At our local town’s festival, along with other towns, suburbs, and cities across America, there is an event for children of nearly all ages. Starting at four years old, and up to the ripe age of eleven, children can engage their vastly different-sized legs to travel the longest distance while pedaling a mini-tractor pulling a weighted trailer.
A weekend or two ago, my daughter signed up (well, I printed her name and inked my John Hancock) to pursue her week-long dream of garnering her third 1st place trophy for the Pedal Pull. She had been successful at ages 5 and 6 and was betting she could pull off another win. She had just finished walking the parade route for her softball team, which we all considered a great warm-up, and was sitting on the sidelines (err, sidewalk) waiting her turn.
They called her name after the 4, 5, and 6-year-olds were finished, and she walked towards the tractor with a smile a mile wide and dimples on her cheeks. Her entire family (cousins, aunts, uncles, siblings, parents, and grandparents) were rooting for her. She hopped on that tractor and pedaled her little heart out. Just when we thought she had nothing left in those legs, she pushed those pedals around one more time for a total length of 24 feet and 9 inches!
We cheered, and she walked away from the announcer and tractor knowing she had done her best.
When all the seven-year-olds had completed their turns, the top three were announced. Third place…who cares, Second place…not our kid, and First Place…Three-time champion Fiona!
Up she strolled, to the tractor placed at a perfect angle for picture taking. She whipped her leg over the seat, sat proudly, and smiled with glee for pictures. Atta girl. Making your dreams come true.
Her aunt and uncle offered to host her for the upcoming State Pedal Pull Championship during the Minnesota State Fair, but she’s young, and competition may be stiff, so we will wait until she has more trophies under her belt before we send her north.
Who knows? Maybe she will be pedaled out at the tender age of eight.
In the meantime…she’s busy admiring her trophies and dreaming of next year.
Hoss & Weasel 