Maker Faire

Exploring the Backroads, we’re always amazed at the richness we find all around us. And that’s not just in the great natural beauty that we have, but in the creative people who inhabit this region.  So it’s no wonder that every year, the Bay Area plays host to a gathering of some of the most creative people you could ever imagine.  Now typically on Backroads we don’t cover annual events, but this one is just so innovative, so fascinating and so much fun, we just had to share it with you.

Every spring, the Maker Faire comes to San Mateo.  Makers exhibit a dazzling array of creations:  artistic and electronic, robotic and hand cranked, pyrotechnic and hysterical, sometimes all at once. 

Participants describe the Maker Faire as “the World’s Fair of hackers and tinkerers,” and “like a science fair for adults, or a DIY expo.”

The Maker Faire is the brainchild of Dale Dougherty, publisher and editor of the magazines Make: and Craft:.
 
According to Dale, “The core of the event was the idea that it would be fun to talk to makers – people who make interesting things.  And I almost didn’t care what you make!”
     
It could be a giant electric giraffe, like the one made by Lindsay Lawlor. Lindsay calls it “a grand experiment to see exactly how much life we can put into a ton of iron.”
     
Or it could be Mark Perez’s life-sized version of the old game “Mousetrap.”
     
Or a three-story self-propelled Victorian house and several other creations of Shannon O’Hare and his Neverwas Project.  While others are using high-tech to move forward, Shannon and his group, the Traveling Academy of Unnatural Science, are using low-tech to move backward.  Shannon says, “We are developing new forms of steam engines derived from junk.”

“If you walk around here and see this, I mean, I couldn’t dream up these projects and get people to do them.  My joy is to discover them,” says Dale.

Even in the seemingly narrow category of electric vehicles, there are no limits to makers’ imaginations. One guy came up with a solar chariot pulled by Arnold Schwarzenegger, and a group called Acme Muffineering put cupcakes on wheels. “They go about 15 miles an hour”, says Greg Solberg, adding, “Most of us have an interest in alternative vehicles, and we like to have fun.”

“And,” adds Muffineer Marilee Proffitt, “to inspire other people to do creative, cool, wacky things.”

Dale Doughterty chimes in, “Our goal here is to get you to believe that you’re a maker.  To walk away inspired, saying ‘I can do something!’”

And it doesn’t have to be on a grand scale.  Take, for example, KRON-4’s own John Collins.  By day, he’s a mild mannered television producer.

“And by night or any other time I guess,” he says, “a paper airplane designer.”

John has come up with so many clever ways to fold paper airplanes, he’s published three books on the subject.

“No one said, ‘Hey, you gotta go do this.’  You do it because it’s kind of part of you.  And almost everything you see here – that’s what makes the project so great.  It’s really part of the people that make the stuff.  They don’t really have a choice.  It’s what they do.”

A lot of the works here are made to be touched, including Mary Franck’s contribution, called “Anomaly.”  It’s a tree of bicycle wheels that picks up and manipulates sound. “How that is being manipulated and changed, you can affect by interacting with the sculpture,” explains Mary.

Benjamin Cowden makes serious sculptures that do silly things.  One is a hand-cranked lollipop licking machine. “It’s funny, but it’s also a little bit gross.” Benjamin says, adding, “It’s such a great joy to see people interact with the things I make, and laughing and enjoying themselves.”

Bruce Shapiro invented a way of creating digital art on a canvas of sand. He explains, “There’s a robotic machine that I built to move the magnet under computer control.  Wherever the magnet goes, the ball follows.”

Founder Dale Dougherty exclaims, “I look around the fair, and I see kids whose eyes are wide open, and I see grandparents whose eyes are wide open.  And that’s the magic here.”

There is definitely something for everyone at the Maker Faire, and we’ve barely scratched the surface.  We didn’t even mention the computer controlled Etch-A-Sketch, or Galaxy Goo, where kids learn about cells by making them out of clay, or Cyclecide’s Heavy Pedal Bike Rodeo, which is an ingenious series of human powered carnival rides. 
There’s even a live performance of the famous fountains made entirely by dropping Mentos into bottles of Diet Coke.

It’s wild, it’s wonderful, and hopefully, the Maker Faire will only get better as the makers of tomorrow are impassioned today.

Lindsay Lawlor (Electric Giraffe): http://electricgiraffe.com/
Mark Perez (Life Sized Mousetrap): http://www.lifesizemousetrap.org/
Shannon O’Hare (Neverwas Project): http://www.neverwashaul.com/
Acme Muffineering: http://www.acmeart.com/muffins/
John Collins (the Paper Airplane Guy): http://thepaperairplaneguy.com/
Mary Franck (Anomaly):
http://www.anomalyinstallation.net/tree/?branch=overview
Benjamin Cowden (27 Gears): http://twentysevengears.com/
Bruce Shapiro (Computer controlled sand painting): http://www.taomc.com/
Cyclecide Heavy Pedal Rodeo: http://www.cyclecide.com/
Mentos and Diet Coke: http://eepybird.com/

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SF Ferries

Whether it’s to commute to work, to visit popular tourist destinations, or to even get to the game…there may be no way to cross the bay that’s more fun than by ferry.

The Ferry Building is one of the great icons of San Francisco. For many decades before the bridges were built, everybody who commuted to San Francisco from the East Bay and the North Bay came by ferry. Some folks stil do.  But even if you don’t, getting out on a ferry boat is a great way to explore the bay.

