4th of July, Grand Canyon National Park

The 4th of July at the North Rim was one of the most unusual experiences I've had here. We did work a full day, but the uniform of khakis and white Oxford-cloth shirt were scrapped in favor of jeans and a Big Bend National Park t-shirt. "Something you won't mind getting wet" was the actual suggestion. At some point this morning, I returned to the accounting office to also discover a "super soaker" water gun had been left on my desk. "I would carry that with you on the property as a deterrent" was the explanation for the gun. And so the holiday was off to an interesting start.

The employee BBQ was terrific. Both lunch and dinner featured hamburgers, chicken breasts, hot dogs, all charcoal-grilled on the patio behind the EDR. The sliced tomatoes in a balsamic dressing with bits of chopped onion, the corn on the cob, the sliced watermelon and cherry pies were the perfect complement to the main course. We could not have asked for a better celebration. And then there was the parade.

It is a tradition for all the inhabitants of the North Rim to celebrate this holiday with a parade down the long driveway that includes representative vehicles, or should I say modes of transportation, to entertain the guests and staff. So, at the appointed hour, led by the Grand Canyon National Park fire engine, the procession began. It was followed by various company vehicles, NPS trucks, decorated golf carts, two-man bicycle surreys, and most impressively, the mule riders decked out in their western gear astride their mules. Oh, and one more thing. The entire parade is also one huge water fight. Guests, staff, management were all armed with water guns, super soakers, garden hoses, even a pressure washer. And the people on the "floats" were armed, too. Huge barrels of water were set up for reloading and someone even brought hotel ice buckets for "splash and dash" warfare. Honestly, it is hard to describe the scene. If you recall the massive pie fights staged by The Three Stooges, this would be comparable. The best part was when the tour bus arrived at the end of this bedlam. Can you imagine what they must have thought! It concluded with the traditional mule riders ascent of the stone steps to the saloon -- on their mules -- for a cold beer.

Finally, tonight, the 4th of July ended personally in a way that I will always remember. I had the urge to go for a drive and just enjoy the 60-degree weather -- it was a "roll down your window" sort of night. It was also a Bruce Springsteen sort of night. So, as I cruised up the two-lane road to Point Imperial, the Boss was providing the soundtrack to a winding, evening drive to one of the Grand Canyon's most famous overlooks. When I arrived, however, much to my surprise not a soul was there. It was as if I had been granted a private audience with this great wonder of the world. And, so while all of you were ending your day in the real world, I was opening all the Jeep's doors and tailgate, cranking up the volume and enjoying what is truly the panorama of "the promised land!"

"You can hide 'neath your covers
And study your pain
Make crosses from your lovers
Throw roses in the rain
Waste your summer praying in vain
For a saviour to rise from these streets
Well now I'm no hero
That's understood
All the redemption I can offer girl
Is beneath this dirty hood
With a chance to make it good somehow
Hey what else can we do now?
Except roll down the window
And let the wind blow
Back your hair
Well the night's busting open
These two lanes will take us anywhere
We got one last chance to make it real
To trade in these wings on some wheels
Climb in back
Heaven's waiting on down the tracks
Oh-oh come take my hand
We're riding out
tonight to case the promised land..."

--from "Thunder Road"