By cgcliffordgreen on Skatehive
Lining up for the start beneath Simpson Avenue Bridge Facing the camera is race winner Todd Pickernell. And they're off in the third heat! Winner Todd Pickernell racing second around the turn Saturday Hoquiam, Wash., held its 61st annual Loggers' Playday, a festival celebrating the town's roots in the logging industry. The day included Quinault Indian Nation canoe racing on the Hoquiam River, which is the event that caught my attention, as I could hear the motors raring from inside my apartment three blocks away. I hesitated going down to the races – not a big fan of festivals and crowds – but they were holding the races between our two bridges inside the Hoquiam River Loop, a walking trail I frequently photograph for the blog. It seemed like I should document this unique use of the area, so I finally convinced myself to go. I made it down there just in time to catch the final heat of the day. It clearly takes some skill to navigate these canoes. According to two news reports I dug up