The Tuolumne Lumberjack Jubilee 2013

I'm a sucker for festivals.  Whether they're of the crafting persuasion or event-based or both, I'm down.  A few years ago, I befriended an awesome chick through another friend who both lived in Tuolumne, CA (this befriended-one still does).  She told me about the Tuolumne Lumberjack Jubilee and YEP I had to go.  It's an annual logger-based festival with lumberjack competitions (axe throwing and souped-up chainsaws are just a few), craft booths, a carnival, food, kid's go-cart races, and the manliest Tug Of War game you'll ever see in your entire life.

The main event: Tug Of War, Tuolumne-style (via Instagram)

Last year was my first year attending and it was too much fun to miss this year.  Besides the fact that I can visit my beloved Sam (she's the tarot-reading friend I've probably mentioned somewhere), there's all these festivities and good times with her and her family.  Speaking of her family, they're a popular bunch in this town.  A good chunk of the Tuolumne team in the Tug Of War is the Domser's.  Her dad's the freaking coach, and two of her brothers are on the five-person team.  I don't know how many years they've participated, but it's at least been a few.

In case the picture I took doesn't do it justice, this Tug Of War is intense.  It's laying down on this thick wooden thing made of pegs (or they call 'em cleats, not sure what to call this thing) that are flat in the center but angle out towards the end so you can use your feet to push off them.  There's a thick rope that needs to be wrapped between your legs unless you're the anchor guy who holds the end of the rope together by wrapping it around his back in this saddle-looking contraption.  There's thick padding under their clothes and other protective gear like gloves and braces.  These team members train hard for this, battling the summer heat, the weight of the other team members, and the pressure of the rope.  The first team to move the center flag over six cleats into the other team's side wins.  A match could last a few minutes or several hours depending on the year and how good each team is.

GOOD LORD, this makes me think that real men still exist.  Thanks, Tuolumne.  Keep breading those manly men and winning those Tug Of War's because you're doing a pretty good job at both.

Oh yeah, and the festival is awesome, go check it out.  Here's the event's Facebook Page for more info.  Got distracted by the T.O.W. manliness there for a little bit...