A MOMENT WITH MIKE: Then and Now R/C Photo Challenge

0 Jan. 15, 2019, 12:47 p.m.

Main Photo: A MOMENT WITH MIKE: Then and Now R/C Photo Challenge

By Mike Garrison
LiveRC.com

A Moment with Mike is a weekly opinion column where LiveRC’s Mike Garrison gives his take on hot-button issues, general topics, and conversations within the RC industry. The views and opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of LiveRC.

The latest Facebook craze right now is the “10-year Challenge”. The challenge asks that users post a photo of themselves from 10-years ago (2009) next to a photo of themselves today. Facebook users of all ages from around the globe have joined in to share how little they have changed, how much they have changed, and/or for a good laugh at what 10-years difference can make.

I told myself I would not get wrapped up in doing the 10-year Facebook Challenge, but it turns out I gave into the pressure and joined the craze.

(2008 vs. 2018)

I have decided we need a similar challenge in the R/C world. Rather than a social media profile picture 10-years apart, the R/C challenge is to post the oldest picture you can find with you and your R/C car, and the newest picture of you and your R/C car side by side.

My earliest photo that I have found is shown here from 2007 at the Evapco Challenge hosted by Timberline R/C Raceway. I was driving a CEN Matrix 1/8-scale buggy with every aluminum option part possible - certainly not for function, it was all about style #BlingedOut. You may also notice my dad doing his best to bend down and hide behind me, as he was holding my wheelchair in place from rolling off the back of the podium.

My most recent photo is from this past weekend at the 2019 Off-Road JAM hosted by Fastlane Raceway sitting next to my Tekno RC EB410. Over the years I have clearly gotten older, fatter, my car choice has changed, I worry less about the bling, and I no longer need someone to hold me in place on the podium, but one thing remains the same...I love the color green.