Last night I attended the legendary "Thunder in the Valley" fireworks display in Blairmore, Alberta. This was unlike any other fireworks show I had attended before. People began flooding into the town at 6 pm for a show that didn't even begin until 11 pm. The town is overrun by people for this event. Police, RCMP, and firemen are brought in from surrounding towns and cities to help control the onslaught of people. The railroad through town was shut down and speed limits were lowered along the highway.
The show was ushered in with AC-DC's 'Thunderstruck'. The fireworks began in huge quantities as if we were already at the show's finale. Throughout the show I remember my chest shaking from all of the explosions above me. The sound was truly thunderous. Now and then flame mushroom clouds would shoot from the ground, instantly warming our faces. Other fireworks were so bright that they lit the field as if it were day. This was one firework display that my camera simply couldn't capture properly. Most of the time there were too many colors in the sky, too many different things going on. These pictures simply don't do justice to the show.
All too soon 'Thunderstruck' began a second time as the finale of the evening began (though, as I said before, it seemed as though the finale began when the show did). Now all that was left was a sea of people in a town unfit to hold them all. We spent over two hours sitting in my vehicle, waiting for traffic to move. The town had been hit by a plague of tourists and simply couldn't cope. Despite all of the rerouting of roads and police directing traffic, things simply weren't moving. Our only entertainment was watching drunk people brawling outside the bars, angry drivers shouting at each other, and the odd group of police officers chasing after someone. It was truly a festive evening.
5 comments:
Spectacular shots Ryan, can't imagine
the real thing.
What time did you get back into town? We were home by 1:30. Misty told me about a back road to avoid most of the traffic. Hey! Did you get my milk?
We got back at 2 am. Parking downtown was a bad idea. Yes, I got your milk. Thanks. Is Puma allowed outside? Does he feed himself?
Yeah, he's allowed outside, that way he can feed himself squirels, birds, mice. Don't worry about him too much he sometimes stays outside for days on end. He doesn't much like staying inside for too long though. Aaron's mom said she would make sure he was fed (indoors). So don't feel like you have to go over, but you can if you want. I didn't want to tell you that the momma might be over cause i thought if you two ran into each other it might make for a funny story. So go ahead hang out, watch tv, play video games. I still haven't told her that you might be there!
these phots are really quite spectacular!
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