Scots Throwing Things
This weekend I went up to Boston… and then on to New Hampshire with Trav to go see the New Hampshire Gathering of Scottish Clans. It was great. All the clans had booths set up, there was some fantastic traditional and modern Scottish music and the food was good (we had haggis!). But the most important part of the day was seeing people throw things that shouldn’t be thrown.
The amateur contest was infinitely more fun to watch than the pros. First, because we got to stand much closer than on the grand parade grounds. Second, because it’s more fun to root for a local guy who is throwing stuff because it’s fun instead of a hired professional stuff-thrower. Third, and most importantly, when they were throwing the 28 lb weight, we were told to watch out; an errant throw could come our way and kill us. How cool is THAT?
Mike Z (from the Boston area) making one of his field-record-breaking throws.
The Crazy Lawsuit Contest! The contestants throw a 28 lb weight straight up into the air as high as possible over a bar. Of course, what goes up…
I figured that a tosser only loses his step 1 in 10 times after throwing… and the weight would only actually hit an unawares contestant 1 time in 10… So that’s only a 1 in a hundred chance of sqwish-age! I’m pretty sure Mike Z won this one too, throwing 17′! Imagine throwing a 5 gallon water bottle up onto your home’s 2nd story roof!!
Mike Z (again… the other contestants’ photos didn’t come out as well, sorry) throwing a 28 lb weight at us. He won this event too.
Trav and I just before getting our haggis puffs. Good times! The taste reminded me of cappaletti, actually; I think it was the allspice.