Bonus Supplement 24B
to The Final Volume 24
The Further Saga of Alemany '66:
As Revealed by The Shadow
with minor assistance from
F.J. Bonaccorso

Title: Here We Go Loop-de-loop.

Special Dedication: To Lost Icons of Los Angeles

See the very end of this issue for instructions on how to vote in the
Los Angeles Icon of the 20th Century Contest.


New Flash! News Flash! News Flash!

CNN News Desk, Atlanta, Georgia
News Anchor Linda Louise Bishop Catlin: We go to Des Moines, Iowa, where Mary Jo LaPorte Cullum is standing by with results of today’s little known Democratic Straw Poll. Who is the big winner Mary Jo?
Mary Jo: Hello Linda Louise, Iowa has spoken. Bob Guerrero has won a resounding 52% of the votes in this first state straw pole of the year for the Democratic Party. The Vice President far outdistanced Hilary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama, who each drew 19% of the vote. The heartland of America has spoken first and spoken loud, Iowa declares for Guerrero. Back to you, Linda.
Linda: And now to CNN Sport Editor, Ron Lopez.
Ron: Thank you, Linda. While scandals recently have rocked baseball, football, and the Tour de France, the world has taken to the very new sport of Ski-Box Racing. Over 800,000 people from the world over are lining the slopes of the Matterhorn today for the final race of the 1st International Ski-Box Racing Federation Championship. And what a race it promises to be! Our own Virginia Ortiz is at the Matterhorn to call the race in a CNN Sports Special. Come in, Virginia.
Virginia: Hi Ron. This amazing crowd is fired-up for a sporting spectacle today. Amid blustering wind and a light freak summer snow, the fans are doing the WAVE up and down the slopes of Matterhorn. Special Guest, Schief Inspectore Eugene Raposelli, the hero of the Las Panteras Rosas crime-busting case has just cut the yellow ribbon to open the course in a special ceremony. There were many Hollywood stars partying last night in Zermatt and now here for this racing spectacle. Among Hollywood notables in attendance are Bob Orlando, Danny McMahon, Rich Carvotta, Kathy Gibson, and Peggy Jones. As for the race, it will be the Swedish-Polish coalition with Marilyn Gadomski driving the Swedish Bullet against the USA and Kit Figliozzi in the Red Baron. Unbelieveably, both drivers graduated from the same grammar school, St. Ferdinand’s in San Fernando and both graduated from the same high school, Bishop Alemany of Mission Hills. These drivers are known for taking daring lines through tight curves. Today, for the first time ever in ski-box, 60 foot high loop-de-loop plastic tracks have been inserted on the Matterhorn course. Each driver will have to select and complete 2 out of 3 paired sets of gravity defying loops along the course or default the race.
Ron: Virginia, is it better strategy to take the first loop-de-loop or wait for the second?
Virginia: Well, if a driver by-passes the first loop-de-loop they will at least gain a temporary lead down the course, but then the pressure will be on to line-up perfectly for the final two loop-de-loops. If they miss the entry way, they are out of the race. Since loop-de-loop is a new device for ski-box racing, we will have to wait to see how each driver approaches these novel obstacles.
Ron: I can see the drivers entering the ski-boxes, Virginia. We turn it over to you for uninterrupted coverage of this first ever world championship event down the 4,000 meter course of the mountain of death, the mighty Matterhorn.
Virginia: We are ready for the start and I am joined by my co-announcer, Phil Rizzuto, the voice of the New York Yankees.
Phil: Holy cow, Virginia, what a great day for a race. Say, can I get a ballpark frank anywhere around here? The honorary grand-marshall, Prime Minster John Thompson of the Cayman Islands will bang the starting chime. You may know that the Cayman Islanders are to ski-box racing what the Jamaicans are to Olympic bobsledding.
