A Slice of American Apple Pie on the Fourth of July in Lovely Ouray: Let There be Blood in the Streets

Sidewalks are jammed, parking nonexistent, one hour waiting lines at restaurants, yet they come—year in and year out. Fourth of July Tourists looking to see a good fight, retribution for lost bragging rights…maybe even a little blood. It's Lovely Ouray's equivalent to Bull Fighting in Spain, a duel that leaves opponents alive, but exhausted and bruised for days. It's amazing what 90 pounds of pressure will do to water. A fire hose nozzle can be a weapon of destruction—knock you off your feet, steal your breath, freeze you stiff, and leave you black and blue. The contestants call it fun, the crowd calls it crazy. You just have to see it to believe it.


My son, Caleb, came up for the holiday. He's currently out hiking with Bobbie and Boonie…trying to make the "Ridge to Heaven," about a six mile hike round trip with an elevation gain of nearly 2500 feet. Yes it's steep. I had to be here at the Gallery by 11:00 am so had to turn around before the Ridge. I got a call from Bobbie about the time I reached home, saying they all made it. An hour and a half later I got another call, Bobbie again, saying her and Caleb went on up another two miles to the "Bridge of Heaven." This makes for an 11 mile hike and about 3,000 feet of elevation gain from our front door. Bobbie's supposed to be at work by 5:00 pm, but I don't think she's going to make it. We'll see. 
And I thought I was "goal oriented." Sheesh, what a woman!

First they hose down the crowd…. 

Then the fights get under way

The kill shot…bounce the water stream off the chest of your opponent and flood the area behind their face mask. Breathing gets a little bit tough...

Brutal, just freaking B R U T A L ! Fights can go on for 30 to 45 minutes or longer.

Warming up hands is the first order of post-water fight business

Bobbie wanted a tour of Boonies shiny new rig...

She wasn't impressed so I think we'll keep the Lazy Daze :))

A hike above Boonie's Camp on Portland Trail

Either a Mariposa Lily or a Sego Lily… they are hard to distinguish according to my "Bobbie App." Whatever it is it has the most enchanting pistils and stamens…very sensual, for a flower.

"The Energizer Bobbie" leads the way...