At noon, the race took off through town, past dairy farms, then to the beach, as part of the first leg of a three-day race called the Kinetic Grand Championship.
The race, known as the “triathlon of the art world,” took place Memorial Day weekend in Humboldt County. Founded in 1969 by artist Hobart Brown, it’s a local tradition where teams race homemade human-powered art vehicles over 50 miles of land, sand, water and mud.
Most teams consist of a pilot, pit crew and a group of costumed peons following closely on their own bicycles. The rules are lengthy, but cheeky, advising each team to keep “an item of comfort (we recommend a teddy bear)” on their craft at all times.
Contestants are judged on everything from their artistry and engineering, to how big of a splash they make entering Humboldt Bay. Bribes are encouraged.
This year was Malia Matsumoto’s first time ACE-ing, a special category for pilots who carry everything they need during the race. “Any flotation, any tools, any pumps, anything that’s going to allow the machine to propel itself forward,” she explained. “And I have to do it under my own power without help from anybody, in a certain amount of time.”
This is no small feat, considering the machines, which can be hundreds of pounds and outfitted with over 100 gears, must traverse miles of sand dunes and cross both the Eel River and Humboldt Bay.
“When we took it out last year in the race, I had this little thing click in my heart that said, ‘You’re ready, and it’s time to do it this year.’”
June Moxon, the longest competing participant, is 73 years old and racing for her 43rd year. She says one thing above all else keeps her coming back: “The glory!” This year, she pedaled a sculpture of a horse rigged with strings that move the eyes and mouth, like a puppet.
“For the glory” is the race motto and hits on the staunchly anti-capitalist nature of the event. “It says a lot about the way that our society currently kind of expects you to be on the grind,” Moxon’s teammate Richie Precedent says. “This flies in the face of that. This is taking time out of your regular life to do something that is absolutely absurd for nothing more than the joy of doing it.” This year, he took on choreography for his team, an area in which he has no expertise. “That is the entire point. It can be frustrating, it can be heartbreaking, but in the end, you do it for the glory.”
Zachary Lathouris hasn’t missed a race since he moved to Humboldt in 2013. “There’s truly nothing like kinetics. If this race existed in any other city, I really think it would be a much different thing. You’d see a lot of banners for companies and corporate logos everywhere and people wouldn’t be able to mill around.”
Across Arcata Plaza, pilot Jenny Weiss stood next to a carriage-sized sculpture of a tooth. She was adorned with a necklace made of her own wisdom teeth and a matching barrette.
“This is adult daycare for me and my friends,” she says. “Keeps us off the street and out of trouble.”
Even Eureka Mayor Kim Bergel is participating, running for the title of Rutabaga Queen at an ancillary pageant event. On the plaza, she dances to the band and hands out glittery rocks, encouraging people to be kind. “Kindness is free, and we need to continue to give it.”
For her, it’s all about inspiring the next generation. “Hobart Brown, our glorious founder, used to say that we grow up as adults and have fun so children will want to grow up. That’s what we’re out here doing today with all these glorious people. We’re so thankful to be here.”
Ten-year-old Onyx Markham agreed. “It shouldn’t just be for Humboldt; it should be across America because of the fun of it, and they can try new things.”
Racers crossed the finish line in Ferndale on Monday, some walking without machines intact, carrying only their art. The spectators roared all the same: “For the glory!”
