Late (Again) to the Party

“It’s kind of a big deal.” To this day, that simple phrase is burned in my memory. I was so oblivious to something happening so close to home. Before our city experienced a total solar eclipse on August 21, 2017, my brother-in-law Tim called me. It was at least a year in advance if not earlier. He asked if he could stay at our house for the eclipse. He loves science and astronomy, so I was happy to oblige. Full confession: when he called about visiting us to see this solar thing, I had no idea what he was talking about. Looking back, I can’t believe I was so clueless.

I assured him he could stay with us, and even though I would most likely be at work on that day, he was more than happy to check out whatever this science thing was. I quickly forgot about his request and went on with my life. Then, as we got closer and of course everyone was talking about how cool the eclipse was going to be, I started paying more attention.

Our area began preparing for the influx of visitors who would come from miles around and from neighboring states to view the total solar eclipse. It finally occurred to me that this wasn’t just a science thing that only my brother-in-law was interested in. I remember talking to my wife and stressing the importance to her that this “thing” Tim is referring to is kind of a big deal. It’s safe to say that was an understatement of momentous proportion. She just laughed at me. I guess I was the only one who didn’t know how unique it is to be able to view a total solar eclipse without leaving your hometown.

At the time, it was the first total solar eclipse to visit the contiguous United States since 1979. It was also the first coast-to-coast U.S. total solar eclipse since 1918. As luck would have it, our town was directly in its path. It really was a big deal.

Fast forward to last fall when I first started seeing the America250 celebration logo in ads. Again, showing my ignorance, I thought the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, a pivotal moment in U.S. history, was worthy of celebration, but I don’t feel I truly grasped how significant this milestone really is.

This year we’ve seen nationwide festivities promoting community engagement, as we reflect on the nation’s values and achievements over the past two and a half centuries. Everything seems to be ramping up for the Fourth of July holiday, and I’m excited to celebrate.

I love seeing boating manufacturers getting excited for the 250th celebration too. The best example might just be our cover feature this month. For decades, Avalon and Tahoe CEO Jim Wolf has been on some truly epic adventures, exploring different bodies of water to showcase his pontoons. It started with a Baltimore, Md., to Key West, Fla., trip years ago. I was actually on that trip, and it turned out to be another “big deal” as the Michigan-based manufacturer would go on to do eight more excursions, including a recent trip down the Hudson River in New York to see the Statue of Liberty. There are other people excited to celebrate our milestone anniversary as a country, but this level of dedication is truly above and beyond.

This excitement and pride for our country is not limited to just the boating world either. I’m sure you’ve noticed a different feel-good vibe this year in your circles as we head towards the Fourth of July holiday. I’m gearing up for an epic celebration that I’m sure we’ll be talking about for years! Why? In case you haven’t caught on, celebrating the 250th anniversary of our nation’s independence is kind of a big deal.

Brady L. Kay,
Pontoon & Deck Boat Editor