Ferndale Foto Finishes

Dune Depictions

A description of the sculpture courtesy its designer:

ART: “Life is a journey, not a destination.” Potholes? Lane closures? Traffic? That rough road is an invitation to forget about the finish line and dance with Team Pineapple’s CalTrans Solid Gold Wrecking Crew! We’re hard at work to make you late for work. Combining gold for this 50th annual race with orange for safety, our fashion sense is as unstoppable as our crew. We’re putting the “trans” in Caltrans! We’re making the race a real bash with our sold gold pineapple wrecking ball swinging at the end of our crane which rises up to 14’ high. The wrecking ball not only looks fabulous but also is our counterweight to keep us upright on Deadman’s Drop! Our glorious heavy equipment themed rig encourages other teams to slow down and enjoy the journey as we take over lanes and spread joy with our fresh dance moves. Our golden shovels are not only functional tools in case we get stuck in the sand, they are also handy as paddles for water crossings and add flash as we dance. Our giant sand tires complete the burly look of our wrecker. Always concerned for the wellbeing of others, we bring the safety with traffic cones, road signs and flashing lights. At Crab Park, be sure to follow the flashers to complimentary pineapple-themed beverages! No CalTrans crew is complete unless there are people standing around doing nothing - so watch for folks in safety vests who are just standing there. They’re stopping to appreciate the world around them. Join them, join us; slow down and savor this journey - it’s glorious! 

ENGINEERING: Our tiny 4-pilot all-wheel drive rig weighs in at just 320 pounds. Each seat features a breathable webbing cross-weave and is fully adjustable for maximum pilot comfort. Integrated flotation provides seamless transitions for water crossings, and our specially engineered, high-thrust paddlewheels work with our very low draft to speed us through the water. Wheels are dished to provide extra lateral support for solid cornering. The specially contoured floats maximize stability in the water while providing sufficient clearance for land obstacles. When we strap on our sand tires, we have plenty of dune-conquering clearance beneath the floats. If we do happen to high-center, the floats can be removed and carried on the roof racks to preserve our ACE. Moving the steering pivot forward of the front axle improves upon Ken Beidleman’s center pivot design. Steering is car-like while also reducing the risk of capsizing should one end of the vehicle begin to list. A whacking great steering yoke provides positive control eliminating inferior steering cables used on other sculptures. Every budget-conscious opportunity to reduce weight has been exploited. The 60 tooth drive gear is also the brake rotor, bolting directly to the wheel hub. The drive axles taper inboard to eliminate heavy pillow block bearings. Half-inch drive chain is as short a loop as possible. Cleverly designed and fabricated eccentric bearing cups replace idler and tensioning gears. The frame is minimized and optimized for strength. Even the wheels are low-mass, built from relatively small 29” rims. This is one of the smallest, quickest 4-pilot rigs ever built. Team Pineapple proudly pedals our ACEmaker to Glory