Relay Track Sneak Peek: Steelhead Graffiti

 

 

Taken at the Steelhead Salmons' campsite. Someone did a little graffiti poking fun at the team captain, which got a response from him. Which leads to the question, do we start calling him "Fuzzbutt Ortega?" 

 

Bixyl Shuftan (with the help of Droppa MaPants)

 

Relay Weekend Starts Tomorrow

 

 After another great season, the Relay for Life in Second Life is almost about to experience its high point of the year: The Relay Weekend. Described as the most intense 24 hours of Second Life, there are dozens of camps across 36 sims, here's several of them.

 

The camp of Roos With A Dream, the fun-loving Aussies & friends who have done much with the Sunnies.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/RFL%20Win/123/65/23

 

The Meli's Maniacs camp (watch out for singing chickens)

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/RFL%20Remember/125/189/23

 

The Giant Snail Racers, the team behind the wacky weekly races in this virtual world. 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/RFL%20Advocacy/44/131/23

The Second Life Cheerleading Squad's huge camp, note the double-helix tower.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/RFL%20Remember/137/125/23

The ever wacky Steelhead Salmons, led by Fuzzball "The Hair" Ortega.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/RFL%20Unity/123/195/23 

And finally the camp of the Sunbeamers, built by Cynthia Farshore and Shockwave Yareach with the help of team captain Rita Mariner and others, "Rita had to drag me away ... to get me to stop."

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/RFL%20Win/122/192/24

The opening ceremonies start at 10 AM, with the Survivor & Caregiver lap at 11, and the team laps start at Noon SL time.

 

Go Relay!

 

Bixyl Shuftan 

RFL: "The Hair" At The Moon Dance

 

 

 The weekly Relay for Life Moon Dance is always a blast. DJ Cynthia's music is fun, and so are the puns that fly. But on the March 20 dance, there was Fuzzball Ortega of the Steelhead Salmons with "The Hair," the most famous head covering in the Relay. It's so big, an entire avatar can fly in it. And of course it was followed by a bunch of hair and haircut jokes, the the 60s song "Long Beautiful Hair."

 

The Moon Dance takes place in Sunweaver Space every Thursday at 6PM during the Relay season/

 

Bixyl Shutfan

 

 

At The Relay Weekend: A Hat For "The Hair"

 

Taken at the Steelhead Salmons camp at the Relay Weekend. Fuzzball Ortega is known for his giant hairpiece. But one wonders, was there a hat big enough for it?

It "hat" to be done.

Bixyl Shuftan
 

Scenes From The Fantasy Faire

 

On Wednesday April 27, the captain of the Steelhead Salmons, Fuzzball Ortega, was DJing at the Fantasy Faire. The event took place at Doriath, the north edge of the Faire sims.  

The Salmons had recently hit Gold level fundraising. Congratulations to the team.
 

New Sponsor: Steelhead Bay

Great news. The Steelhead community is once more sponsoring the Second Life Newser. What made them stop? To begin with, Steelhead for several years was one of the more notable steampunk/Victorian communities. While not the largest, it certainly enjoyed high visibility due to it's award-winning Relay for Life team and the antics and events of it's residents, such as it's yearly eruption of Mount Saint Hellens. But in September 2015, the owner of the sims at the time announced he had to leave Second Life for a while due to real-life difficulties, and the estate closed a few months later. Although it's residents were able to move to other sims, they missed their old home. Finally in March 2017, Fuzzball Ortega, the sheriff of the old community, announced he would be rebuilding Steelhead. And in a short time, the sim of Steelhead Bay was full of buildings.

We look forward to covering the Steelhead community's Relay events, plus other antics of this interesting steampunk area.

Sneak Peeks of the Relay Track

The Relay Weekend is this Saturday and Sunday. While we can't show much yet, we can show a few sneak peeks. Here is one from the Sunbeamer camp.

 Team Steelhead Salmons

Team Meli's Maniacs.

Stand by for more tomorrow.

RFL Graphic: Team Standings

Here's a picture showing the status of over fifty teams in the Relay for Life. There are two teams, the Relay Rockers and Unmasking a Cure, that have reached the Ruby fundraising level, which takes 750,000 Linden dollars (or $3000 USD). Third place is the Skill Gaming team, which made Emerald rank, which takes 625,000L (or $2500 USD). Fourth to seventh place are Goreans in Relay for Life, Touched by Angels, Team Shadow, and Aether Chrononauts Tiny Steps (ACTS), which are Jade level, which requires 375,000L (or $1500 USD). The Sunbeamers lead the list of Platinum-ranked teams, the others being Cure Chasers, Friends for a Cure, and Harmony of Hope. This level requires 250,000L to reach (or $1000 USD). The Gold level teams are Fighting Sunflowers, Sail for Life, Honoring Hope, the Free Spirit Hippie Brigade, the Relay Cure Masters, RGF Estates for Relay for Life, Team Sol Existence, and Team 427. Reaching Gold status requires 125,000L (or $500 USD).