Virginia: Yeah, not very good, but always game for a try.
Phil: The chimes are rung. As you can see at the start, putscher Mike Modugno fell on the course leaving fellow USA putscher, Steve Modugno, to push the US ski-box single-handedly. By comparison the Polish putschers, Dan Kwapniowski and Marge Kukuczka, recorded the fastest start putsch time of the entire tournament. Gadomski is off to a clear lead in the sleek Swedish Bullet Ski-box. Kit Figliozzi taking over as driver from Bob Johnson in her first race on the Matterhorn is driving the upper slopes with great daring-do. Kit is entering the first loop-de-loop while Gadomski is by-passing and continues to accelerate. Holy Cow, Kit is literally upside down in the ski-box at the top of the loop, but she comes out of the loop and seamlessly gets back on the course. Gadomski has entered the second loop-de-loop and this time Figliozzi bypasses. As Gadomski comes out of her loopy loop, Figliozzi has taken a small lead. We are now approaching the hairpin curve known as the Swiss Cheezer Grater and both drivers are in clear. Gadomski takes a great chance staying low through the turn and takes a 5 thousands of a second lead at the time check out of the curve. Holy Cow, what a race. Over to you, Virginia.
Virginia: Phil, there is a single set of loop-de-loops left on the course. Both drivers have to take these loopers. Figliozzi edges ahead of the Silver Bullet. Gadomski skis across the bow of the red baron and enters the right loop-de-loop, and Figliozzi has to swerve, but recovers at the last second to enter the left loop-de-loop. She has just enough momentum to get through the overhead portion of the loop. That was close!
Phil: Gadomski has regained the lead and coming up is the most dangerous part of the course, the S-shape-curved Tunnel of Shivers. The two boxes are in the tunnel and we momentarily loose sight of them. Who will emerge first?
Virginia: It’s the USA in the lead, Phil. Only 7 thousands of a second at the final time check.
Phil: Amaaaaaaazing! The drivers are approaching the Bump-Jump where each box will go up a ski jump-like hill and fly toward the finish. Kit Figliozzi takes the jump, but Gadomski takes big air and sails over the top of Kit. Oh, Gadomski did not land clean though. That opened the door for Kit and the two sleds are ski-tip to ski-tip. OOOOh, there is a bump from Gadomski, and Figliozzi answers with a hard bump back to the broadside of the Silver Bullet. Only 100 meters to the finish line. Hoooollllllyyyyy Cooooow! This is close. King Rex Oliff of Sweden is jumping up and down in the Royal Box Here they come, here comes Kit, here comes Marilyn, and the winner is ------ too close to call.
Virginia: Dear Lord, this is going to require an electronically timed photo to call the winner. Back to you in Atlanta, Linda Louise, while we wait for the judges to examine the finish photo.
Ron: Amazing. I felt I like I was right there with you, Virginia. Ms. Ortiz by the way is the two time ski-box champion of South American, now retired from racing. And now a word from a new sponsor.
James MacIssac: Hi folks, this is Jimmy Mac from Giant Felix Chevrolet in downtown Los Angeles. Hope you enjoyed our coverage of the ski-box races. If you want to drive fast like those folks going down the Matterhorn, let me put you in a brand new Chevy. We have no down payments if you come on the lot and say the word of the day. The word of the day is Matterhorn. And as an extra bonus, every car sold comes with two cases of Marty Molidor’s Super-duper Sock-it-to-me Sockerooni sauce. Come on down. I want to make you a deal. Just look for the sign of the giant cat at the corner of Jefferson and Figueroa.

