Day 85: Yee-haw! It’s a country western fourth of July!

DAY 85: Greeley, Colorado
Miles traveled: 11,931
States visited: 26
Weather: 84, monsoon conditions

This weekend I did a quick drive-by through Denver. I had time to check out a couple of choice spots. First, the Buffalo Exchange for used clothing – they had the best selection of shoes I’ve seen at a thrift store. Then I went to Paris on the Platte. This was the perfect kind of coffeeshop – it was a trendy place with great music (Velvet Underground!) and the staff was friendly and unpretentious.

The night I arrived in Denver a monsoon took over, making driving treacherous.

I managed to find my way to their Arts Festival. It was pretty run of the mill, though I did enjoy the wire-skeleton-guitarists.

Saturday was July 4 and I wanted to do something other then drive around aimlessly by myself. Fortunately I was able to meet up with my friend Jackie, who I’d met when we were both couchsurfing in New Orleans. She lives in nearby Greeley so we headed out there for the fireworks celebration.

The festival was sponsored by Hot Pockets so when we got our picture taken, it was in front of a green screen and they superimposed the Hot Pockets logo behind us. I happened to be wearing a green shirt, which meant that I came out looking all psychedelic.

The Hot Pockets mascot was there along with the mascot from Northern Colorado University. They did the Soulja Boy dance and the Macarena.

There was a country music concert as part of the festival, with Blake Shelton and Bucky Covington performing. We got in free, which was lucky because I wouldn’t have paid to see them.

The concert was held at the Greeley Rodeo, so the floor was mud. Half the guys in attendance wore cowboy hats. This was the most redneck thing I’ve ever done. But I really enjoyed it because it was a new life experience. It was totally different from anything I’ve done on this trip so far.

Outside the arena another band called Trailer Choir performed. They have a rocker-type lead singer with a hottie chick and a 380-pound dancing maniac on harmony vocals. Their songs are catchy and silly, like “Beer Gut,” coming soon to a country radio station near you. I predict big things for these kids.

Of course the fireworks capped off the night. It was an all-American, redneck fourth of July – one I can say for sure I never forget.