Fourth celebration a real firecracker

Hundreds of kids of all ages prepare for the traditional Fourth of July Decorated Bike and Hike Parade at Black Butte Ranch last Friday. photo by Tom Chace

It was a red, white and blue festive day at Black Butte Ranch as residents, guests and people from the Sisters area celebrated the Fourth of July.

An estimated throng of 300 assembled at the Sports Field, near the Big Meadow Golf Course, at mid-morning on Friday to decorate anything that moved and was not motorized.

Bicycles, tricycles, baby carriages, strollers, bikes with babies in a pull-along behind, dogs, children too young to ride and a mass of parents and assorted relations. All were decorated with red, white and blue streamers, bows, tissue paper wrap and balloons.

It was a colorful and joyful sight.

The annual parade started right on time at 11 a.m. It was led by two of Black Butte Ranch's finest fire engines, specially washed and shiny red with lights flashing and the deep bass horn beeping and an occasional wail coming from one of their sirens.

The marchers, without cadence, flowed in behind.

The pace on one side of the road was set by the youngest walkers. On the other side it moved at the speed set by the smaller bike people. It was slowed to just the right pace for parents and grandparents by the tricyclers.

The last of the last were the teens who joined in the spirit with their bike wheels laced with colored streamers and flags and other bunting raised from handle bars and back book racks. They, too, took it easy and swerved and circled so as not to run up on the heels of the marchers ahead.

Hawksbeard was awash with kids and people of all ages as the parade inexorably wound its way, although the road is mainly straight, toward the BBR Lodge.

Most, however, were tired from the 1/2-mile trek, and pulled off at the recreation center where another 200 or so parents, grandparents, friends and onlookers joined in for more fun beginning at noon.

The annual barbecue attracted an estimated 500 eaters, according to Amanda McNerney, a Lodge restaurant worker. They devoured pans of barbecued ribs and chickens, mounds of potato salad and bowl upon serving bowl of coleslaw. Sliced watermelon ended the buffet.

"Seconds" -- or thirds -- came without extra cost.

Out in front of a not-big-enough tent was a horde of several dozen people surrounding a make-believe stage where parents were dancing with their youngsters and other youngsters were dancing with each other. The music was raucous and wonderful.

Biff Harley, known in his real life as Rick Evans, played the music from an endless collection of great songs, each better than the one before. Evans is the "morning man" on Bend radio 99.7 FM, "The Mountain."

After the freelance dancing, he then called for a Hoola Hoop contest.

He had more entries than he could handle in one round so he ran six or eight "contests" with eight or 10 kids in each.

Among those who "won" their heat were Amy Click, from Vancouver, Washington, granddaughter of Peggy Click-Taylor, a Black Butte Ranch resident.

Her sister, Sarah also won her group, both, obviously, having learned the knack, swing and grace from their grandmother.

Others were Haley Moxx from Lake Oswego; Susanna Corrado from Alamo; Suzy Smuthers from Tacoma and Cinda Dixon from Mesa, Oregon.