What a Weekend!
M. McCoy
It all started on the evening of Friday, July 2, at the Tetonia rodeo grounds. They dished up the whole works: mutton busters, country music, pole benders, team ropers, budding rodeo royalty, the announcer's obligatory cornball jokes, and more--including, to quote the old Johnny Russell song, "red necks, white socks, and Blue Ribbon beer."
The next morning we were off to Victor for the 4th of July Parade (even though it was only July 3rd). The parade was good; it lasted about an hour and drew what appeared to be a record crowd. (In case you've never been, know this: On no other day of the year will you see half as many people in Victor as on the 4th--or the 3rd--of July.)
After a quick bite, it was down to the golf club at Huntsman Springs to take in a free putting and chipping clinic from 79-year-old retired golf pro Billy Casper. And he's a good one to take lessons from--fellow player Chi Chi Rodriguez once called him "... the greatest putter I ever saw ... When golf balls used to leave the factory, they prayed they would get to be putted by Billy." He's also a super-nice, surprisingly humble guy.
That evening it was back to Huntsman Springs, this time for the "Celebrate America with Glenn Beck" event that spawned so many dozens of letters to the editors of the local newspapers before it ever happened. Though I'd heard his name, I really didn't even know who Beck was until the controversy over him exploded. Now I know. He's quite the tent preacher of patriotism, I'll say that for him.
Finally, Sunday evening I bicycled down to the Spud Drive-In for the Widespread Panic concert. Whereas the Glenn Beck event the night before had lots of babies, this one had lots of beer; while many people at the Widespread concert sported tattoos, at the Beck show I noticed a plethora of Tea Party buttons. I guess one good thing about the latter is that, unlike a tattoo, it's easy to take off if you change your mind and decide you don't like it.
Happy Birthday, America!
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