Fourth of July Recap

(NOTE: I did not take the KY trip. I deadheaded down to Lake Egypt and met my friends for the weekend. I had no internet service there but I still made a couple of entries and then posted them later Sunday evening enroute to Memphis where I load Monday going to Waycross, GA)

My Friday afternoon on Lake Egypt!

Saturday morning starts on the Dock at the lake

The first things you notice – at least on THIS dock – are the sounds and the view. Most of them are natural, as are the surroundings I’m sitting in. Lake Egypt is a skinny, but long and ‘many fingered, lake in southern Illinois. My dock is near the tip of one of those fingers, surrounded by steep, tree-covered hills on the three sides.

And those hills are alive with life- as are the waters too. Birds singing; raindrops hitting the metal roof overhead and then running off into the water around me; all the different birds singing their song; a dog telling its master, “I want to go for another boat ride, plz!” (My friends)! It’s a MUCH simpler life here. A guy could get used to this!

Some friends invited me in for the holiday and I have had a fantastic time; and my bike is sitting ON the trailer still. What you’d call an “Off-Bike” event. And it’s been GREAT! Yesterday was a qwik drive around the area – Ferne Cliff State Park and Goreville (the closest thing to civilization in THESE parts) and then out on the boat to Party Cove – further details are CLASSIFIED!

Friday night was Thanksgiving in July complete with Turkey, stuffing, gravy, green-bean casserole and tea. I WAS a touch disappointed that there was no pumpkin pie though! And then about sunset we met some other folks and went ‘jugging’ – 25 or so 1 qt plastic jugs with 3’to 4’ of line and a shrimp baited hook. Six or seven catfish met their demise this morning as a result – although there was “one that got away” at the last possible second!

This morning started with me cooking French Toast and Bacon for six. The girls went shopping and then the boys went and did what each wanted. So I sit here on the dock of the lake. This afternoon is the Goreville Parade and then tonite are fireworks on the lake.

Post 4th recovery mode – Sunday morning

It rained on and off most of the day yesterday (Sat) but the gods were considerate of Goreville’s Parade and then the fireworks last night at the lake. The main attraction for the parade was the candy thrown. I was impressed by the hundreds of people that lined the six blocks or so of ‘Small Town America’ to watch a 20 minute parade of tractors, 4-wheelers, antique cars and one float. It is this character that is the core of what makes us Americans and the 4th of July is a celebration of that uniqueness. WELL DONE!

The rains returned shortly after the parade – great time for a nap! After dinner the six of us loaded into the boat and dropped anchor near the dam. It’s hard for me to guestimate the number of boats I saw – at least a couple hundred maybe. But everyone tells me it is much fewer than previous years.

The lake association had their show but there was competition ALL around us. My hosts have been here for years and obviously know the best place because we were there. I had to lie down in order to look straight up and see the display from the house less than 100 yards away. Being on the lake allowed you a clear view in all directions because there were a lot of folks celebrating our country’s birthday.

I have seen fireworks in many, many different places -- the parking lot of Mt. Rushmore, across the Potomac River outside Washington, DC -- are among the more memorable. But number one belongs to the VP Fair in St. Louis, which I have seen many times from several vantage points. The best was lying on a blanket with my kids on the cobblestoned bank of the Mississippi River a stones-throw away from three barges tied together where the fireworks were launched from. The visuals were enhanced with the deafening BOOM that reverberated thru our bodies. Any parent will tell you that one of the best possible things in the world is to see your children having the time of their life.

This morning I sit on the deck that surrounds my host’s log cabin. There are 5 hummingbirds about 15 feet away fighting over the feeder. I don’t believe I have ever heard hummers ‘talk’ like these guys. It’s a high pitched twitter almost like a squirrel.

I need to go inside. Sounds like most everyone is up -- breakfast time. I rarely eat 3 meals a day but that is the routine here. I’m going to end up weighing 500 lbs!