Wheeling's 2011 Vintage Raceboat Regatta

This morning we ( Dad, Katie and I) took off for a bike ride. It's been a while since we've been to Wheeling's bike trail and we knew that the Regatta was going on this weekend at Wheeling's Heritage Port so we thought we'd head that way.
It was a nice morning to ride, the humidity hadn't really climbed so miserably high yet and the skies were pretty cloudy.
We parked in Benwood, unloaded the bikes and off we went. We rode north until we arrived at Wheeling's Heritage Port where the smells from all the food vendors getting their grills ready for the day made me hungry all over again...even though I had just finished breakfast.
They were just then beginning to place some of the raceboats in the water.

Click on photos to enlarge!

*See those tall cranes on the right? Those are what they use to hoist the raceboats in and out of the river.*
While waiting for the races to start, we road a little farther up the trail then turned back so Katie could play on the playground and we could catch a few races before having to head home.

This marks the 6th year for these hydroplane boat races. It's a free event for the public and it's so fun to hear the roar of the engines on the river as well as to see the big splashes they kick up as they race up and down the Ohio River.

Most of us that live here in the Ohio Valley overlook the Ohio River. It's just the waterway that we cross daily as we go to work or to go shopping at the mall.
However, it really does provide us with some interesting entertainment. Whether it be the festivals that take place along it's banks, boating, skiing, fishing or just sitting back watching the river barges pass by as they haul their loads up and down the river.

Lots to see and do!
The next big event to take place is the Sternwheeler Festival which begins Sept. 15th and runs through the 17th at Wheeling's Heritage Port. With any luck and some good weather we'll make it up to see that too!