Mandy Erdmann

Mandy Erdmann doesn't just walk on water. She sprints. The 19-year-old lumberjill from LaCrosse, Wis., is the favorite to win this year's boom run, an event that involves running across eight logs tied end-to-end.

Erdmann won last year's event in less than 15 seconds, a time she hopes to beat this year. She said she began log rolling at age 6. She didn't take up boom running until four years ago, though. One factor in her favor: early training as a gymnast on the balance beam. Another factor: She has no fear of the terrifying falls. Every competitor can point to a few bruises on their body that they can trace to the event. Others can even point to formerly broken bones.

"This is the most exciting event as far as lumberjacking goes because there is such a danger factor," she said. "You never know if you will fall in or how you will fall in."

Erdmann has won the world champion boom run the past two years. This year's boom run takes place Thursday afternoon.

The women's log rolling contest on Friday is quite the family affair. First, there's Judy Scheer-Hoeschler, or mom. Then, there's her daughters: Katie, 20, and Elizabeth, 18.

Of course, when you make up three-eighths of the field, it's inevitable that the family members will have to compete against each other. That's the case in the first round when Judy and Katie square off.

So far, mom, also known as the seven-time log rolling champion of the world, is 2-0 against Katie. She said she doesn't mind getting beat by her daughters, but she does mind if she wins. She said she feels terrible when that happens, but she plans to give it her best shot anyway, unless an injured calf muscle prevents her from competing.

Elizabeth beat her mom for the first time last year in the world championships. She took second in that event. She has her sights set on a championship this year.

Judy said her favorite aspect of log rolling these days is time she gets to spend with her daughters.

"We train nearly every day together, and that's the best part of this," she said.

The weather so far at the Great Outdoor Games has not been what organizers had hoped, but the scenery sure is. The Adirondack Park contains the Northeast's most majestic mountains as well as beautiful lakes and streams. The more than 6 million acres of parkland is about the size of Vermont and indeed is the largest state park in the country.

The park contains more than 40 state-operated campgrounds, 2,000 miles of hiking trails, hundreds of miles of canoe routes and 42 peaks that are more than 4,000 feet in height. It was in the park in 1901 that Theodore Roosevelt learned he would be president. It took a six-hour buggy ride to get him to the closest train station.

A large rock commemorates that trip: "Near this point while driving hastily from Tahawus Club to North Creek at 2:15 a.m. Sept. 14, 1901, Theodore Roosevelt became president of the United States as William McKinley expired in Buffalo."

About 100 yards from the field trials for sporting dogs is the Olympic Center where one of the greatest upsets in sports history occurred: the U.S. hockey team's 4-3 win over the former Soviet Union. On display at the arena are hundreds of photographs of former Olympic champions, including a picture of Eric Heiden with his five gold medals for speed skating.