Go Fourth

So last week I was totally going to blog about this really long bike ride and other assorted and varied interesting things that happened but my gnat-like memory is failing me. Besides, I worked, and the result of that is here (in short, Roosevelt reenactors (yes, both Teddy and FDR) visited the park, gave a speech to a handful of mildly surprised and interested people then I drove all over looking for the new sign they were supposed to dedicate. As a bonus, I got to eat a really good BLT).

Anyhow, Fourth of July Longview-style. It started with a parade, as all decent Fourth celebrations do, although actually the city started celebrating Wednesday with a strip of fair booths and a stage with live music (covered live by KLTV, local access for Kelso and Longview). This is a patriotic city, no doubt.

The parade had Pro-Rodeo Thunder Queen whoever riding on her horsey with a lot of fancy gear. There were old-timey cars, a brigade of Red Hat women, who all freak me out deeply. There's just something very Mao about the uniform of the enlightened, empowered ladies. There were lots of people throwing candy at passers-by (mostly tootsie rolls, some non-chocolate flavored, like lime and fruit punch), and there was even an R.A. Long reenactor (!). He was a founding father of the city, apparently. There were some baton twirlers, a "smartsign" band (high school students, it looked like) playing Sousa and "Land of 1000 Dances," and even a bagpipe player. There was also a huge Democrat contingent, making a great showing in heavily-conservative small-town Washington state. What's more, the Obama people appeared to be getting cheers and the Dino Rossi 2-truck-hayride-and-walking-people float just got silence. He's the guy the Republicans are running against Christine Gregoire, for non-Washers.

Then it was onto the main stage, where the Northwest Wind Ensemble (actually a big group with a xylophone and percussion) was playing Sousa. Ray saw his friend's dad and granddad playing there, along with a phalanx of people he knew. During the parade, there was a sign by the driving school float that said, "Remember when Jim Kaber taught you to drive?" and I laughingly asked him and he said, "Yes, I did take lessons from Jim Kaber." Small. Town.

The timber show was next, and it was a doozy. I almost decompensated from sitting in the cool, but Kris had showed up by then with a beach towel (it had been raining and she figured we were soaked). I will have to save the tale of the timber show for another day, hopefully with links to K's pics, because frankly, I don't have time before the plane to Denver boards. Yay for the quickness! Yay for free PDX wi-fi! Yay Oregon! Yay no sales tax! I hate to leave you, Oregon, but Steamboat calls.

No Internet for a bit. Sorry, faithful reader (or me).