In the light of day

My eventful trips to Ramona have always been at night. Years ago I decided the quaint U.S. Post Office, outlined in white lights at Christmas, was “must view” classic Americana, and this storm-chaser believes some of the best lightning pictures in the county are to be had in and around this little town.

Ramona in daylight, on the Fourth of July, was a completely different kind of eventful. Classic Americana with a redneck twist. Or better still, a redneck half-nelson with a full body slam, topped off with a folding chair smackdown.

Face painting, races, pie-eating contests, firehose tug-of-war over a mud pit — other town celebrations have those things. But none I’ve been to has ever pulled so many together as Redneck in Ramona. Given a reason to celebrate, the folk of Ramona jumped into it whole hog.

While “redneck” somehow works its way into everything, the parade stands apart from all the rest — a solemn, patriotic opening that’s quickly overwhelmed by the most gosh-darned, knee-slappin’, side-splittin’ display of “redneck” you’d ever want to see.

City life never prepared me for something like this. I fear it may take months to recover from the spectacle of the Redneck Ballet performing the Buttcracker Suite.

And I can’t wait to go back next year.

— david colburn