DAY 14
Week 2
SOMERS BAY (Montana, USA)
Tuesday July 4th, 2006
TODAYS MILEAGE – 0 miles or 0 kilometres
TRIP MILEAGE – 1763 miles or 2837 kilometres
July 4th is Independence day over here.
After living here for going on 12 years, this was the first (in my eyes) traditional 4th of July celebration that I have been a part of. It was the whole extended family, burgers & dogs, blow shit up kind of deal that I've seen portrayed over the years in numerous, TV shows, movies and the like.
The day started off with Pete commandeering his party barge back and taking a heap of the family members, across the lake to Big Fork, for the July 4th Parade. They also tooled around the bank and rivers just checking things out.
I forwent the party barge in favour of fixing a couple of broken drawers in the Man Pad, doing a heap of laundry, updating the blog and trying to organize my airfares to New Zealand and Australia in October/November.
When everyone got back, the pyro's of the group (namely JR, Gump and myself) jumped into JR's BMW (Big Mormon Wagon i.e. Chevy Suburban) with the aim of providing the evenings entertainment. First stop was the cracker store where $140 got us 132 multiple shot mortars, 2 boxes of thunder bungers, a box of underwater crackers, 4 sky rockets and a box of sparklers. Over to the bottlo for some Captain Morgan and a quick stop at the supermarket for ½ a dozen cartons of piss and some tucker. We were set!!! 
JR and his bride Shelly (who shall be known as Chicken Lips as she has trouble pronouncing my name) threw together a great spread of burger & dogs, with Gump manning the barbeque.
Over the meal and for an hour or so later, I had a great chat with Grandpa Jim and how he took the train to Tennessee to go to Optometrists School when he left the military. I've always loved sitting down with the older folks and just chatting about anything and everything. For my mind, living history just fascinates me and I try and soak in as much as I can when I meet really interesting people.
As the sun was setting, those of us who could, traipsed on down to the boat dock for the fireworks show. All around the lake, people were letting off fireworks in celebration of the 4th. We had our own fair show going on mind you, but by about 11PM most of the show was over. It was a great evening, you simply had to be there.
The most disturbing aspect of the night as the number of boats going flat chat to get back the boat slip, in the rush to get their boats out of the water, after the fireworks ended. We saw heaps of logs in the water as well as a large branches in broad daylight while keeping an eye out for such hazards, but these wanker were blasting along with no lights other than running lights. It wasn't just one boat - I gave up counting at 20.
I am forever grateful for Forrest and his family for not only extending the invitation for me to join them, over what is an important family holiday, but also to everyone who welcomed me with open arms as "one of the family". I've had a truly remarkable time over the last several days here in Somers Bay.
• SOMERS BAY (Montana, USA)