The 54th Annual Kinetic Sculpture race is kicking off today, and all sorts of teams are pulling up to the start line. We began the morning with Shifts and Giggles, a team of high school students from Arcata who have a love for building.
“I kind of just was raised in like a shop, so I would just build tons of stuff. when I was like ten, I built a sailboat and I built, go kart and all kinds of stuff like that”, says Glenn Frame, member of Shifts and Giggles kinetic team.
“When I was a kid, I loved even just building, like, Rube Goldberg projects. I feel like that’s where it started for me”, says Bodhi Jennings of the Shifts and Giggles team.
This year, there are some special editions to their sculpture.
“We were like, oh, it’d be funny if we put fire in it. So we put fire on it, and that makes like 15ft flames. Woohoo. Yeah, there’s a flame thrower”, says Rowan Magnussen of Shifts and Giggles.
“As kind of a newer kind of thing. The kinetic race has an independent drive system in the back, so there’s no axle. So each wheel is independently driven and that’s a bit interesting. It seems like a lot of sculptures now are starting to come out with something like that”, says Frame.
“We worked on it basically every weekend and then a variety of weekdays getting closer to the race for what, last four months or something like that”, says Jennings.
Down at the starting line, team captains were keeping spirits high.
“I’m excited about getting to do this race with all my best friends. When I was trying to create my own team, I was like, what is my dream for like the perfect kinetics, and it was just like having all my besties with me. And so it has happened. And here they are, and we’re gonna have so much fun today”, says Hope Dolland, captain of the Kinetic Dream Team.
“I hurt my back so I can’t ride a bike anymore, but that’s kinetic. You just gotta like, roll with it and go with the flow cheer for my team. There’s lots of support. You know, there’s other things you can do. kinetic bikes need to get to places. Cars need to be driven, so I will find something to do. There’s always lots to do”, she says.
There were also some unique themes you may recognize from your favorite books.
“This is designed after, inspired by the hobbit hole, of Frodo and Bilbo Baggins. yeah. We have our round doors on either side or garden in the front hill, grassy hill on top. We even have a chimney in the back with some smoke blowing out”, says Alex Hammond of Earth Wind and Shire.
We even bumped into a contestant running for this years Rutabaga Queen competition.
“So I am running for Rutabaga Queen this year. I am here to facilitate fun and glory.
It is the way that it brings everybody together. I originally come from New Orleans, a big Mardi Gras participant family, and so when I first moved here, I was able to find community here immediately, a place that felt like magic and whimsy. Right in my own backyard.And these feelings that last every year for a lifetime”, says Olivia Gambino.
Story by Tucker Caraway
