Last spring was my 40th consecutive Spring Carnival at Carnegie Mellon. At the risk of insulting those who participate in other campus events, Buggy is the event! The race—unpowered buggies that are pushed uphill and freeroll downhill, all with a driver squeezed inside—has evolved into a high-tech tradition cloaked with secrecy, suspense, controversy, athleticism, rivalries, know-it-all alums, and stories of what-could-have-beens and should-have-beens.

Some people (my wife, Terri) simply tolerate what for others is a rite of spring; actually, for me, it's more like a full-time obsession—Sunday morning freerolls (I work Saturdays), phone calls and emails, and a different Buggy VIDEO every night (thank goodness for CMU-TV DVDs!).

At Sweepstakes 2006, Ray Williams (E'66), a fraternity brother of mine, asked if I would discuss at his upcoming 40th reunion the changes in Buggy during the past 40 years. I agreed without a moment's hesitation. After all, I had participated in or attended every Sweepstakes since 1969. Perhaps the greatest struggle in preparing for the talk was cutting the presentation to a "manageable" 135 slides.

My ramblings at the reunion paved the way for more talks, and I've become, probably by default, the Buggy historian. Working with staffers in alumni relations and with former Buggy participants like Roger Cunningham (E'53, HS'60) and Del Ritchie (HS'57), the finest Hill One pushers of their eras, has helped me tell a more complete story each time. The really interesting part for me is that everyone has a unique story to tell. And I'm always humbled by how eagerly the audience listens to my Buggy anecdotes and enjoys watching videos about heroes, past and present.

Certainly, last year's race was one for the ages. On day one, the Student Dorm Council Men broke the Spirit course record of 2:06.2 that stood for 20 years! Their time was 2:05.55. SDC Women set their course record on day two. More drama came later on day two, when PIKA's 2:04.35 established a new record and edged out the SDC men by 0.15 seconds! The moment I realized "my team" won, I broke down and cried, embracing PIKA push team members, students Basil Carr and Nick Selman. I have a photo of the victory huddle, which I'll always treasure. I don't think anyone will argue with me when in future talks I recount last year's race as one of the most exciting in Buggy history.

To preserve those kinds of memories of Buggy and to foster an appreciation for the sport, a group of alumni has formed the Buggy Alumni Association, in which I'm proud to serve as historian. The association's Web site, www.cmubuggy.org, is packed with history, news, and photos, including a database of more than 1,500 people and nearly 200 buggies.

I'm sure this spring, like every spring, will add another chapter to the history of Buggy. Please set aside April 16 (Design), 17, and 18, for Spring Carnival 2009. Already planned is a full schedule of events for the Buggy enthusiast to supplement Sweepstakes and Design competition. I predict more records will fall.

—W. Thomas Wood II (E'74)