By: Stephanie Reynolds
It’s July. A distant tinny melody floats like a sailboat over waves of water-soaked air. Your little kid heart beats faster as you sprint inside, “MOM! MOM! The ice cream truck! Can I get a Popsicle? Please?!” You hop from foot to foot as your mom digs a few coins from a black leather change purse with a gold snap clasp. You listen desperately to the music still playing on the block, afraid you might miss the treasure.
She drops the coins in your hand and you race out the door, your bare feet pounding the wooden porch in a reverberating “thud-thud-thud.” You ignore the slight sting on your big toe as it catches the edge of a board step, running with all your might across a hot driveway then down the sidewalk.
He’s still there! You stop, panting, behind the line of kids getting Nutty Buddies and ice cream sandwiches. You frantically scan the faded, peeling stickers on the side of the truck that show each treat offered. You are looking for The One. Before you can finish looking, though, it’s your turn. “Um, do you have Bomb Pops?” you ask hopefully
“Yep, here ya’ go,” the ice cream man says as you stand on tiptoe to hand him the coins and take your treat.
“Thanks!” you say as the next child in line nudges you mindlessly away from the window.
You walk over to the grass which feels refreshing after standing on the hot pavement. Slowly, carefully, you open the bottom of the package ‘til you can grab the stick. Sometimes, the Popsicle is stuck to the paper, and you have to blow in the wrapper to unstick it. But the July sun is friendly to impatient and vaguely overheated children, and the Popsicle slides out easily.
You take a moment to look at your treasure. Sweetly flavored ice in pale red, white, and muted blue immediately starts dripping in sticky sugar droplets which you lick quickly. Soon it becomes a race to see if you can catch the drips before they flow onto your hand. The ice starts melting faster and you put the whole Popsicle in your mouth. You smell as much as taste the wood of the stick, and you try to chew down the rest of the bomb pop before the brain freeze hits. This is the taste of summer.
It’s July. You signed up for an early morning race on the 4th. You maybe aren’t the strongest runner, but the nice tourism lady assured you that you can walk (“This is for fun! It’s part of the whole celebration! Go as slow or fast as you like!”).
Your footfalls — steady, methodical — provide a rhythmic beat to accompany the early morning birdsong. Lush branches, heavy laden with chlorophyll emeralds, reach over your head to shelter you from the increasingly brilliant sun. You glance at the flat-rocked creek meandering beside you like a lazy, indolent, distractible pacer, and you wonder how much a quick dip would cost you in time.
The faint sound of music on the fresh morning air brings you back to focus. As you get closer, you realize it isn’t music but cheering—you are near the end! Your feet, shod in Vibram-outsoled mesh, are protected from the boards of the covered bridge, and you briefly enjoy the extra loud thud-thud-thud reverberating through the wood.
You kick in a little burst of speed, as much as you can manage, to the finish. Yes, there is a line; yes, there is a timer; yes, there is a crowd cheering.
But you run past all those to the little truck just a little way up. “Do you have any Bomb Pops?” you ask through panted breaths.
“Yep, here ya’ go,” the man says as he hands you a giant Popsicle you earned.
“Excuse me,” the person behind you says politely, and you step aside to the grass. You open the end of the wrapper. Mobile coolers being much better these days, you find the Popsicle is still frozen to the paper. You smile briefly and blow into the end of the wrapper, instantly freeing your prize.
Frosted and sweetly flavored ice in pale red, white, and muted blue immediately starts melting in sticky sugar droplets which you lick quickly before it drips onto your hand.
This is the taste of summer. Again.
My fellow Limestonians! We are coming close to the AMAZING birthday of our AMAZING country, and we have so much planned for you to enjoy!
Our first event is the Red White and ZOOM Rocket Pop 5K!
This will be a beautiful morning jaunt down Swan Creek, early enough to still be cool and a great way to kick off a day of remembering that we are a unique nation filled with amazing people—the land of the free and the home of the brave.
For you racing-racers, it is a certified course. For you amblers, this is a pleasant walk near the creek. For all, you get a swag AND a free Bomb Pop (one of the BIG ones!) at the end.
Please go to runsignup.com and look up “Red, White & ZOOM” or search by location (Athens, AL).
Can’t wait to see you there! It’s going to be a glorious day!
By: Stephanie Reynolds
Athens-Limestone Tourism Association
