May Bumps

I was told one of the big events of the year in Cambridge is May Bumps - somewhat mysteriously scheduled in June. Mike and I decided we must go and see what all the fuss is about. Rowing is the sport of Cambridge. The River Cam isn't wide enough for large side-by-side races, so they race in another style.

There's a real old-school, college atmosphere to the day. The alumni are all out to support in their college jackets and sweaters.Cambridge University is made up of over 30 colleges many of whom compete in the rowing event.

The teams start in a vertical line, spaced about one and half boat lengths apart. The goal is to catch-up and bump the team in front of you. Or at the very least, not get bumped by the team behind you. Once you've bumped or been bumped, you pull off to the side of the river to make space for the other teams. This team is wearing riverside foliage in their shirts, because they've managed to bump the team in front of them in their race. They're holding a flag, because over the course of the four day Bumps, they've bumped a team in every race they were in. There's a complicated system of placing that I won't explain, mostly because I don't understand it.

This cottage has nothing to do with May Bumps, except that we passed it on our way and I thought it was cute. I get easily distracted at sporting events.

We didn't have someone explain the event before we went, and you can only see a small section of the river from one place, leaving us a little confused at the time. It was a fun atmosphere anyway. College groups have tents and alumni events set up along the river, friends and families have picnics set up. Most people looked pretty settled in for the day.

I realize it's a little silly that I grew up in Seattle - also a big rowing community - and never attended a single event, yet I'm here in Cambridge for one year and make it a priority to get to an event. Some of it is the pressure of wanting to experience as much as possible in one year, and the rest is the joy of living within walking distance. Cut out commute, traffic and parking hassles, and most events become much more enticing.