KENNEWICK -- Its that time again: the boat races.
This week, the annual Lamb Weston Columbia Cup takes place on the Columbia
River.
The shoreline will be filled with a number of Mid-Columbians and people from
out of town.
A number of Tri-Citians also use race weekend to get out of town because they cant stand the event. I used to be one of those.
I remember when I was a 7-year-old, my Dad took us kids down to the Pasco
side of the river to watch a heat race at the very first event. It was well
over 100 degrees, and we didnt last long.
That was it for my Dad, and for us.
When I was 12, my Little League coach came by our house the morning of the
races and made me go with him and his wife. I thought it was pretty cool,
but still too hot to sit in the sun all day.
I didnt go again until the early 1980s, when, as a student at WSU and then
Eastern Washington University, Id join all the other college kids home for
the summer on the Pasco side. It was always a blast.
But for the last 21 years, Ive covered the races for the paper.
Its the only time of the year Ill openly talk about N2 violations and
cowlings and enclosed cockpits.
Whats made it fun for me is getting to know the personalities.
It's seeing Ed Cooper working on his U-3 piston-powered boat in Lampson Pits and resuming a conversation we had together the year before.
It's asking Steve David, the driver of the U-1 Oh Boy! Oberto, a question and then standing back and letting him spew out witty responses.
It's listening to Dave Villwock, the winningest active driver, talk about his boat, his driving, the sport, or heck, even his love for flying remote
control airplanes.
Thens theres the crew from the Herald's online department -- Andy Perdue, Eric Degerman, Jeanie
Jensen and Bethany Lee -- and the whole lineup of our photographers. Theres a
certain camaraderie there when you spent time together at an event that
starts early Friday morning and doesnt end until Sunday night.
And when I get the chance, Herald senior photographer Paul T. Erickson and I will take
a walk up the shoreline so I can get my picture taken with the numerous
characters and fans at the event.
It might be with a guy in a viking helmet, someone with a great T-shirt or
the Patron Tequila girls.
Weve started a pretty good collection.
Beginning Monday, well start advancing the event, then move into the park
on Friday for wall-to-wall coverage as weve done for the past 44 years.
And if you see Paul and me, smile.
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