http://www.davinci-days.org/schedule/ksr_race.htm
The One True b!X on 11 Jul 2004
That's crazed, too. I think maybe we need a state festival combining all of these things into one mind-boggling disaster waiting to happen.
Simp on 12 Jul 2004
Gahhh
My loyalty would belong with the soapbox derby, but Flugtag has an understandable new voyeuristic appeal to me.
Where to haul my camera gear?
Simp
Biodiesel: No War Required
Piney on 12 Jul 2004
Red Bull Flugtag doesn't actually start until 1:03 PM. Gates open at 11 AM, but nobody will be in the air (or the river) until 1:04 or so...but there'll probably be skydivers doing their thing around 12:45 above the Willamette. That's what usually happens right before a Flugtag...
rebecca on 20 Jul 2004
Back to the mettle/metal thing, I actually redid the website this year and thought for awhile over whether or not I should change the spelling. In the end, I went for the pun as most cars are built out of metal, or at least contain some metal. Clearly, it's not all that obvious a pun, though. Perhaps I chose wrong.
Zac on 04 Aug 2004
Nerdygirl..
Thanks for sticking with the intended 'metal'.
...Flugtag: German for "Sissy who needs water to land on and is afraid to bleed"
Z