Remembering another July 4th

A couple of years ago I wrote about celebrating Independence Day in 1989 by leaving New Mexico and heading to Phoenix. If you've been in Phoenix on July 4, you know what "h-o-t" is!

There is another July 4th that is a favorite of mine. I had left Santa Rosa, Calif., where I had attended the 6-Day Course (of the est Training program). Has anyone else around here done the est Training or the 6-Day Course?

After dropping off another participant of the Course in San Francisco and then visiting friends in Sacramento. I headed east on U.S. 50. Somewhere in Nevada, some guys in a pick-up passed me, and a hat blew off the head of one man who was riding in the bed of the truck. I saw him reach toward his head to try to save his cap, but he was too late. The truck didn't stop, but I did. There was no other traffic on the road, and I retrieved his cap.

Pulling up behind them, I motioned them to move over so I could pull up on the right and hand his hat back.. Ever drive in Nevada? We were the only vehicles for 50 miles (so it looked). The guy must have thought his hat was gone, for sure, and I remember his wave of thanks, as he put the hat back on.

The early 1980s were some of the best years of my life!