8/7/07: Okay, it's 2:30am ("down time" at work)... and now I can finally update the website...
actually, it's best to do the updates at work rather than at home because I still can only afford dial-up (racing
is priority ya know), & download times would be excruciatingly slow.
It has been awhile since I've bothered to address this part of the website... and I thought I'd
bring to you a few new additions to the mascot/victims stable. Well, actually they have been around for awhile - I've
just kept them in solitary confinement.
"Mikey" - the Lion suffering from an Anxiety Disorder was captured from the University of Washington
Medical Center Gift Shop (just like Kangi). He was named "Mikey" by Mario Alvarez Jr. (the youngest 125cc racer in the
country - and that kid is FAST - No Joke). However, I began to discover that Mikey does not hold onto the race
bike's tank as well as Kangi did - after about 150mph, he starts to slide off to the side, risking possible ejection -- not
that I'm too terribly concerned about this fate.... but, I notice that despite this, he still clings for dear life.
He always seems to look terribly distressed when I come back to the pits after these outings... and this is a bit of an unusual
response, since I've explained to him a thousand times that it really won't hurt if he falls off... so the only reasonable
conclusion I can find for his behavior is that he must be suffering from an Anxiety Disorder. It's SO simple - we can
fix this. There are plenty of medications & therapy to help him along... I'll be pursuing this whole-heartedly throughout
the season.
The Impulse Buy Plastic Race Knome -- this is his name (in short) because I don't have the
energy to type out his real name, which is comprised of the 15-20 decals that litter the bike's fairings.
If my camera would take a closer picture you would understand. They could not decide what bike he was really riding,
so they threw parts of decals from several different Italian & Japanese motorcycle manufacturers on the bodywork.
He is plastic & he was an impulse buy last year. I found him at a gas station during a road trip. He is
suppose to throw sparks from his cape when you wind him up & let him go - this has never happened. Poop!
I wanted my $3.00 back. I even managed to break his training wheels on the FIRST DAY of real use.... sigh...
one more dissapointment... for $3.00 I would expect more.... wouldn't you? Oh well... He will continue to hang around
in the pits until I can find a creative way to completely destroy him.... some race fuel & a match might be handy....
Stay tuned for when I decide to add something else.... or not....
4/13/07 Update: Kangi has been replaced several times over since the last post regarding
his whereabouts - I've just been either too busy or too lazy to update this part of the website. Sooooo....as
soon as I obtain some new pics, I'll properly introduce the new victims (targets for destruction by Brandon Bones).
As always, no "real" animals are ever harmed -- because I'm a sucker for kittens & other unconditionally loving fury
things....
ALERT: KANGI IS MISSING!!!
Several weeks ago, I took Kangi on a cruise to a popular beachfront watering hole. When
we got back, I noticed he had gone missing - frankly, I think he fell out of my helmet behind the toilet at the
Tully's Coffee shop...rats...
there's a 5 cent reward to anyone who either finds him or produces usable leads as
to his whereabouts...that's right...FIVE CENTS.
How The Magnetic Kangaroo Became Famous
Kangi was rescued from the gift shop at the University of Washington Medical Center. He was surrounded
by a pack of angry fellow magnetic creatures (a snake, monkey, racoon, etc) that were tired of his inability to get along...he
was prone to starting fights...but I felt sorry for the poor guy...I figured that he's a kangaroo & he just can't
help it.
So I bought him, and I assumed that saving him would bring me some good luck out at the race track......
First off, kids just adored him! They loved to throw him against the chain link fence at the track
- he never fell off - it was sometimes very difficult to get him back from the youngsters (maybe he put a spell on them....I
don't know). One day, a friend of mine named Jason Wallace brought his daughter out to the race track. She asked
me what the kangaroo's name was. I hadn't really thought about giving him a name, so I gave her the honors. She
immediately proclaimed in delight, "Kangi!"
Kangi received so much attention in the pits - way more than I ever did (maybe I'm just jealous).
Heck, the HDFFC guys had so much fun contorting Kangi into all kinds of compromising positions - we all laughed....
I took great pride in taunting Brandon Bones (the photographer) with Kangi - he absolutely hated him
- maybe I should have listened to him and to my own gut feelings...
Kangi loved to go for rides on the race bike - he'd sit on the tank with an evil grin as we flew along at
over 150mph sometimes...
--but then, things started happening...all the laughter, teasing, taunting...maybe it was payback time.
First it was the charging wire that burned up before a race...then the subframe bolt that fell out while I was riding....then
the engine that grenaded with Kangi on the bike...then the accident in October where the front wheel washed out and the new
bike slid under an SUV...I broke my big toe, sustained a nice concussion, and totaled the bike (for street purposes)...but
guess what? Kangi stayed on the tank and survived untouched....
Many people have said I should get rid of him....light him on fire, etc...
I still think he makes a great role model for the kids. For example - it's important to always
wear your gear. Kangi does - his hide is super tough...in fact, that reminds me - my gloves are made of kangaroo hide....
