The bike rodeo put on by ABATE NW #69 is always the highlight of my Waynoka trip. The event is held at the rodeo arena a couple of miles east of town. Admission is $4 plus a $1 entry fee for each event. Proceeds are shared with the Waynoka EMT’s. Events include slow ride, keg roll, barrel race, potato race, and (of course) wiener bite. Plaques donated by various merchants and individuals are presented for first and second place in each event. There is also a “dash for cash” for the children who rush to pick up plastic eggs with money inside. I always enjoy this rodeo because it is well organized, and there are lots of participants.
The slow ride was the first event. I made it through the first round, but couldn’t keep the Wide Glide between the lines in round two.
The keg roll was a real challenge. Due to the soft ground, the kegs tended to slide rather than roll. Once again I made it to the second round, but only because my competitor’s keg went out of bounds just short of the finish line while I was about ten feet from the start. I did better in the next round but wasn’t fast enough. Riders discovered various ways to move the kegs including a bumping technique and a method I can only describe as “soccer style.”
The soft ground made the barrel race difficult, but at least the danger of injury was minimized. I gave it a try, but dirt racing on the Harley is not my strong suit.
The potato race required a passenger, so I observed the competition from the sidelines. In this event, the passenger picked up potatoes sitting on large safety cones as the bike went by and replaced them on the return trip. Several teams were successful with all the potatoes, so the winners were determined by elapsed time.
Not wanting to miss the wiener bite contest, I persuaded the announcer to recruit a passenger for me from the crowd. The brave volunteer was “T” who reminded me that she had been my teammate a couple of years earlier. We were unsuccessful then, but she told me we would be winners the next time. Amazingly enough, her prediction came true. The wind added to the degree of difficulty, turning the wieners into moving targets in spite of a lead weight attached to the string.
Red, Rooster, Cody, and several others worked hard to make the rodeo enjoyable for the spectators and competitors. They did a great job!
By Stripe
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
