Every year, Fairbanks has a "Red Green Regatta." This is where a bunch of rag-tag boats float down the Chena, and compete to see which has "best followed the principles of Red Green" (use of one roll of duct tape required during the construction :) ). It's quite an event.
This year, something *VERY* special happened. . . .
Photos credited to Pik Ha Doobie ("Doobie" :) ) Soo.
We **!!!!
That's right---GRAND CHAMPION, the big kahuna, the whole marbles, the. . . . :)I wanted to have Queen's "We Will Rock You" playing in the background for this, but the technical difficulties of getting that to work properly on the various browsers, is exceeded only by the difficulties in legally downloading and using said sound clip. :P :P
So just use your imagination. (Imagine, an American being told to use their imagination. . . .) "We are the CHAMP-IONS!!"
Okay. Credit where credit is due. . . .A huge thank you goes out to Ray Ward. Ray is a all-around great guy. As soon as he found out about our project, he went out of his way to make things go right for us. He saved us hundreds of dollars, by supplying us with old, used, or abandoned materials. Even before all this, I had a great deal of respect for Ray---but that would make for a whole other story. . . . :) :)
I could not credibly exceed the amount of praise and thanks rightfully due Robert Parsons. Without his beyond exceptional genius for turning my high-flung imaginative ideas into "meatspace" reality (and on a realistic budget ;) ), this project never could've gone forward---let alone would we have WON. Also, I want to really thank the rest of the Parsons clan: Mary, Jennifer, John, and Heather. And I believe, MOST certainly, that their positively *FANTASTIC* artwork played to no small degree in our having won.
Dr. Price (advisor of SPS) did a lot of work on the "Einstein head"---and was positively indispensable for getting the SPS dudes and dudettes organized and motivated, 'n stuff. I wish to also thank Rachael Shoulder, Jason McDonald, Brian "Sexy Beast" Wilson (Yes---just like the "Beach Boy." :) ), and Teresa Garcia. Although Teresa wasn't there for the event (She was at a conference---destroying some smallish GM rental car. :) :) ), both her and Rachael did an almost phenomenal amount of work in the early stages of construction. I was impressed. :)
Some interesting quotes, during the construction and race
For as long as they last, here are some links on the Regatta.
The contruction for this was SOO involved, that it was actually divided into two separate projects. Check out "construction main" and "construction head." :)
The RACE!! :) :)
And finally, some aftermath of the Regatta
