As we drove home from our family picnic at the trail head to Chimney Rock last night, I remarked to Bill that it had truly been a North Idaho day for me.
We had just met and visited with a couple who were camping in the same area. We worried that they might be a little put-out by our invasion of what they had picked as their "own private Idaho."
We couldn't have been further from the truth. While the rest of us were hiking on a nice little trail or fishing in the crystal clear creek, Bill had extended a gesture of friendship, offering them a couple of our pale ales.
He grew up in Sandpoint, Bill later told me. That's all the license I needed to go over and strike up a friendship. Turns out Clint, who plays base in the Miah Kohal band, and his friend Trinity, a hair stylist, were happy to see us there, mainly after seeing Idaho license plates on all of our rigs.
Clint actually went to school with Annie, said he hadn't seen her for years. Of course, I updated him on her adventurous life. We had a great visit, which included noting Bill's crick fishing article in Sandpoint Magazine.
Bill had seen the string of fish they carried back from their day of crick fishing, so he figured they might enjoy the article. Clint said he'd be looking it up as soon as he got back to town.
Clint knew that area really well as he had spent many a time with his dad, hiking the trails and catching dinner with worms and salmon eggs.
On down the road, we blew up some dust as we came to a stop to say hi to Sandpoint educator Perky Hagadone and her daughter-in-law who were washing camp dishes so as not to attract any bears to their overnight camping spot. Her son and a friend were back at camp, relaxing.
My personal Fourth of July experience turned out to be vintage North Idaho from start to finish. I sat with two Sandpoint natives, doing my duty for the Fourth of July parade. Only problem encountered was that those McNearney sisters look a lot alike.
My mode of conversation with one took a sudden turn when she finally informed me that she had graduated in 1967. When she saw the look on my face, she said, "You thought I was my sister."
Sure enough, I did. That sister was one of my students. The mix-up didn't make a lot of difference cuz we had fun and laughed a lot anyway.
The photos above best reflect the fun of the day with most of the faces being folks I've known forever.
I did not know the participants in the Fiesta Bonita exhibit in yesterday's parade but did get acquainted with Louis on the beautiful black Friesen later. He works at the Mexican restaurant in Ponderay.
It appears to me that folks outdid themselves yesterday to participate in and to enjoy all the positive flavor that comes with a great American birthday party.
Along with that, there were moments to remember and to appreciate some those who have sacrificed or worked behind the scenes for the rest of us to continue these wonderful annual traditions.
A great day, indeed.
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