Fourteen teams made it to Silver level fundraising, which takes 50,000 ($200 USD). These include Fly for Life, Inspired Dreamwalkers, Team Bonanza, and the Steelhead Salmons. The Bronze teams number twenty-four, those which raised at least 12,500 Linden dollars (or fifty US dollars). These include repeat teams Too Tough to Die, the Second Life Coast Guard team, Relay for Christ, Team Live Wire, Giant Snail Races, and Meli's Maniacs.

These statistics are four days old, so it's probable one or more teams have moved up and more have joined the ranks of the Bronze teams.

Go Relay!

Bixyl Shuftan

Relay Weekend Tomorrow

After many months, the Relay for Life in Second Life's official season is about to have it's high point: The Relay Weekend.

Across 29 sims are a number of exhibits. A few are "designer sims, like this one of an Ancient Egyptian complex.

But most are from individual teams.at their various campsites.

Two teams, Faeries for Hope and a Cure, and Quest for a Cure, which were neighbors, had remarkably similar builds, both being 17th/18th century sailing ships at port. Rain Rodex of Quest for a Cure called it "pure coincidence ... I think it looks great together."

"I had the idea for this theme, passport to hope/ quest for a cure already in January, and I thought of a harbour and a ship, busy loading up to set out on the quest." Her team never expected their neighbors to have a similar concept.

After a year's absence, the Steelhead Salmons are back. Softpaw Sommer would write on her blog, "I missed the Salmons ... the Salmons are family and Steelhead is home. This just feels better to be Relaying with them again."

And just across from the Steelheaders is the Sunbeamer campsite. Designed by Shockwave Yareach, he was also the main builder, with Cynthia Farshore helping out, along with assistance from team captain Rita Mariner and Skylark Lefavre.

Skylark spoke of the build, "I think in my own honest opinion this is the best one we did in a long time. ... It's not only informative and educational, it's also entertaining and visual, something you can participate in, almost like a tour. Using the airport take the tour is a nice touch since an airport represents a way into any part of the world it also shows the education of cancer prevention and treatment can reach any place as well."

The Sunbeamer camp is at RFL Celebrate (185/130/22)

The opening ceremonies start Saturday July 18, at 10AM

Go Relay!

Bixyl Shuftan

Steelhead Update

By Bixyl Shuftan

For the past few weeks for the Steelhead community. their new home of Steelhead Bay has continued to develop, with homes, shops, and other buildings such as a church, observatory, and greenhouse tea garden, and of course the theater earlier mentioned. Beside the theater is the side of a small mountain. Residents have continued to move in. But there are still empty spaces, and at least one house was marked "For Rent," so there is still room for people to move in.

 In their town hall meeting on May 9, Fuzzball brought up a few things, saying Totallunar Eclipse and  Tensai Hilra, the owners of the old Steelhead sims, "are still part of Steelhead, but requested not to be doing any managerial type duties. So, they're just (ir)regular Steelheaders. Since we only have the one sim, I think Jimmy (Branagh) and I can handle the duties." Fuzzball also told those present that he and Willow Leafstorm were talking about possibly getting a water homestead sim between Steelhead Bay and Ravenwood Forest (formerly Steelhead Nevermoor).

Fuzzball also announced he would volunteer to put his dignity on the line to help raise funds for the Steelhead Salmons Relay for Life team, "For every 3000 lindens that kiosk raises, I walk a lap on the RFL track in a Luminous Design dress. So far, it's one lap." His audience chuckled, one saying, "I could probably scrape up another 3k but it would nearly break me. Totally worth it." Fuzzball told them, "The Fuzz In A Dress Kiosk is inside Gearz, with a pic of me in said outfit." As of the writing of this article, the Steelhead Salmons have raised a little over 99,500 Lindens, almost a hundred thousand.

On another note, our last report stated there were sightings of a "sea monster" in the waters of Steelhead Bay. Checking things out for myself, I didn't see anything resembling the supposed denizen of Loch Ness. But there was one unusual sight: a narwhal. What this creature was doing so far away from it's home waters, one can only guess. But given it's unusual appearance, perhaps this was the cause of the sea monster stories.

Bixyl Shuftan

The New Steelhead's First Town Meeting

Steelhead is back. For over a year, the members of the community had to live in other places after the estate faded away from the grid. But with the founding of Steelhead Bay, they now have a home once more. Tuesday night, March 21, was both the opening of the sim to community members and the first town hall meeting since the closing of the old estate.

Read the story in People.

