Rollag!

Harold's Navy brother, Kevin, who encouraged us to come to Potato Days, also told us to stick around for Rollag. The Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Reunion is held over Labor Day in nearby Rollag. For those interested in steam engines, hit and miss engines, and antique machinery, Rollag should be on their bucket list. 

We bought the season pass and attended the show two days and one evening. Yes, there is that much to see. The parade alone took around one and half hours with a double line of antique tractors. With tractors breaking down or sounding as if they weren't going to make it, you cheered them on as they climbed steam hill. 

Then there are the buildings of hit and miss engines, stationery steam engines, models of steam engines, and printing presses to see. Steam trains, speedsters, and trolleys convey visitors from one section to another, from the "sandbox" with steam shovels to the tractor pulls and to the onsite campgrounds.

After two full days we opted to return in the evening on the third day for the spark show. That was a great way to end our Rollag visit. 

Dump cart ride --- not comfortable

Kerosene Annie -- a prototype

Parade time

Hillside combine leaning to the side

Making shoelaces

Model engines

Nessie and baby made it across the Atlantic

One of three sawmills

Sandbox fun for adults

Conveyor belts galore

353 Engine

Speedster ride

Building of Otto engines

End of the day

Spark show!

Where Are We Going Next?

Tubers, Turtles, and Turkeys

Harold's Navy brother, Kevin, has been after us to come to Barnesville, MN, for Potato Days for years. This year we finally made it. From the mashed potato wrestling to the strongman contest, we enjoyed watching the contestants. Then there were the food vendors offering all kinds of potato fare in addition to your usual festival foods. The festival ended at with a parade. Since Kevin's home was at the end of the parade route, his grandkids really made out on the candy end of things. 

Potato farming equipment on display

Mashed potato wrestling

Potato peeling contest

Potato sack tying and stacking contest

How high can you hoist a 100 pound bag of potatoes?

Mashed potato eating contest

Driving to our base campground, Country Campground, in Detroit Lakes, we picked up tourism literature and discovered that turtle races are held every Wednesday during the summer in Perham, MN. We made it to the last turtle race of the summer with over 50 participants. Turtles are provided in case you're wondering. We thought that was a lot of participants until we learned that the all-time high was 563 participants. That's a lot of racers. We chatted with a retired Chamber of Commerce representative after the event, and he treated us to lunch with free buffet coupons at the local Pizza Ranch. I like free lunches. 

And they're off...

On our way back from the turtle races, we stopped long enough to get our photo in Frazee, MN, with the world's largest turkey. Sorry, Rockingham County and Virginia, Minnesota's got you beat by a long shot. 

World's largest turkey - 22' tall

Where Are We Going Next?