Category: Culture

There are some unusual traditions, and one of them is pack burro racing, Colorado’s official state summer heritage sport since 2012. This sport began in 1949 with the World Championship Pack Burro Race, running from Leadville to Fairplay. The original 23-mile race over Mosquito Pass echoed the routes miners and their burros used before the railroads were built in the 1870s.

Pack burro racing harks back to mining days when prospectors raced to stake claims. To attract tourists and revive the local economy post-World War II, the Fairplay Chamber of Commerce organized the first event, drawing 21 teams. Each team, consisting of a human and a donkey, followed strict rules: the human held a lead rope, and the donkey wore a pack saddle loaded with traditional mining gear. Riding the burro is never permitted.

Only eight teams completed the inaugural race, with Melville Sutton and his burro, Whitey, winning a $500 prize. The race’s popularity grew, nearly doubling in participants by 1955. Today, Colorado hosts a Triple Crown of pack burro racing in Fairplay, Leadville, and Buena Vista, covering about 63 miles in total. The state offers ten races from Memorial Day through September, with other states like California, Arizona, and New Mexico also hosting races.

Runners aged 16 and older can race with their own donkey or rent one. The Triple Crown series starts in Fairplay during Burro Days, with races varying in distance and elevation. Leadville hosts its race the first weekend in August, featuring a loop around Ball Mountain or a route to Mosquito Pass. Buena Vista added a 13-mile race to its Gold Rush Days celebration in 1978.

Donkeys, capable of carrying 20 to 30 percent of their body weight over tough terrain, enjoy having a job. The challenge is convincing them to race. Once they understand the task, they develop a liking for it and will work hard if they trust their handler.

A recent poll reveals that small moments of joy can transform an ordinary day into memorable family time for parents. The survey, conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Hostess, involved 2,000 American millennial parents.

The results indicate that parents try to have fun with their kids outside the normal schedule five days a week. Eighty-six percent of parents feel confident in their ability to create small moments of joy for their family throughout the day, and 91% believe that these moments positively impact their own and their children’s well-being.

The top activities parents engage in to make their days more joyful include making their kids laugh, being silly with their kids, and cuddling. Additionally, some enjoy doing something spontaneous and fun. When faced with mundane tasks, parents often inject joy by singing along to music, being silly, or dancing with their kids.

On average, parents attempt to surprise their kids with fun activities three times a week. Parents also enjoy treating their kids to spontaneous activities such as giving them a special treat or snack, buying them something new, or playing games together. However, most of the parents prefer planning fun activities for their kids ahead of time. Weekends are preferred creating spontaneous moments of joy, as they allow more time for relaxation without the pressures of school or work. Nine in 10 parents believe that the more time families spend playing together, the happier and closer they will feel.

Eighty-eight percent of parents believe it’s important to have family outings outside the home at least once per week.

A set of 1,000-year-old game pieces discovered in a German castle provides new insights into medieval pastimes. The set includes four flower-shaped pieces, a six-sided die, and a knight chess piece, all carved from antler.

The knight piece, showing wear from frequent use, indicates it was used extensively in chess games. The flower-shaped pieces retain traces of red paint, suggesting a two-player game with different colored sides.

These pieces were found under a wall segment in Stahleck Castle in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, and date back to the 11th century. The excavation was conducted by experts from the University of Tübingen, the State Office for the Preservation of Monuments Baden-Württemberg (LAD), and the German Archaeological Institute (DAI).

Dr. Jonathan Scheschkewitz from LAD noted that chess was one of the seven skills a knight should master in the Middle Ages, explaining why chess pieces are commonly found in castles. Chess, introduced to Europe from Persia in the early Middle Ages, has largely retained its original rules.

Dr. Lukas Werther from DAI highlighted the unexpected discovery of a complete game set from the 11th/12th century, emphasizing the significance of the knight piece.

An exhibition featuring the Stahleck findings and other medieval artifacts will be held at Pfullingen Schloss from June 15th to August 30th, showcasing the game pieces and exploring medieval gaming practices.

Los Angeles based, Donn Delson began his aerial photography career nearly a decade ago. He has spent over 300 hours in helicopters, capturing scenes from the cherry blossoms of Japan to hidden mountain trails in the Red Sea—sometimes from 12,000 feet. He charters private helicopters, costing between $800 and $2,500 per hour, funded by his entrepreneurial success. After selling his company BandMerch, a leading entertainment merchandise business, Delson briefly retired before a holiday trip sparked a new passion.

While many might balk at hanging out of a doorless helicopter, Delson prefers this setup—he won’t put his camera lens near a window. “It’s the only way I want to shoot,” he said back on the ground the next day, discussing his passion for aerial photography.

“I work on a large scale to convey the feeling I get up there.“The world from above is so different from what we know,” Delson said.

Check out a collection of his photos here!