Today’s drive seems to be lighter than usual, regarding traffic volume, probably due to the holiday planted squarely in the middle of this week (I’m still not sure if I should be rejoicing in having two Fridays this week, or sulking about two Mondays…). Hwy 18 doesn’t seem to present any obstacles, regarding rocks, fog, crashes, wildlife, wilddead, sideshows or protesters, so all ya gotta do is drive.
Be advised, though, that while weather prognosticators are saying that today is going to be HOT, tomorrow is going to be the mean ol’ granddaddy of hot. It’s going to break records, while melting cassettes and 8- tracks. It’s going to turn highways into oozing pools of bubbling tar, lakes will spontaneously combust, and asbestos factories will burst into flame. It’s going to be so hot… so hot that fire hydrants are going to be chasing dogs around. And here on the mountain, squirrels are going to be putting their nuts on ice.
Say, since you’ve brought up squirrels, I was recently reminded of an annual tradition here on the mountain.. well, it was SUPPOSED to BECOME an annual tradition, but it ended up just being a uni- annual tradition, since we’ve only done it once so far… but we need revive this thing! Of course, I’m obviously referring to, “Squirrelin’!”
A couple of dozen people participated in our first and only annual squirrelin’ event, a few years ago. Small groups went to various turnouts along Hwy. 18, and, armed with fishing poles whose hooks and weights had been replaced with peanuts, tossed lines over the side of the hill, then settled into folding camp chairs to wait.
And the waiting paid off handsomely! All squirrelers were rewarded at some time or another with people stopping in the turnouts to ask, “How far to Havasu, and where do I turn?” No, I’m kidding… those are the questions on regular, non- squirrelin’ days… this day, they asked, “What in the hell is wrong with you people, and what are you doing?!?”
And, this was the part where acting class kicked in… even those who were not thespians (including the completely straight people) had the duty to explain in deadpan, as though this should be OBVIOUS to anybody, that today was, “Squirrelin’ Day,” the ONE day of each year in which the Department of Fish and Game provides permits to catch squirrels on a line. Duh… never heard of it? What tree have YOU been living in?
The event really was a blast… EVERYBODY got the opportunity to meet new people, both fellow squirrelers, and baffled flatlanders (Bonus: The FUN flatlanders loved it, and vowed to return to participate in the next squirrelin’ event… the flatlanders who DIDN’T get it all jumped back into their cars, and burned rubber getting out of there, apparently terrified that somebody was going to whip out a banjo and make somebody squeal like a pig… and some of them shore did have purty mouths!). Many laughs were had, and a fine afternoon was had by all.
Anyhow… we need to get this thing going again. We need to make Crestline, or even the San Bernardino Mountain Communities, the “Squirrelin’ Capital of the World!”
(Legal disclaimers: The Department of Fish and Game did not endorse this article. No squirrels were harmed in the making of the article. No license for the use of references to, “Deliverance” were purchased, and besides, all similarities to that movie or any other is purely coincidental. The author of this article needs no additional heat from anybody. Heat is already plentiful. Back off, PETA, and Permit Patty. It’s all just being done in the name of good squirrel stew.)