My Day at the Derby
August 30th, 2010
The Lasagna was one of many hand-crafted soapbox racers at this year's derby.
After years of wanting to go, I finally made it to the Portland Adult Soapbox Derby — and what a great time it was. I knew it would be quirky, cool and fun — and it was just that — but the creativity and talent on display exceeded my expectations.
This event is held each August at Mt. Tabor Park, where brave (and probably slightly crazy) teams create their own handmade soapbox racers to hurtle down this extinct volcano in the middle of Portland.
I’ve added pictures of a few of the racers to our Flickr photo pool. Here you’ll find the Daschund, When Hell Freezes Over (that’s what the license plate said), the Beer Garden and an alternate view of The Lasagna. There was such a variety, from the funny to the serious. Of course, the serious ones were moving so quickly I had a hard time shooting them. Clearly, these drivers were in it to win it. Others, like the reanimated zombie teddy bear made from other teddy bears, were there simply for the fun of it.
All in all, it was a great day. I brought a picnic and drinks, sat under a shady tree, and had lots to see and laugh at with my friends. I think everyone needs to go to this uniquely Portland event at least once — you won’t regret it!
Tags: adult soap box derby, mount tabor, mt tabor, soap box, soapbox
