Planes, Trains, Cars, and Karma

Carmarace (Stage 1)

Designed by Luca Caltabiano

Published by Board to Death Games

2 to 6 Players

90 Minutes

Card Movement, Take-That, Race

(6/10 Stars)

Carmarace was one of my very first Featured Kickstarters when I started doing so on my blog back in August of 2013 (you can find my first Kickstarter type interview with Carmarace's designer Luca at this LINK). Boy does time fly! I apologize for getting this review of the final product out to you so late in the game, but I think that Carmarace successfully accomplished what it set out to do, and they created a high quality board game that has solid game play mechanics, funny card text, and is a good time as the game provides lots of player interaction - not to mention laughter.

Players are racing "across the country" (or a 6 panel game board) to get to a convention to get a limited edition collector's item. That is the theme anyway. The game does a good job at carrying the race feel throughout the game. The karma element provides great interaction and "take that" action.

The game is enjoyable. It seemed like the game took much longer than I was expecting (box says 45 to 60 minutes, but it takes more like 90 to 120 minutes) and even though I like the game play, quality of the components, and player interaction - I was ready for the game to end. Definitely one that I will play in the future, but I may play around with starting at a location closer to the convention to shorten the game length and that is How Lou Sees It! (Check out the more detailed video review below!)

I was given a copy of Carmarace by Board to Death Games for the purpose of this review.

Snake River Duck Race

Rubber Ducky, You're the One...You Make River Time So Much Fun
12,000 rubber ducks raced to the man made falls of IF last Saturday. Growing up, I could be found at the nearest running body of water (let that be gutter or canal) racing twigs and Popsicle sticks against no one but myself. I have come a long way from cub scouts, and one of the 12,000 rubber ducks in the race was mine. Fergueson, or as his fellow friends and ducks call him - Fergy, did me proud on Saturday although he did not win the race.

Let me back up a bit first. The day was full of activities before the big race, including a pretty nice showing of cars. My favorite car was also in show, the Shelby Cobra.

During the car show there was also some great speed boat racing by Keefer's Island.

They had a ping-pong ball drop where they dropped 3,000 ping-pong balls from a helicopter and they even had what they called Outhouse Races. Different companies submitted different Outhouse themed vehicles that were then pushed down the road bobsled style. Rustic Mitten (not a bad name idea for a band if you ask me) totally blew the competition away.

As the time for the big event came closer, the work crews came out to prepare the river with floating guards to keep the ducks on track.

The ducks then arrived in the best of style...piled up in the back of a garbage bin.

The ducks then went to their positions at the starting water drop area.

Here is a video of the event. Sorry, the camera work is not that great (I am not very skilled in video yet, although I will be getting a Kodak Playsport soon, so watch out readers...you may also become viewers). As you will notice, the first try to release the ducks failed because the safety chain was still engaged.

With the ducks out of the garbage and into the river, the race to the falls was pretty slow going (at least compared to the speed boat races). I think my duck placed 10th or so, but I can't be sure.

A great day at the races. Rubber ducks never were so much fun and that is How Lou Sees It.