Here is a recipe for you. Take equal parts Rocky Mountains, horseback riding, mountain biking, golf, and blend with extra doses of friends, food, and sunshine. What you get is a fantastic way to spend the Fourth of July. B & I were fortunate to stay with friends in Steamboat Springs, CO for the past five days. We arrived in Steamboat on July 2nd... It's a hub of activities, whether in the winter or the summer, and the nine of us took advantage of all the opportunities to play as much as we soaked in the vitamin D into our pale West Coast skin. The beauty of our surroundings, the afternoon thunderclouds and windstorms, and the joking and laughter of good friends are terrific ways to rejuvenate. But this isn't unique to Steamboat, and not the topic I'll writing about today. What I will be sharing is how this small ski town provided the perfect example of the topic of what the quintessential Independence Day experience could be.
Steamboat isn't very large, but like many other Smalltown, USA's, they host a parade on the Fourth to celebrate. Everybody shows up to mainstreet to watch. We were no different-- there we were, sitting on the sidewalk, watching the cowboys show off their horses, waving at the folks sitting on top a truck bed, or lauging at the people crossing the street, oblivious to the horse manure they were stepping in. The firemen came by, asking us to fill their boots for charity. The local sheriff and his competitor were out, campaigning to stay/become the next chief law enforcer. Being a small parade, there were no big floats, and no big egos. It was perfect.
After getting our fill of the parade, a few of us decided to got the Alpine slide, and sled down the mountain in a cheap, plastic sled... I know this isn't your typical 4th of July activity, but I have a video I wanted to share regardless (I'll post it here soon). Plus, from our vantage point on the crest of the hill, we had a great angle to see the Air Force jets do their flyover. That's patriotic, right?
Fast forward a few hours... we've returned back to the house for lunch. By this time the storm clouds are starting to form, but we will not be deterred. We have a rodeo to go to. So we grab our rain jackets and cross our fingers, hoping that the weather is all bark and no bite. We head back to town, and settle into the uncoverd grandstands, and the next thing you know, we're cheering for the gentlemen crazy/ballsy/cowboy enough to ride a bucking stallion bareback for 8 seconds. Or wrestle a calf to the ground. Or for the poor calf who was stampeded by a gaggle of children (ages 6-12 only mind you), trying to grab the ribbon around its tail. And we would have stayed for the remaining events had Mama Nature not decided to throw a hissy fit. Sure, we are from Seattle and could sit in the rain. But then the wind came. And the rain became cold, soaked jeans. So, we made an executive decision to "cowboy down", and head home to the inviting warmth of a fireplace and traditional 7/4 fare over a barbeque grill- hot dots, burgers, and ice cream.
Lastly, what would Independence Day be without explosions? Let me tell you, Steamboat Springs throws a mean fireworks show (Thanks to you, Gordon family, whoever you are, for sponsoring.) From atop a neighboring hill, we parked our cars and tuned our radio to the local country station to listen to the music montage accompaning the visual display of colored phosphorous and gun powder.
Yes, indeed this was Fourth of July to remember. A parade, rodeo, grilled food, and fireworks. Every part of this day felt like a Norman Rockwell painting. And it was all authentic. No pretenses, no gimmicks, just a small town, local folk and tourists alike, celebrating the 234th year anniversary of a bunch of old, rich, white guys signing a handwritten document elegantly telling the Brits to "Suck it Trebek". It was a grand ol' day to wave our grand ol' flag, and I for one was proud (and appreciative) to be an American.
(A personal shout out to the Burns, the Boyles, Clarks, and Lt. Corey. Of all the great things this weekend, you guys were the best of all. Thanks! -- S&B)
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