Title: June 29, 2024 - Salem, Dragon Boat Festival
 |
| Andrea getting ready |
Today is Andrea's Dragon Boat Race. I get up at 5:40. no lightning. Yeah! then read until Andrea gets up at 6:15. I take her over to RiverFront Park, arriving at 7. Then stopped by the farmers market-it is not open yet. but I am seeing if Sherri's planter box vendor is there. I do not see them, but it is still two hours before the market opens up.
When I come back to the house, I have my breakfast, then read a bit. Lawrence goes off for a run and comes back about 9. That is when Sherri gets up as well. By 9:50 we are ready to go. but we will miss Andrea's first round race at 9:56-her boat wins that race. For the results of all of the heats her team was in, the Jade Dragons, see the Background. So we stopped at the farmer's market. Sherri would like to pick up some planter boxes, but we cannot find the vendor we saw last time we were here. so we pass-the main attraction of the day is Andrea’s race.
 | |
Results of first round race
|
It took a bit of doing to find a parking place, but we did. Andrea meets us and she talks to us about the first heat-the Jade Dragons won by a second. Judging by her succeeding races, this is a lot. We look at various vantage points for some shots for the next rounds. Then Andrea needs to go off to join her team mates for the second heat.
 |
| Midway through second round race |
This round gets underway
around noon. It is exciting to watch. I get a perch in the middle
while Sherri, Steven and Lawrence are closer to the beginning. When
they pass by me, it looks like the boats are about neck to neck. The
official time when they crossed the finish line shops that the Jade
Dragons lost by a head, 0.09 seconds behind. So close.
 | |
Second by a nose
|
The Dragon Boat Races are part of the World Beat Festival in Salem. There are lots of food choices and some cultural acts. We wandered around and got our food. then sat in the shade and ate.
 |
| Jade Dragon returning from second round race |
At 1, Andrea went back to prepare for her next round and I went to move the car out of the three hour parking we had gone to. I scored a spot in the parking garage close by.
 |
| Getting ready for the third round race |
When I got back. I found Steven and Lawrence, but no Sherri. We waited around for Andrea's next round. Also for Sherri to show up. After a while, I went looking for her, a bit concerned about whether she wandered off-that is not what she does. I have a tendency to wander, but I usually tell someone.
When I get back, without finding Sherri, Andrea's next heat is about to begin. This was an exciting four boat race, settled with another photo finish. The Jade Dragons came in second again. exciting. even if we cannot see the finish line. After the race. the three of us go off and quickly find Sherri standing in another viewing area close to the middle of the race. We go over and greet the Jade Dragons as they come up some stairs to their area.
 | |
Second by a head
|
The four of us grab a shaded spot to rest. While not hot by Fresno standards, there is a sense of relentlessness being in the exposed sun. A patch of grass looks inviting, so I lay on it until the last race. The Jade Dragons are in the finals, C class section. This is pretty good as this is their first year.
 |
| Midway through the last round, it is a close race |
As the afternoon wore on, the wind came up, making the it harder and harder to get an even start. But it was managed and the remaining races happened.In this last race, we root the Jade Dragons from our perch. When we first see them, it looks like they are all close to even. But by the time they pass our spot, it looks like our team is about a boat length back. Not sure what happened there. My observation is that sometimes we see things from an optical illusion, but also the paddlers can really pull hard giving their boats a sudden burst of speed. Whatever it was, the Jade Dragons did well today. As you can tell there is a proud papa writing this blog.
 | |
Crossing the finish line on the fourth round
|
 |
| At Don Froylan |
After resting for a bit, we decided to go out to eat at Don Froylan Creamery. I have a cheesy chicken burrito. It was pretty good. Steven and Sherri have ice cream as well as their main course and think that is good as well. It has been a long day. Pretty soon after getting back, Andrea goes to bed. That 8 minutes of paddling during the day is really intense. She looked drained. Even the next day she was expressing tiredness-that is not her. I follow a little after 10.
Background
Jade Dragons:
 | |
Jade Dragons Team Picture
|
 |
| 375 Meter Course From World Beat Festival Dragon Boat Races Facebook page |
Results of the Heats Jade Dragons were in:
Heat 8 Women Round 1 |
||
1 |
01:52.88 |
Jade Dragons |
2 |
01:53.57 |
Catch 22 Storm |
Heat 21 Women Round 2 |
||
1 |
01:50.06 |
Rip City |
2 |
01:50.15 |
Jade Dragons |
|
Advance to Semis based on combined time. |
|
Heat 28 Women C/D Semi |
||
1 |
01:56.35 |
Catch 22 Storm |
2 |
01:56.60 |
Jade Dragons |
3 |
01:57.40 |
Mighty Women |
4 |
01:57.52 |
Unsinkable Peace Warriors |
|
1st and 2nd to Women C Final, rest to Women D Final |
|
Heat 34 Women C Final |
||
1 |
01:54.74 |
Willamete River Dragons |
2 |
01:58.09 |
Tide Runners |
3 |
01:59.06 |
Catch 22 Storm |
4 |
02:01.66 |
Jade Dragons |
Don Froylan Creamery. With cement floors and high ceilings, the appearance is somewhat industrial. That may be because you can see them making their own cheeses through windows into their factory. But that is not what you come to a place like this, it is to eat. I had a chicken cheesy burrito. It tasted good and I did not have any of the sauces to enhance the flavor which would have been even better. Others in our group did and enjoyed them. My wife and son also enjoyed their ice cream, which was branded with a different small farm dairy operation.
Extra Photo's
 |
| After second round |
 |
| After second round |
 |
| Second round |
 |
| Going towards the start of race |
 |
| Andrea |
 |
 |
| Ukrainian Beer |
 |
| Sherri and the friendly cow |
 |
| After fourth round |
 |
| After fourth round |
Animals
 |
| Grey Heron |
 |
| Bald Eagle |
No comments:
Post a Comment