Pig N Ford at the Tillamook County Fair

My son, Chris drives car 12 in the Pig N Ford races at the Tillamook County Fair. For those of you that have never heard of these "unique" races, check out the Pig N Ford website.

"In every race, each driver must first grab a 20-pound pig before cranking his engine, hopping into the T, and zooming around the track at speeds of up to 65 miles per hour. When he returns to the finish line, he must turn off the engine, return the pig to the correct numbered pen, grab another, and do it all over again. Twice. The first car back to the finish line is declared the winner. Strategy helps (particularly in the pig-exchange portion of the race, when drivers must decide where to park, to block or be blocked), but it’s mostly a mad, dusty dash, with humorous sound effects, that has delighted crowds for eight decades." (from Oregon Coast Today article 2006)

My son's father, Rick Hurliman began driving car 12 after purchasing it from his uncle, Francis Hurliman in the early 1980's. After much expense, we rebuilt the car using vintage parts and after a few years had a contender. Rick won a few championships on car 12, but after an accident in 1999 (he got kicked by the crank and severely injured his hand), decided to retire from driving. Chris has been racing the car for several years and has did a great job! This year the car had some mechanical issues and Rick and Chris, with the assistance of Chris' grandpa, George Hurliman, did their best to work the kinks out. The old car didn't cooperate and Chris was held out of the running for the championship. That's the way it goes with the vintage racers, sometimes they run like a top and sometimes they don't. That's part of the challenge and fun of Pig N Ford racing. There's always next year, Chris! I'll be there again rootin' you on!

My Mommy and Her Brother

This is a special one. Last summer a friend and I went on an awesome vacation trip with my parents to Tennessee and the Smoky Mountains. We had a great week and were preparing to travel on to Nashville and other great destinations. A late night phone call changed all of our plans. My mom's only sibling, my uncle had died suddenly back home in Oregon. He was only 66 years old. Through the confusion and grief, we changed our flights and returned home to plan a funeral.

My mom and her brother grew up on a dairy farm and their only family "vacation" was the four days of the local County Fair. They worked on the farm and saved their pennies all year for the fair. As they worked they dreamed of the rides they would ride and the goodies they would eat. I created this collage picturing them in their youth and entered it as a courtesy exhibit at the same County Fair that they always attended. It's a "magical" County Fair...I go every year and now my grown children go every year. And yes...my mom at age 71 still goes every year to the Tillamook County Fair, in Tillamook, Oregon.