Cheese Rolling

  
Some people chase after food.  Some people play with their food.  Some people like to do both.  One example of such behavior takes place every year in Gloucestershire, England, during the historic Cheese Rolling event at Cooper's Hill.
While many Americans celebrated Monday, May 31st as Memorial Day, a group of competitors gathered in Gloucestershire to chase Double Gloucester cheese down a steep hill.  Five downhill races resulted in five large cheese wheels being awarded to the individuals that reached the bottom of the hill first, while the rest of the competitors simply hoped to avoid injury by tumbling down the hill or being rescued by large rugby players who volunteer to stop people at the bottom of the hill.  While this year's event was officially cancelled due to the organizers' inability to obtain suitable insurance in time, the event still took place "unofficially" as enthusiasts gathered to ensure that the historic cheese rolling tradition continued.  Truly a very odd tradition and competition, I thought it was of interest due to its offbeat nature.  You can visit the official Cheese Rolling site by clicking on this link.