A small band of us answered Portland's challenge to be a float in the Starlight parade.
Originally Olive and I wanted to do our civic duty and donate ourselves to the Rose Festival Clown Corps. They liked us so much they told us no! HAHAHA

we were already our own thing. He didn't want me to have to shave my beard and become someone else. They were very kind to us even though we got lots of confetti in the office.
He (king clown) told us the Starlight parade people were interested in us.

After a few emails we decided that Olive and Dingo would create a float made out of tall bikes. A week later I received marching orders in the mail. I have always wanted to get marching orders from central command!
Tall bikes love circling so my idea was to get some big bikes buzzing in circles while circus performers occupied the rings. The whole monstrosity would move from block to block for the entire two miles.

Jakob Grimm

I wanted a small crack team that could hold their own as well as be part of a unit...I also was looking for folks who didn't already have a brand on them other than the one they gave themselves. They would have to be good because there would be no time to practice.
Ari Lynn the stilt walker and Meg Russel were to be one circus act. They were doing the walking puppeteer and marionette act. They do that so well nobody EVER forgets them.
The other ring was The Mighty Blake Hicks making his 20" tron bike look like a glowing frikkin helicopter.
We became a turf gobbing, crowd pleasing moving two ring circus for over 250,000 cheering people.

The next day we were all injured or at least sore. I saw Grimm walking with a cane. There were some collisions and a few scrapes but thankfully not in front of the big lights that were Portlands TV watchers. We gave 100% for hours! That's a great feeling to get to the end in one piece.

Olive's Dad Steve C. is an accomplished parade tall bike rider

I loved the camaraderie that comes from sharing an experience like that. Those people will be special to me forever because I know they go the distance.

The reason there are no photos of us in flight is because we couldn't take pics while playing this fast moving video game for keeps! In the weave you gotta know where all the other bikes are AND be ready for children and or drunks to dart out into the road.

Meg getting her magic trick on.

Blake Hicks and Meg Russel

Can ya let the lady put her face on without sticking a camera in her grill?

Dingo and Joe the Boom box chopper pilot

Liam M. Addams

About to start the parade...waiting for the go lights!

"What? You won't deliver a pizza passed the Civil war re-enactors? What do you think they are gonna car jack you with a musket ball?"

Before we started I must admit it looked more like an average night in Portland...but this day there were far too many marching bands for it to be typical evening Ptown.

I always play to win but one big motivation for giving 100% was that I wanted my children to see me. My hopes is that they see me kicking ass on tv and tell Mom "There's nothing wrong with that guy lady...let us see our Dad!".