American Birkebeiner

This weekend was the 36th annual American Birkebeiner in Hayward, Wisconsin and we just happened to driving through on the evening before. The Birkie is a Norweigan tradition that goes all the way back to 1206 when, "Two warrior soldiers, called "Birkebeiners" because of the birch-bark leggings they wore, skied infant Prince Haakon (H?-ken) to safety during the Norwegian civil war. Prince Haakon subsequently became King of Norway, and the Birkebeiner soldiers became a Norwegian symbol of courage, perseverance and character in the face of adversity."

The Birkie is a 51K marathon ski race in which people from all over the world attend (Switzerland, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Italy, France, & Estonia just to name a few). This year there were 7,461 participants - the 2nd highest number ever. A 25 year old local man won the race in 2 hours and 11 minutes. I have driven this route multiple times and that is impressive.

I chose this photo for my blip for the "pun" of it all. You are looking at the "finish line" with the "Finnish" flag waving close by. Personally, I would have forseen this play on word and put the Finnish flag somewhere in the middle of the display of flags, but that's just me.