It’s easy to visit charming bayside towns, find great food, or to just spend the day on the water, by hopping aboard a ferry.  We start our day at the Ferry Building, a place that’s become as well known for its food as much as for its ferry terminals. Joel Williams is our guide for today. He is the publisher of Bay Crossings, a free monthly newspaper devoted to ferry travel.

“It’s a wonderful thing we have available to us that I think very few people take advantage of in the Bay Area,” Joel says.

We leave San Francisco and board a ferry to the historic town of Vallejo.

Ferries can take you to some great places to explore but the journey getting there is half the fun.  It’s a gorgeous view when you leave the city  and unless you’re on a sailboat, getting on a ferry boat is one of the only ways we’re going to be able to see this.  It’s accessible for many of us. It’s not that expensive to come and do this.

Many Bay Area residents have been riding the  ferries and enjoying the views since the Gold Rush days.  Until the 1930s, they were the only way to cross the bay and they carried over 50 million passengers a year.

The Ferry Building was one of the busiest transportation centers in the world, second only to London’s.

But after the construction of the Bay and Golden Gate bridges, people traversed the bay by car, and ferries disappeared from the waters until the late 60’s.

Today’s ferries are still used by commuters and excursionists, allowing passengers to experience the Bay in a whole new way.

As the ferry passes under the Richmond bridge, Doug exclaims, “Wow. This is great! I love this! I don’t know why it’s so cool but I love going under bridges.”

We arrive at the Vallejo Ferry Terminal where the Convention and Visitors Bureau can provide information about exploring the city’s historic downtown or about getting to the wine country. We take a walk and soon find ourselves in the middle of Bear country,

Joel explains,  “We’re here for a real Chicago style Italian beef sandwich. I grew up on these guys and when I left in the late 70’s, I’ve never found anything close to it. I can’t even find the peppers in this town.”

That is until Joel found Gumbah’s.  Gumbah’s serves authentic Chicago beef sandwiches - thinly sliced roast beef cooked in its own juices, served dripping wet and topped with lots and lots of peppers.

Our stomachs sated, we’re met by Vallejo resident Buck Kamphausen, an avid collector of vintage vehicles.

“You’re looking at a 1909 Thomas Flyer,” Buck says of the car he’s driving.  “It’s very close to being the most valuable car in America.”
 
He drives us to his community event center that houses unique pieces of transportation history.

Pointing out an interesting delivery truck, he explains that it is a 1910 truck that has wicker baskets for high end wine and champagne.

From trucks that delivered treats to the first motorized fire truck west of the Mississippi, these remarkable vehicles are on display here for those attending community functions to enjoy.

“You’ve got a unique event center that sort of represents our community,” Buck says.  “We’ve got Napa over here, we’ve got Sears Point over there. Jeff Gordon was born and lived in Vallejo until he was 14.”
 
Buck treats us with a ride back to the ferry terminal in a 1931 Duesenberg - a car that could be found on the streets during the heyday of ferry travel.   It’s hard to leave such a beautiful car, but our next ride proves to be just as fun.
“We had a nice little trip to Chicago,” Doug says to Joel on board the ferry.  “Da bears."

Joel laughs, “Da bears. You’re getting better, I think, you’re getting better.”
“Now we’re on a cruise ship,” Doug says of the leisurely ferry ride.

Joel agrees, “We go real slow during the Mare Island straits here. And right now it is, it’s like we’re on a cruise ship.”

We change ferries in San Francisco to get to the  bayside community of Tiburon. From here, it’s a short 10 minute ride to Angel Island on another boat that’s run by the first family of ferry travel. 

“Whatever the reason for going out there, it’s an adventure,” says Maggie McDonogh.  “You’re going on a ferry boat ride to an island. There’s no other way on or off.” 

Captain Maggie McDonogh runs the last family-owned ferry service on the bay – the Angel Island Ferry. We met up with her and her late father, Milt,  several years ago.

Maggie grew up on the ferry and has now taken its helm. She hopes that one day her kids will be able to keep up the family tradition and keep this icon of Tiburon running. 

“My son can operate the boat to some extent,” she says. “My daughter loves running the boat. She’s on the boat all the time. I hope that I will be able to offer that to them in the future.” 

Before we call it a day, we decide to head to the once notorious Sam’s.
“Tiburon was a very lively, bootlegging town,” Maggie says of Tiburon’s colorful past. “And Sam’s was the hub.” 

Now a Tiburon landmark, for over 80 years, locals and visitors alike have been coming here to enjoy their great food and grand views. 

“It really is something the view you get here too of the city, over the marina here,” Joel comments.  “It’s just beautiful.”

Gumbah’s West Side Café
138 Tennessee Street
Vallejo, CA 94590 
(707) 648-1100

USA World Classics Event Center
(707) 644-5551
Email:  info@usaeventcenter.com
http://usaeventcenter.com/

Angel Island - Tiburon Ferry
21 Main Street
Tiburon, CA  94920
Phone: (415) 435-2131
Fax: (415) 435-7679
http://www.angelislandferry.com/

Sam’s Anchor Café
27 Main Street
Tiburon, California 94920
(415) 435-4527
Email:  info@samscafe.com
http://www.samscafe.com/

Bay Crossings
http://www.baycrossings.com/

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