POST #4 -- It's a grand old flag

Fourth of July.  The most American of holidays.  (Hey, the Canadians also do Thanksgiving...)

I celebrated the day in one of the most American of cities, Twin Falls, Idaho, population 44,125.

This is the place where Evil Knievel unsuccessfully tried to jump over the Snake River on a motorcycle in 1974.

And this is the place that Livability.com has named one of the nation's Top Ten Places to Smooch.  (Really. That's what they tell me at the Visitor's Center.) 

In Twin Falls I found myself enjoying the company of one of the city's native sons, Emery Petersen. We're shown here at Shoshone Falls, a taller-than-Niagra wonder that startles the otherwise sleepy meandering of the Snake River.

I've known Emery for years.  He's one of my favorite winter-time tennis buddies in Palm Desert.  But each summer he returns to his roots.  Twins Falls is where he was born, and it's where he met his high school sweetheat, Ruby.  This is where they wed 53 years ago.  And this is where Emery took me on a Grand Tour of Twin Falls, which he was able to complete in a little more than an hour.  Lesser guides would have needed more time.  Bu Emery talks kinda fast.  And he drives his Cadillac kinda fast.  I'd have liked to capture more of Emery's Blog-worthy commentary, but I was having a hard time keeping up with his rapid-fire narrative... and the rapid flow of scenery past my window.

Twin Falls is where Emery took over the family business after a spate of world travel and a stellar managerial career with American Can Corp.
He came home knowing that Twin Falls was the only/right place to raise his family.

The family business, Petersen's (what else?), was started by Emery's mother. It grew from a shoe and boot store into a full-fledged saddlery and western clothing emporium.  It held a proud position right in the heart of Twin Falls' Main Street... until America abandoned Main Street for the malls.

Emery had more than a few memories to share as he showed me the old Petersen's storefront, pictured here, which is now occupied by the cobbler who once worked in the shoe and boot department.

 Prior to enjoying the Twin Falls Fireworks show, I had my GCDJ (great conversation of the day) with Clayton Larson, an eloquent and self-assured young citizen who was selling fireworks to help the high school cheerleaders buy some fancy new uniforms.

Eloquent and smart, that's Clayton.

                                                                                                                                                                            

The evening fireworks were spectacular, but even more impressive was the Twin Falls crowd.  Immensely appreciative and respectful at the pre-pyrotechnic concert by the Twin Falls Municipal band -- the nation's oldest at 107 years of continuous performance -- these people know how to love their country and their military veteran neighbors who have served.

Under the direction of Music Director Ted Hadley, the program was as star-spangled as they come. 

Who can help but get a lump in the throat when a brass band plays 'America' on the 4th of July?
(Not 'America the Beautiful', mind you.  But 'America': "My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty.")

 And who can fail to be impressed when the entire crowd stands at the finale of the concert and sings the Star Spangled Banner... AND  'Here We Go Idaho', the state song?

Everybody knew the words.  All the words.  
"We'll go singing, singing of you, singing of Idaho."

Thank you, America.
Thank you, Emery.
Thank you, Twin Falls.


Tomorrow I leave Idaho and make my way to Northern Utah. I hope to do make a brief exploration Cache Valley and then get myself settled into a campsite on the edge of Bear Lake before nightfall.