July 4, 2018
We had lunch at the all you can eat Cook Shanty and the food was surprisingly good. They offered ribs &
fried chicken served with coleslaw, mashed potatoes, veggies and freshly baked
bread. We managed to put away a few orders of
ribs. The chicken and mashed potatoes were quite tasty as well. For a tourist
town they didn’t have high prices and the food was the kind you would go back
again for.
Paul Bunyan
Babe, the blue ox
The Lumberjack show was also great, just a fun time. There were 3 lumberjacks that competed in the competitions. One side had 2 guys and the other just one. The audience was split down the middle and we were Team Newport and the other was Team Kilbourn.
It was humorous, but they really worked hard to win. It was also record heat. Our 1 man team lost, but it was very close.
the stage
one of the guys on Team Kilbourn
Team Newport on the left
Standing Block Chop
This mimics the felling of a tree with an axe. The
lumberjacks will chop halfway through a vertically mounted log, then will turn
and finish the cut from the opposite side.
Axe Throw
In order to pass the time on their day off, lumberjacks
would throw axes at an upturned stump. Wagering for money or the designation of
who would clean the outhouses was common. Don't miss!
our guy got a bullseye, the other guy totally missed the target
Crosscut Sawing
A team of two lumberjacks push and pull a traditional peg
and raker saw through a log. Crosscut saws were used for most tree-felling and
bucking purposes in the old time logging camps.
Hot Saw
The lumberjacks cut three cookies as fast as they can using
Stihl MS 660 stock saws that have been modified to cut at a much higher rpm.
Fast hands and proper application of pressure on the saw are a must.
Spring Board Chop
Lumberjacks insert a springboard plank into notches in a
tree, ascend it, and then fell it with an axe. This is the most technical,
tiring, and dangerous of the chopping events.
carving a rabbit with a chainsaw
OK, not even close... it was a comedy sketch which I think gave the teams time to rest
Speed Climb
Using the same gear as a utility lineman, our jacks will
climb a 50 foot spar pole up and down as fast as they can. This event is the
most dangerous, daring, and exhilarating of all lumberjack events.
West Coast Choker Race
On the west coast they cut big timber in treacherous
terrain. This race is a relay of skills the choker setter would use in his
daily work routine. The highlight is running across a spinning log with an 80
lb. choker in hand.
Boom Run
Log booms are a chain of logs used to corral wood at a
sawmill holding pond. In the boom run the jacks race from one end to the other
hoping not to fall in. Whoever gets the most logs wins.
Canoe Jousting
Fighting wasn't allowed in logging camps. Instead,
lumberjacks jumped into canoes and battered each other with mackinaw wrapped
sticks. Last team standing wins!
Log Roll
Two jacks roll, spin, and bob a cedar log in the water,
trying to knock the other jack in. All around athleticism, balance, speed, and
concentration make a good logroller.
Moose Jaw pizza delivery car
We ran some errands and picked up so more of the fudge that
was so good and headed home. We cooked burgers on the grill before heading out
to watch the local fireworks display.
Fireworks were at the community pool area. Very nice
display. It rained for an hour or so while we waited, but it cleared up nicely
for the fireworks. Oddly timed that the finale happened before the music was
done and then they set off 3 or 4 like they found some leftover. The other
funny thing was the train that came by several times while we were there,
happened to pass through just as the finale was going on. Very nice evening
watching fireworks with “small town America”.
Tomorrow we are off to visit Cave of the Mounds.
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