I decorated my bicycle with red, white, and blue streamers and gathered the candy bag. There was great excitement in the air as I sailed to the beginning of the neighborhood. All the houses had American flags displayed in the front yards. It was a humid morning and it was time to line up for the Independence Day parade.
There were about twenty people already in line for the parade. Each person had decorated a bicycle or wagon in red, white, and blue streamers. There was an older man who had decorated his lawnmower with balloons. There were so many of them it appeared that he would fly away.
The parade began and the people were waving American flags on both sides of the street as the parade progressed down the street. I threw candy while riding by on my bicycle. It was a site to see especially when my bike hit a bump in the road and I almost hit the ground. It was a grand time for everyone involved the event.
Afternoon came and my family began preparing for the main event of the day. There were several relatives coming over to enjoy our new house for the holiday. We had moved into the new house in May.
The house was larger than our last one and my father had just finished building the swimming pool. He loved gas grills and swimming pools. Each morning the swimming pool water would be tested and cleaned. This afternoon the water in the pool was blue and sparkling in the sun. It looked inviting in the midafternoon heat.
The grill was hot and my father brought the meat out to be cooked. In our house it was common to marinate all types of meat to be cooked on the grill overnight. The tender meat consisted of chicken and small beef chunks. There was enough to feed a large number of people.
The aroma of the meat while on the grill cooking was a pleasure for the senses. The smell of spicy and sweet marinade acted as a magnet to the grill. It seemed like an eternity passed before the meat was done.
The next part of our contribution to the evening meal was homemade ice cream. The ice cream mixture was prepared and put into a wooden hand cranked maker. The ice and salt around the ice cream container would splash out on the concrete as the crank was turned.
The job of turning the crank fell to my brother. He would make up songs as the crank turned. These songs were funny and often the lyrics depicted what was going on around him at the time.
The time came for my relatives to arrive for the holiday. Many containers filled with food were brought through the house to the back yard. My mother had prepared a picnic table covered with a red tablecloth with a small container filled with silverware and napkins. Soon the table was filled with delicious looking side dishes and desserts.
After the meal was finished it was time to swim in the pool. The water was cool and refreshing in the late afternoon heat. Going down the slide was the best part of the swimming pool. It was about ten feet tall and had a curve in the center. Water came through the spouts on the side making it easy to slide into the water.
I climbed up the ladder and decided go down head first on my back into the water. This could be a tricky thing to do if you were not careful. Time seems to go by quickly as you go down and hit the water. Many times I had water up my nose from trying this. Still it was always fun to do.
Next was a game of water volleyball in which everyone participated. This was a fun game that had teams mixed with adults and children. There was never a clear winner but everyone had a great time.
Finally the sun set and it was time for the firework show. Our house was close enough to where the firework show was being held that we could see it clearly in the backyard. There were explosions of multicolored lights in the air. There was a different array of shapes and colors with each burst. It was a wonderful site to see.
Soon it was time for everyone to go home. The tables were cleared and everything was cleaned. There were hugs and announcements that we would meet again soon. The perfect end to another adventure. All was well within our souls.
It was a humid summer morning in the military park. All around were monuments to a war of another century. In Mississippi there are no mountains and only a few hills. In Vicksburg the military park has a lot of hills with many twists and turns. I had decided to ride my bicycle in the park with a friend.
There is a huge difference in being twenty-five years old and forty-two years old. My friend was young and training for a marathon. Riding a bicycle on these hills was going to be easy for her. I had ridden these hills at a much younger age and now they looked daunting and frightening. I had many qualms about attempting this ride after so many years.
The road in the beginning of the park is flat and an easy ride. My friend told me she would see me at the end of the ride. The park is a circle so it would end close to this spot. So the adventure began.
Making my way around the first several twists and turns was fun and quite easy. Looking at the monuments as was scenic and fun. But soon the road began the twists and turns and the first big hill was at hand. Since it was early in the ride the hill was not as difficult as I had imagined. At the top looking down I could see a steep curve on the bottom of the hill.
I began my descent to the curve. It is amazing how fast a bicycle seems to go down a hill. It is a thrill with the wind blowing on my face. Slowing hitting my brakes the curve was made and again at the bottom of the hill. That was fun and exciting.
The next mile of the road had a few hills and again the scenery could be admired. All the monuments in the park have a story. On a cooler morning it is fun to recount the history and understand what the symbolism is in all the monuments. This morning it is a time to recoup my nerves and get ready for the next steep hill.
There is another bicycle rider in the park. He is training for a century ride in the Colorado mountains. There are several of these one hundred mile rides in this country. He speaks a greeting as he passes me and continues on the journey,
The next hill is on a circle that overlooks a valley in the park. This is an easier hill to maneuver with beautiful tall trees surrounding it. It is a beautiful morning and the sun shines through the trees. I love this part of the ride.
Moving on to the next hill gives me great hesitation. It is steep and leads up to an old ship from the war. This ship was one of the first to be sunk by a mine in the water. Having been restored it is now a museum. It is a wonderful place to visit and relive some history.
The day is hot and I am struggling to get up this hill. Panting and going slow it seems like only a few inches are accomplished with each pedal. The century rider is beside me and shouts encouraging words as he easily passes and hits the top of the hill. Finally after what seems to be forever I reach to top of this hill.
Coasting down to the bottom of the hill with the wind blowing it is easier to breathe. There is a place to sit outside the museum and take a small break. The water in the bottle is still cold having not yet melted from being frozen overnight in the freezer. Such things are a small pleasure in life when taking a break.
The remainder of the park is filled with small hills and places to reflect upon the journey through life. Since it is early summer the park is filled with wild flowers and green trees. The scenery is stunning and quite beautiful.
I have ridden over ten miles in the beautiful park and am relieved to see the end of the trail. My friend has been finished with the trail for some time now. Packing up the bicycles she stated that the ride was easy and great for her rest day of training.
Looking back upon the trail I reflect on my experience. There are no more qualms about this ride. It was difficult and fun. I am alive and excited to ride the park on the bicycle again on another day. Another wonderful adventure in life and nurturing for my soul.
