Turtle Races

Goin' down to the Lake

Like the good midwesterns-in-training that we are Preston and I spent a recent weekend down at the Lake. And yes, around here Lake gets a capitol "L" as decided by me. We drank cool sauvignon blanc and hoppy IPAs as the days slowly rolled under the summer sun. We laid on the shore, wore water shoes in the Lake and ate every delicious morsel Preston's mom offered. The sole interruption of our lollygagging ways was Battle Lake's infamous and cut throat turtle races.

competition is in the air

It's Turtle Time!

Every weekend the few teenagers that live in Battle Lake are charged with the task of running the gladiator games turtle races.The morning event is composed of lottery drawn heats, a hula hooping competition and finals. Preston, his niece and nephew participated in the asphalt sprints. I wimped out the second I saw sharp turtle claws dig into a nine year old's hand. Turtle racing is not for the light heart.

The racers are actually kidnapped  wild  gladiators  turtles. They  are forced to entertain the masses raced throughout the afternoon before being returned to the Lake. There are small ones, big ones, nice ones and mean ones. And as you can imagine, there are quite a few dropped ones as well.

  The Results

I am proud to say that my man, Preston Taylor, made it to the semi-finals. He cheered and coached his turtle on to second place!!! It would have been first if the turtle didn't veer to the left.  Either way I am dating a winner. And either way we all enjoyed a mellow day at the Lake after the grit of the turtle gladiator races.