This last weekend was the fifth annual Reno River Festival and it was bigger and better than ever before. The crucial ingredient for any outdoor event is good weather and once again we got lucky. I have not seen the numbers yet but would be willing to bet that there were somewhere between 35 and 40 thousand people in attendance throughout the three days of the event, which makes it the largest Reno River Festival to date. Along with the kayaking competitions there was also a running race called the Run Amuck that was complete with a mud pit, obstacle course, and a couple hounded crazy people, some of which had already been participating in pre race celebrations, all dressed up in costumes that closely resembled something that you might see at a Halloween Party. I was really disappointed because I did not get the chance to watch the race as I was working at a different part of the Festival during that time. Coby stopped by the kayaking judge’s stand after the race was over and was not only wearing his costume, which consisted of a grass skirt, but was covered from head to toe in mud. I had made a personal request to Coby that he sprint out of the start line like a crazy person and led the first 50 yards of the race, but I am not sure if this happened as he expressed some concern of potentially blowing out a hamy and then getting trampled by the hundred crazy people behind him.
As far as myself and being the head judge for the kayaking events, I think that everything went really well. It was however very stressful and I never want to do it again, but I am sure that somehow I will get talked into it again next year.