3rd Thursdays--Main Street-Sheridan

 



     For some reason when I roam around Sheridan --the country song --Small Town, Saturday Night  bounces through my head.   Especially when bored of my small home and wandering the streets late at night.   All of the street lights start flashing at midnight, and the truck stop and Wal Mart are about the only places still open.   The main drivers, are teens perpetually looking for something to do, and cops ready to catch them, when they find something to adventurous to do.  

     Bigger cities defiantly have more to do, but with that comes way more people, more expensises, and a much higher crime rate.   Arizona has huge, great indoor flea markets that take up acres of space for all the snowbirds and actual residents alike.   The great northwest is so happy to see sunshine in the summer time that they have festivals galore!    Eugene, Oregon has one of the best Saturday markets, right down town I believe I have ever been to.   You just have to look past many of the hippies, who for the most part make the day great.    Seattle has the huge public market that you could get lost in for hours and not even see half of the great products.  
   

   Now to Sheridan.

   I wandered down to the 3^rd Thursday street festival tonight.   If you live in Sheridan you not only know what it is, you were probably yourself downtown.  In a town with little to do, the residents flock to anything that could be an event.   Any time I was off work, I have been to this in the last few summers now, and have to say it is very kool.    Far outranking the Saturday markets I have briefly visited in Sheridan.   Which mainly consisted of a couple of tents and some random music type noises.  

    This is actually a very kool event.   Especially for those with rat loads AKA kids.   The streets are full of hands on events for the kids and the young at heart if you are a smooth enough talker.   I was very happy to see a Fat Tire beer tent downtown.   Because that usually quickly helps even the worse stage singers sound like American Idol winners!   Bad singing was not present this evening.  And beverages were not in my future either.   Although I had cash with me, I had forgotten to grab my ID and at this point in my life, I still get carded about half of the time.   O well!   It was still a great night.  

 

   Activities range from live music on both ends of the closed down street.   "Driving" a fire engine.   Bull riding, and endless great food tasting.   And of course free people watching.   Something I always have the cash and time for.  

      At first making my appearance my mind changed gears in almost a complete 360 very quickly.   From noticing how long I have been out of this fair city.  Mostly because with all of the people roaming the streets, I knew very few of them.   This is not completely true, I recognized lots of faces –most of there names escaped me.   And with my long absence, I doubt most of them had a clue who I was.  Although I apparently have changed very little in appearance since high school daze.   People come up to me all the time at work, most appear familiar, many not at all, that know my parents and or me from growing up.   Part of the problems I have with names spurs forming code names for most of the people I work or hang out with.   It soon becomes the only name I associate with the face.   And when someone askes me how ol Bob is doing, I quickly wander who the heck Bob is-----O that’s my dad….  

    Than my mind jumped to what would have been if I had stayed in this small town.  And not ran far away one winter when I was 19.    I have traveled the US since than, and frankly never thought I would come back.  And now have twice!    Everyone I know here seems to be married and or have kids.   And is so used to the way of life here, they might not ever make it in another state.   The first gave me flashbacks to my years with my best friend and her three wonderful kids.   Although it is great fun to explore and see things through kids eyes.  It is also a humongous headache when other people –especially many other people are involved.   *In fact many might say I share the same thought waves with kids, so we get along very very well!   I think back to a recentish trip to Vegas with the kids.   Although it advertises itself as a family town, it is far from one.   And we spent most exploring time dripping in the sun with one adult leading and one following the kids.   All the way keeping them moving, out of forbidden areas, and from collecting the endless 900 number ads with gals with very few clothes on.   Those were for my personnel collection.   For the nights I ended up sleeping on the couch.   Anyways, going to the street fair alone made for an amazingly quick exploring experience.   Although I greatly missed having people beside me to share it with.   I miss that feeling a lot every day. 

To the left is Main Street on a normal day--rush hour.  Above is a picture I did not take--but love!   Also Main Street in the winter.

   About shutting down time for the fun, about time for the rain to start and sprinkle.    Supposed to rain a lot here again soon.    *Song ---rain is a good thing. *    As I passed Buggy Bath #2 --I witnessed a line of people instantly saddened that they had picked today to wash there vehicles.     

If your are a tourist, or just trying to get across town be prepared for slow moving.   Beyond the street fair --will be the sting of endless road repairs.  Luckily Sheridan has many alternate routes.   And is one of those towns that is impossible to get lost in!   Enjoy looking around the town.  And especially the great downtown.   I have written about downtown Sheridan before.  And believe it is one of the nicest, well kept around by far!

      Downtown will not see a better event until the last Thursday in July.   And than the Rodeo with all of its street dances and such.   

   If you try to take your adult beverages out of the street fair, or attempt to drink and drive--Don't!   For an awesome change of pace, take the trolley home, or have your wife drive for once.