What country kids do.

I did grow up in a country-ish location. A small town actually. Had I known that one day I would be attending and really enjoying tractor pulls, well.....I never would have believed it.  I never really cared for lawn tractors.  A couple of reasons for that - 1. it meant mowing the lawn, 2. my mother was the queen of lawn mowing and even if I had wanted to, she still loves to mow the lawn and never really had a chance to develop a loving relationship with lawn mowing tools, and 3. ever since hearing a horrible story at church camp of a kid who cut off his foot with a lawnmower, I've always been kind of scared of them. 

But there is a culture around lawn tractors! Seriously! I've seen lawn tractors costing around $10,000.. Run on alcohol...souped up to be louder than an airboat!  At these tractor pulls which are generally held out in the middle of nowhere, there are little kids, big kids, adults - men and women.  There are grandmas and grandpas sitting on the sidelines watching the kids drag a weighted wagon as far as their wheels will go - or their engines will stay in gear - down the dirt track. 

This is serious business but such a fun time! I love it because you never know who is going to win. Size doesn't matter here.  A 7-year-old girl can easily beat at 14-year-old boy.  The fancy, shiny new tractor may come in last! Everyone has a chance.  And is it colorful!!!  Green John Deere, red International Harvester, yellow Cub Cadets, blue....well, whatever tractor is blue - not to mention the more unique custom-painted tractors. 

And it is a community - we start out with the Pledge of Allegiance.  From youngest to oldest, the caps come off the head, the hands over the hearts and we salute our flag - Under God.  There's great food and pop and lights and grass to sit on.  It puts lawn mowers in new perspective.  Oh, and at a tractor pull?????  Don't call them lawn mowers!