4th of July weekend

The 4th of July weekend. The official beginning of the tourist season in the Berkshires, the weekend of multiple James Taylor concerts at Tanglewood , the out of town drivers who just continue to drive through intersections even though there are stop signs that are rimmed with flashing red lights, the tourists that think that downtown is like an open mall and that wandering aimlessly into and across the street without looking isn't a smart thing to do. The locals are pretty much attuned to this and we joke about having to watch out for for the tourists who do these things and then some of them yell at you when you call them on it.

As I came home from work Friday, the traffic on the highway heading toward the Berkshires was heavier, but it was also faster and much more aggressive. A sign that city drivers are on their way. Watching them continue their jockeying once off the exit, is irritating. The 2 lane road leading thousands to Tanglewood only goes so fast and unless they knew my route cutting through the back streets, they'd be in Lenox a while after I would be already home, regardless of their aggressiveness.

But the tourists are a tremendous blessing. Both my kids can hold down 2 summer jobs that are totally dependent on the waves of people coming in and out, spending what I would consider exorbitant amounts, but then I spend more more on vacation than I would at home, as well. I also don't want to come across as negative about all the visitors. Perhaps I should define them into "visitors" and "tourists". "Visitors" slip into the area respectfully and enjoy themselves and contribute to the economy and to the vitality of the area and are just nice people, something that we aspire to when we travel. Whereas "tourists" come in and wonder why this area isn't more like what they left behind and want to let their presence be known, can be rude and basically clueless and want to be catered to. The "visitors" are always welcome, the "tourists" are welcome for what they contribute economically.

I was reading that Tanglewood would draw 18,000 people at just one of the Taylor concerts, 3 times the town population. On my side of Lenox, you'd never know that this crowd was 2 miles away as the noise doesn't really carry and as a local, you know where and when not to go certain places. Yesterday I was scraping and painting the house and today will be digging up the septic tank cover for pumping next week. Quite a contrast from picnicking on the lawns of Tanglewood or strolling through the shops in town. But as we all know, regular life goes on behind the scenes of where others vacation.

Tomorrow is the big 4th of July parade in Pittsfield. A big event with floats and big balloon characters and preceded by the big 5k race, that draws over a thousand runners. Of course I'll be one of them and this year be joined by one of my kids.

Happening just before the parade and including a leg the goes up and back the parade route, running with thousands of spectators is quite different from my solitary runs along the back roads. I remember 3 years ago my goal was to finish this 3.2 mile race and not be dead last, tailed by the ambulance bringing up the end. Back then I finished well before the last runner and I logged 75 road miles last month and easily finished several 5 mile runs with hills this week and in good time. So the race tomorrow is more for fun and to try to beat my previous times.

It's starting to cloud up. Not a good sign, though supposedly there are only intermittent showers predicted. Sometimes that becomes intermittent periods when it isn't raining but I'll hope for the lessor amounts of rain. Being a little mercenary, outside diners are the source of good tips for my kids, so I don't like anything to discourage them.

Well, happy 4th of July weekend. Enjoy where ever you may be.