Rubber Duck Derby!

So today for Carson Valley Days it was the Rubber Duck Derby, held on this creek that runs all the way through the park.  The judges were ready and waiting beneath the bridge, keeping an eye on things to make sure everyone played fair.  To their credit they could not be bribed with stale bread.

We signed up and bought three duckies.  The rubber ducks are loaded while the judges wisely split for distant lands that are not inhabited by giant yellow ducks.

And.....GO!

The ducks were off to a kinda slow start, but the organizers had thought ahead and built in a little waterfall, plus they had people wading along as rubber duck herders.

Uh oh, the rubber ducks have caught up with the judges.  Actual ducks, surprisingly enough, don't really care for rubber duckies.

This time they split for good, getting out and waddling off with outraged quacks.

The rubber ducks meanwhile have reached the waterfall.

This was pretty much as exciting as it got.

The ducks wound and wound...

...assisted by the duck herders.  They had to keep taking rubber ducks away from the black Lab and tossing them back in, he kept jumping in and trying to retrieve them.

Nah, we didn't win.  But the kid did get to take three rubber ducks home with her.