Thrillarena

April 20, 2009 10:02 AM

Riding the Wall of Death. "My name is Sam. I ride a 1931 101 Indian Scout motorcycle on the side of a 90 degrees (straight up & down) wooden barrel board wall." Also, lions. And ladies and lions.
posted by dersins (16 comments total)

The site's "under construction," and appears to have been for quite some time, but there's still a wealth of amazing photos, personal accounts, and links to other sites.
posted by dersins at 10:08 AM on April 20, 2009

Previously.
posted by googly at 10:12 AM on April 20, 2009

I stand by my original comment with regard to lions in sidecars.
posted by quin at 10:27 AM on April 20, 2009

Oh no! You're not invoking the secret lion are you?
posted by tellurian at 10:36 AM on April 20, 2009

Cool site-I could look at photos like that for days on end. Plus there's plenty of warmth for other drivers there. Plus it's made with Net Objects Fusion-I thought for sure I'd completely forgotten that product!
posted by PHINC at 10:40 AM on April 20, 2009

This is amazing. I want to buy them all beers, listen to stories about each of their tattoos, run away with them, travel the world changing the oil in their bikes and begging to be given a chance to go on myself but they won't let me because they know I'd break my fool neck until one day I show them how I've been practicing and Sam's sick so what the hell, kid, go get 'em, and fuck though, I know I won't, I'll never in my whole life live as much as they do on one whirl around that thing.
posted by Nonce at 10:46 AM on April 20, 2009 [2 favorites]

Neat. The Wall of Death was the subject of an off-the-wall (ahem) Irish film back in the mid 80's called Eat The Peach (a neighbour of mine played the priest). I had a lot of motorcycles in my teens, and did some crazy stuff, but I never got to try that. I'd still love to.
posted by Nick Verstayne at 10:51 AM on April 20, 2009

Reinstated but sworn to secrecy, never to reveal. Just like Jesus.
posted by tellurian at 10:52 AM on April 20, 2009

That was a great film Nick Verstayne. I would love to see it again sometime.
posted by vronsky at 10:57 AM on April 20, 2009

What is it with these things and lions? [NOT LIONIST]
posted by panboi at 11:01 AM on April 20, 2009

Though I wish this was the secret lion (and this the secret lion post), it's actually this post. Archive.org still holds the website and the flash, if you want to invoke the dead.
posted by filthy light thief at 11:08 AM on April 20, 2009

Sadly, Sam of thrillarena.com died last year "at the age of 53 in her West Palm Beach farm due to complications from the numerous back injuries and broken bones she had sustained in her long illustrious career".
posted by subpixel at 11:25 AM on April 20, 2009

I would like to hear the conversation that spawned the idea of "lion in sidecar of motorcycle on wall of death," please.
posted by not_on_display at 11:37 AM on April 20, 2009

"A link that would enable me to go back to two minutes ago, so that I can see the lion in a sidecar for the first time, again, would be appreciated."
posted by jessamyn at 2:39 PM on April 20, 2009

Has 'lions' tag. Still requires 'alsolions' tag.
posted by bicyclefish at 12:29 AM on April 21, 2009

DIY Wall of Death. 850 pallets, plywood, some nails, and a lawn mower (to maintain the grass inside, of course).
posted by filthy light thief at 1:20 PM on April 21, 2009