2009-05-26-0308Z


Eureka Natural Foods on Broadway is still a good spot for wifi, power, and clean restrooms.

It turns out Halvorsen Park is the other way, on the boat ramp end. Maybe I'll remember next year. Day 2 started at 1000, but I didn't leave the park until I heard that my team's Maneating Clam sculpture sunk on entering the bay! They were safe, but the brakes were shot, and they had to take it down hills manually for the rest of the race.

I had a thrillride down the hill in Loleta after remembering to try riding my rig down with a skate over the rickshaw handle. I got going so fast I got scared and started riding the brake, but it didn't stop me! It barely slowed me down. So I deliberately crashed into the grass on the side of the road. Finding both myself and my rig unscathed, I got back on and rode the rest of the way down. WooooHOOOOO! I just about ruined the brakes, but it was definitely worth it. Made it into Crab Park about 1856, found Ron and his son Izzy and shared the first of my Armenian pomegranate wine, after setting up my sleeping bag and lighting a campfire. Met lots of wonderful young people who are into saving the planet. Kyle, the son of a Mad River brewer, gave me a Steelhead beer. Nice sweet dessert beer. It won an award at a recent beer competition, hence the "solid gold" motif of the racing team this year.

Left Crab Park about 0648, walked back past Loleta, across Fernbridge, and straight into downtown Ferndale. Again I missed the finish line, never seeing the KHUM banner, but I figure I crossed it about 1058.

After the Clam came in I got a ride back to Arcata with Tom and Galina. My bus leaves tomorrow morning, so I have one more night of camping out in Arcata.

Some random ideas I got while walking, and in exchange with other people:

Use a helium filled bubble for welding and food storage. Use tubes out the bottom for breathing while inside.

Push impeller with compressed air. "Gear up" by repositioning jet closer to axle.

"Hoosier" ballon tires have internal gears.

Lifejacket can double as sleeping pad.

Humboldt Exchange prints their own currency.

Attach sandals to oars for rowing on land. Attach sandals to hands, elbows, and knees for fall protection and for use as brakes.

Race photos at khum.com, race notes on twitter tagged kgc09.

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last updated 2009-05-26 11:37:48. served from tektonic.jcomeau.com