Steelhead Reunion at Club Gearz

On the night of Tuesday August 2, Fuzzball Ortega, the former sheriff of the noted Steelhead Steampunk community, hosted a reunion meeting with about a dozen members of the group. It was close to a year ago in which the owner of the community's land, TotalLunar Eclipse, reluctantly made his decision to close the estates due to real-life problems and Linden Lab locking out his account in a dispute. While one sim, Nevermoor, was eventually saved, the rest could not be, and closed sometime in November. While the members of the community have scattered, mostly across elsewhere in the Steamlands of Second Life, many if not most have remained in the group. Last weekend, Fuzzball called for another meeting in the second story of Club Gearz, which had been relocated to Port Caledon, if nothing else to discuss possible themes for it and Willow Leafstorm's Green Fairy club still in Ravenwood Forest (former Nevermoor). But he imagined there were many who missed the crazy town hall gatherings, "And besides, when was the last time you said 'Floppy Dong' at a meeting?"

Fuzzball had added a number of pictures of various Steelheaders, from Lunar and Tensai Hilra behind him. Among those attending were Baron and Zantabraxus Wulfenbach, Softpaw Sommers, Willow Leafstorm, Rezzdammit (who sent me the pictures and the minutes), Jimmy Branagh, and others. Sadly Invertigo Caldwell, the "bad blue wolf" whom had caused no shortage of chaos for a time, has been absent from Steelhead activity for over a year.

They discussed the "Almost Lag Free Relay Weekend," which a number took part in other teams as the "Stealhead Salmons" were inactive, "but we'll give it another go, next year, if folks are interested." People were, "It felt...off , to not have a Steelhead campsight." Fuzzball stated he had run 21 laps around the track, but had no comment when Rezzdammit asked if it was all in his wolf form and he was being chased be a girl in a little red riding hood.

Themes were selected for their Friday Night dances, which alternate between the Green Fairy and Club Gearz, the Olympics being the theme for August 12. Fuzzball is still looking for pictures for the second story walls, "there's more photos to be added." Steelhead's school may start again soon, "AthenaeumArchivist is interested in teaching the fresh young minds."

After about an hour, the meeting was adjourned with a number of "Hoooooooo!"s. "Thank you for coming out. I do miss seeing you guys on a regular basis."

Bixyl Shuftan

SL Video: "Relay for Life 2015: Interview With Fuzzball Ortega "

(Click here if the video fails to load)

From July 27, 2015, part of a series of interviews of people in the Relay for Life, Fuzzball Ortega, the Captain of the Steelhead Salmons team is interviewed by Aisling Sinclair. "Filmed and edited by Saffia Widdershins"

Tomorrow ...

This is it! Tomorrow's the day the Relayers have been waiting for all season: The Relay Walk. The Track is ready. The camps are all built.

The sim where Team Sunbeamer, the team of the Sunweaver Estates where the SL Newser office makes it's home, is on the northwest corner of RFL Strength at  (35/135/21).

On the southeast corner are our longtime friends in the Relay, the Steelhead Salmons.

 On the southwest corner is Team Walking Tall For a Cure.

And our next door neighbors on the northeast corner are the Knights of Avalon.

Keep in mind these four great exhibits are on just one sim. Imagine what all forty have?

The Relay for Life Walk takes place tomorrow, with the Opening Ceremony at 10 AM.

The 2013 Relay Weekend

Last weekend was when the Relay For Life Walk took place across forty-some sims in Second Life, hundreds of avatars taking part in the event. They raised thousands of dollars worth of Lindens for the American Cancer Society, and had fun doing so with fun and informative exhibits and activities, and numerous smaller events. Bixyl Shuftan, a member of the RFL Sundreamers, the team of the SL Newser's office neighbors, writes about his time at the Relay.

Read the story in Events.

The Relay Weekend

It was an eventful weekend, and one of the busiest I've spent on Second Life this year. Going down the Relay tracks, I spent many hours online at both events, going down the track, or just hanging out with teammates and friends. DrFran Babcock was also there, and relayed just as hard.

There were some milestones reached. The Sunbeamers raised over 110,000 Lindens, or about $450 USD, reaching Silver status. The Steelhead Salmons reached Platinum with over 527,000L, or over two thousand US dollars. And then the big milestone. One of the goals for this relay season was to reach the total amount raised in Second Life by the Relay over it's nine year history here to two million US Dollars. At the Closing Ceremonies, it was announced that goal had been met.

I'll write more on the Relay later. For now, I need some rest.
.
You can see recordings of SL TV coverage of the Relay on Livestream: (Click Here).

Bixyl Shuftan

The Annual Steelhead RFL Horse Races

Last weekend the Steelhead community's team for the Relay For Life, the Steelhead Salmons, held one of their last events for the season: their annual horse races. Participants got a chance to compete in one or more of three races on a horse track, and the mount didn't always have to be a horse. It was the kind of chaotic fun and mayhem typical of the steampunk-themed community as the horses and other critters didn't always behave or act according to plan. And neither did some of the residents.

