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Ode to Evel Knievel
My 5 year-old told me Evel Knievel died. He and his dad, (yes, my husband) were watching videos of Eve's stunts at the time. Hearing of his death prompted them to turn to the Web to watch Eve's antics.
This summer we went to our 2nd Evel Knievel Days in Butte, Montana. Evel is from there, and the town has taken that to heart. Good for Butte that someone with some pizazz is from there. Some celebrities sort of fade away, and whatever festival occurred when they were alive peter out. Not so for Evel Knievel Days. I expect next year's crowd could even get bigger.
There are some events that take a person by surprise. This was one of them. Okay, so my kids got all wired up on Monster Energy, that new drink that debuted sometime in June or July. They were gulping it down, one can after another since one booth was handing it out free, and the weather was hotter than the blazes. My husband finally read the label's warning against giving it to kids, particularly young ones. It's LOADED with caffeine. I've nixed Mountain Dew awhile back for the same reason. My son was a jabbering nut case (not really, this is an exaggeration, but it did seem he was talking faster than usual, and he's a talker.)
But, back to Evel Knieval Days. (see previous post) This is much more of a high brow event than I expected. I thought it would be a tough- talking crowd, and dicey with the family fare aspect. Nope. Not so. Bring the gang. Grandma and Grandpa included. Of course, I only went during the day, so I can't vouch for the night crowd. I expect it's fairly tame, although with a bit more drinking--not Monster Energy drink, but beer.
This summer we did see Evel. He pulled up in his chauffeured car to address the crowd waiting for one of the dare devil stunts to happen. One of the things I liked was the flash. He was not a big guy, but he sure had a presence that still has a huge following. The daredevils out there are not diminishing.
This summer my son asked if he could be a daredevil. He's still asking. Just last Wednesday when I picked him up at his school bus stopped, the first thing he said when he got in the car was, "Can I be a daredevil when I grow up."
My response? "Maybe."
Thanks, Evel.
Filed under: Arts and Culture, History, Festivals and Events, Stories, News
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Erica Dec 2nd 2007 1:40AM
His legacy extends beyond his era... through several generations, and I expect several more to come.