Please tell me you didn't buy from Cal Worthington Dodge instead of from Felix.

Louise: Before we go back to the Matterhorn for the results of the race. We have a Severe Weather Alert from Hawaii. We go to Big Island correspondent, Marsha Mankiller Haney.
Marsha: I hope you can hear me, Louise, over the howling 112 mph winds that represent of the leading edge of Hurricane Flossie as it bears down on the Big Island. I am at the Bay Front on Kamehameha Boulevard in downtown Hilo. Was that a surfer that just went buy. Gosh, it looked like Andy Kotnik. Anyway, there is severe flooding already and the eye of the storm is headed for Hilo. I am going to have to sign off, if I don't go hug a coconut tree I am going to be blown a-waaaaaaaaay.
Lousie: Stay safe Marsha. And now back to Virginia Ortiz at the Ski-box championships.
Virginia: I am here with head coach of the USA team, Robert Johnson. Bob, do you think Kit won that race?
Bob: I honestly don't know, Virginia. Like everyone else, I am waiting for the photo interpretation by the judges. But I want to say, whatever the results, Kit Figliozzi drove like a champion today.
Virginia: Yes, she was brilliant, but so was Gadomski. Bob, two days ago you drove the Red Baron for the USA in the semifinals and won against Nepal. And the next day you resigned as the driver and were named to head coach. Wasn't that a risky move to make just before the final race? I have to ask Bob, did you lose your nerve?
Bob: No, Virginia. I resigned because I wanted the best USA driver on the course today. Kit has proven in practice and time trials that she was our best driver. So I moved aside to give the team the best shot it would have to win a championship.
Virginia: Well, thanks for your candid comments. I am sure you would like to be back with the team for the announcement of the winner. Good luck, Bob.
Louise: Any sign we will have a result soon, Virginia?
Virginia: Hold on Linda, there is an announcement coming now. I will hold the mike up so you should be able to hear.
PA Annoucer, Judith Ann Montoya: Madames et Monsiours. The winner of the 1st International Ski-Box Federation Championship from the Matterhorn is ----------
Sweden—Poland Coalition ----- long pause -------
and the USA. The judges have declared a dead heat and co-champions for the 2007 finals. Congratulations to both teams.

Lost and Existing Icons of Los Angeles:
Frank’s Picks for LA Icon of the 20th Century Contest.

1.

The 60 foot high Pink Lady was painted in 1966 above this tunnel on Malibu Canyon Road. Do you remember it? It was sandblasted off a few days later at the order of county official who feared it was a road distraction and might cause crashes.

2.

The Van Nuys Drive-In.
I remember having my first illegal six-pack of Hamm’s at this drive-in
with Art Fonseca in 1966. I don’t remember the movie that was playing.

3.

This one speaks for itself.

4.

and

Bob’s #6 at 4211 W. Riverside Dr in Burbank is the oldest surviving Bob’s Big Boy
and built in 1949 according to my web searches.

Any doubt this one gets Mary Ganssle Johnson’s and Danny McMahon’s vote?

5.

8218 Sunset Blvd statue of Rocky and Bullwinkle.
Is that a crack in Bullwinkles T-shirt. Gazooks!
I bet Boris Gudenoff and Natasha did that!


6.

Felix Sign at Jefferson and Figueroa.
Sadly demolished in 2006.

7.

(Editor's late addition: the ubiquitous Randy's Big Donut - My personal favorite until "doughnuts" were removed from my middle-age diet)

Ok, Alemany Class of 1966,
vote for one of the above Seven Icons before August 31, 2007. Please enclose a short essay (250 words or less) on why you feel your selected icon should win. We might consider write-in icon candidates if you include a photo.
Send your Vote and Essay to bonafrank@yahoo.com

The best essay will be published in the final part of the final volume of The Shadow
and wins a portrait shooting by renowned photo-journalist,
Bob Johnson,
at the next Alemany Reunion.

Coming Sooner or Later…..the final part of the final volume of the Shadow Sagas.

Find out if the SS Pterodactyl Reunion Cruise is a success.

Learn if Madame Zazza correctly saw disaster for the Cretaceous time travelers. Maybe we will even learn the real identity of Madame Zazza.

Will the Cisco Kid, Tom Marsh, and Liz Healy save the day for Chris Gilmore perched on the pterodactyl nest while loads of lava are spewing forth from Mt Doom?????

The Shadow Knows!