Read more in Events.

Steelhead Salmon's Relay for Life Festival

At the Steelhead Estates, the community's Relay For Life team, the Steelhead Salmons, are having their festival this weekend. The festival began yesterday on Friday, and will continue on to Sunday. Each day has it's own event, plus there's a "treasure hunt" throughout the festival.

For the Treasure Hunt, start at Steelhead (89, 137, 25)

Find all 12 awareness ribbons throughout Steelhead! Each stop takes you to a different destination in Steelhead where you have to hunt for the next clue. At the end of the journey you'll find some gifts courtesy of various Steelhead Vendors and citizens. Remember, the hunt begins July 5th and ends July 7th. Your first clue takes you to Main Steelhead... good luck!

From about 7-10PM on Friday July 5, the Salmons hosted a "Cowboys and Indians" part. Fuzzball Ortega DJed for the party for the first two hours while DJ Zanya spun the tunes for the third. Steelhead's residents then exchanged their usual Victorian wear for something more rustic of the Old West as they danced near a set up Indian village, with at least one resident taking on the part of an Indian. One wag had a creative interpretation of "cowboy" by dressing up as a player of the Dallas Cowboys football team.

For a list of pictures, check IshtarAngel Micheline's Flickr account section (here).

On Saturday July 6, the Steelhead will be having it's Steelhead Salmons Annual Horse Race. The entry fee is 50L, payable into the Relay kiosk. Starting at 5:20, there will be three races, two are for horses, with the third for other animal mounts. Besides trophies for each race, there will be "an award for best costume and most unusual animal."

The race track is on a sky platform above the sim at Steelhead Shanghai (127, 128, 2504)

On Sunday July 8th, the festival wraps things up with a dance party at Club Gears. Fuzball Ortega will be DJing from 7 to 9, broadcasting the music onto Krypton Radio ad DJ DeBaum.

"Go Relay!"

Image credit: IshtarAngel Micheline

Bixyl Shuftan

Press Release: Relay For Life in Steelhead

Yes, That Time Of Year Again.....Relay For Life

If you're interested in joining Steelhead's Relay For Life group, The Steelhead Salmons RFL, please contact Fuzzball Ortega. This also includes if you are interested in building for our campsite in July. Team registration begins in a few weeks, and kick off is March 9.

This year's challenge, coming up with fun events, items for RFL vendors, or anything else that would bring people to Steelhead.

The 2012 RFL Wrap-Up

On 4PM SL time on August 18th came the official close of the Relay for Life: the Wrap-Up party. Taking place in a temporary sim of the same name next to the permanent ACS Isle, it was a chance to reflect on the season this year, and look forward to the one ahead. For those who couldn't be there or had sound trouble, T1 Radio broadcasted the event on the Internet.


Following a poem read in honor of those who passed away from cancer, the Relay Commotte thanked the Relay's sponsors, as well as the Lindens for helping out with things like "last moment requests." There were a number of awards given out. Among them was a "Shapeshifter Award" given to Dwen Dooley for his amusing use of numerous avatars. Genie Ortega was also given an award for her "Squeee!" that spread around the Relay groups. The Purple People Eater" was awarded for it's creator's use of imagination and humor. There was also an award for Best Display Name to David Fangirl.

The top three performing teams were announced. Third was "SL Music Races for a Cure" with 4,172,000 Lindens raised or $16,688. Second was "Friends Fighting Cancer" with 6,670,000 raised, or $26,281. And the number one team was "Amaretto Ranch Breedables" with a whopping 8,668,000 raised, or $34,672.

The Spirit of Relay Team Award went to Team Shadow. The Individual Award went to Zanier Green.

Following the awards, the theme for 2013 was announced: "Celebrating 100 Years of Hope." This was in honor of the American Cancer Society's 100 year anniversary. The Kickoff event will be on March 9, 2013, with the Relay Walk on July 13-14, 2013. MamaP Beerbaum announced she was stepping down as the Chairwoman, "On one hand it is sad to say goodbye, but I will be relaying for years to come." For 2013, Nikki Mathieson will have the chair.

And with the song "One Hundred Years to Live," fireworks began going off outside the building, with the event officially coming to an end, "Have a great offseason," "It's hard to say goodbye to Relay." "Good night everybody."

The "unofficial total" raised for 2012, as of the time of the Wrap-Up event, is $374,829. The Steelhead Salmons, the team of one of the Newser's sponsors, were Platinum ranked with 551,650 Lindens raised, or $2,207. The Passionate Redheads, the team whom make up many of the neighbors of the Newser office building, raised $307,810 Lindens, or $1,231.

Official Website of RFL in SL: http://rflofsl.intuitwebsites.com/index.html

Bixyl Shuftan