Fourth of July 2004

A Sausalito 4th of July

Fireworks are certainly an important part of every July 4th in our family. Typically we walk to the end of our block and view Redwood City's show from the safety of a couple miles. The view from up on our hill allows us to see multiple fireworks shows around the Bay.

One year we got tickets to the symphony and took the boys to hear some "cartoon music" combined with fireworks. We all loved that and Scottie still remembers the fireworks exploding right over our head and the ash falling like snow.

This year we headed up to Sausalito to spend time with June Dutton. When we left our house we were dressed in summer fare. In San Carlos it was in the upper 80s all day. At June's house the fog was moving horizontally and required windshield wipers to properly navigate. It was freezing! When we got out of the car we quickly wondered if the sweatshirts we brought would suffice for the evening's fireworks.

On most days, you can look out from June's living room and see downtown San Francisco. It should be a great place to watch fireworks. But this is the San Francisco where the summer really doesn't kick in until some time in September. We couldn't see the water from June's house let alone anything beyond.

We opted to walk downtown to see Sausalito's local fireworks. We bundled up as best we could and the shorts clad family headed out into the weather. It was freezing. But this was the Fourth of July and so we carried forward. The complaints subsided as Eve selected little known pathways she frequented in her childhood that were somewhat sheltered from the elements.

When we arrived in downtown Sausalito about 20 minutes later we were amazed that we seemed to be in the eye of the storm. There was no fog. It was calm and even felt a bit warm. We found a patch of cement to sit on and awaited darkness. We marveled at the fact that we were surrounded by fog on three sides as the hills of Sausalito protected us from the fog pouring in through the Golden Gate. Our window of clear sky was small but sufficient for fireworks.

A barge sat about 200 yards off the shore which was the source of the fireworks show. The ship seemed to move slightly whenever the fog bank encroached. The fireworks, according to Scottie, were the best ever. Maybe it was that we were closer than normal. Maybe it was that the show aboard the barge was equally interesting to the show in the air. Maybe it was because Scottie wasn't as scared as he was in year's past.

We were warm. We were thrilled. And we promised that we would return to Sausalito for the Fourth of July again next year.

Regards,
Greg

July 4, 2004