Pagosa Springs "Anything Goes Sled Race"

So the online feature of "Things To Do This Weekend" stated that Pagosa Springs was having their annual"Anything Goes Sled Race 2017".  Can you possibly tell me that ANY part of that doesn't sound like a must-see event?  Me either.  So the conversation in our home goes something like this:

Me:  Guess what I found for us to do this weekend?

Mark: (pretends he doesn't hear me)

Me: (clearing my throat) Hey, guess what I found for us to do this weekend? (only louder)

Mark: What?

Me: The Pagosa Springs Anything Goes Sled Race.

Mark: What in the hell is that?

Me: I have no clue but it sounds like fun.

Mark: Let me guess, you already have reservations to go, right?
Me: Grins.

On the way down we decided to stay off of the Interstate and drove the back roads instead.  I will have to say that this is one of the prettiest drives we have been on since we started exploring Colorado.

So basically this event is a sled race that Pagosa Springs does during their annual Winterfest. Basically anyone can enter it and the only requirements are that "they are homemade.  Speed is important and entertainment is critical".  Sure enough these contestants met all of the requirements.  There was everything from Porta-Pottys to blow up pool toys that were converted into a sled that they raced down the hill. There were three categories for the top prizes: Fastest, Most Original and Best Crash.

There were pretty good crowds cheering on the contestants

In case anyone didn't know where the "Sledz Races" were being held

These two guys just used a tarp

These two kids made theirs out of a kiddie pool

This kid made his look like a DJ station

This guy used a blow up alligator

This gal made hers out of a hospital Porta-Potty

Squatch made his out of a lawn chair

This kid made his with "stuff he found in his garage"

I didn't get pictures of all of the contestants but you can see there was quite a variety of sleds.  It was a fun afternoon and as you can see the weather was perfect! We walked around town a little bit and saw where the hot springs are located before heading to South Fork where we had reservations to spend the night. 

We sure love this property.  It's the same one that we stayed at when we were in South Fork over Labor Day. Of course it wasn't covered in snow when we were here in September!

Our cabin

One of the other smaller cabins on the property

Firewood ready for all guest cabins

The headwaters of the Rio Grande that is right outside of the cabin we stay in

                                             We also stumbled upon this herd of bison.

 

Notice I didn't say buffalo? That's because I've been corrected so many times since we moved here about calling them buffalo.  They say that "buffalo are found Africa and Asia but bison are American buffalo".  Well excuse me...  Just a side note: when I looked up the definition of buffalo, I found that it is a form of the French word "boeuff" which simply means "large cow".  So from now on I'm calling them "large cows" and I dare anyone to correct me :)

But I digress- this herd was standing out in a pasture very close to the road we were on, just minding their own business doing "large cow" things.

As soon as we pulled the truck over to take a look at them, this one "large cow" sauntered over to the fence line and stopped within 18 inches of the fence. I kid you not- it was almost like he was asking to have his picture taken so of course I obliged him. Don't worry- I wasn't in the pasture with this guy; I was safely behind the barbed wire fence.