Solon Springs

The year 2017 was quite eventful; it was Donald Trump’s first year in office, Hurricane Harvey and Irma struck mainland US, and the first solar eclipse was viewed in America since 1918. America felt impacts from these historic moments, but within every person is a feeling that none can compare with. Every person has a unique feeling that cannot be retracted; it’s a feeling that stays with them for their entire life. Happiness stays in your soul forever; nothing will take away from a memorable time in your life.
June 21st, 2017 happened to be some of the most relaxing, and enjoyable hours of my life. The 21st was a calm morning, about 75 degrees. I felt the morning breeze blow the through the screen in my family’s motor home. After waking up, I stepped out into the quiet campground that laid before me. Looking up, I could tell the sky was an ocean blue spotted with cirrus clouds, stretching to the far horizon. After eating a full course breakfast, I saw my friend Jason exit out of his camper.
Jason’s favorite sport was basketball, so we had to find some hoops, before it got too hot outside. Solon Springs was a small town: population size of 600 people. It’s well-known for bordering the headwaters of the St. Croix River. Another fact about this small town is that a railroad ran straight through the town, and an hourly train that passed through. While we biked out of the campground we saw a Dairy Queen across Highway 53. Near the Dairy Queen was what we were looking for, a basketball park. No one was there, so we had the court to ourselves.
Shooting threes was always enjoyable; and it got even better when a random local farm boy arrived from nowhere. He arrived in an immaculate Toyota Corolla, and disembarked from the drivers seat wearing clothes not so immaculate. He brandished tattered Carhart pants, and an old John Deere T-shirt cut into a tank top. On the waist of his brown pants, sat a large sheath, holding a long knife. He walked over to us and hollered, “Mind if I play with ya.” We never caught his name, but he had a decent short range shot. Time flew by and the heat of the summer sun radiated down on us. Jason and I realized we had played basketball long enough.
The beach at the campground was beautiful. It was a long sandy shoreline, with a large playground near the beach, and winding trails along the riverside. Toward the North end of the beach, the shoreline turned rocky. The color of the rocks and the clear water, created a rainbow effect, which hypnotized us. By this time, the sun had beaten down on us long enough, and we thought a swim would be nice. The clean spring water at the head of the St. Croix River was revitalizing. We stayed in the buoy’s area, and played football, who could stay under the longest and sand wars. After what seemed like minutes, we realized it was well past noon, and there was more to do.
It was mid-afternoon by this time, and biking is a hobby we did every time we went camping. It was even better when you can bike to a location, earning yourself a cold fresh Coca-Cola. The gas stations were on the outskirts of town, and it wasn’t smart to bike on Highway 53, so we decided to search for vending machines. In the center of town was a DNR station that had a Pepsi machine, but we were Coke fans. We continued on our short biking expedition until we found ourselves in front of a Laundromat. Lo and behold we saw our golden fleece, sitting to the right of a battered storm door, a Coca-Cola machine.
Eagerly, we approached the machine, and saw the one dollar light flickering on and off. I reached in my pocket and revealed two crumpled one dollar bills to the light of day. My wrinkled currency had to be flattened, before the machine accepted my money. Graciously we received our treasures. The best option for us was to save our Cokes until we returned to the campground. Of course, we had beverages at our campers, but it was more rewarding to work for them. As we sat around a picnic table, we didn’t realize how great the day was. We were too busy enjoying the moment away from home.
Months after our vacation, I realized some of the best moments in life, did not happen out of state, or in some luxurious city. The best moments are those that you enjoyed for a whole day. That day flowed together perfectly. We did not have to deal with a large bustling city, or a busy overcrowded area. Life is made out of small events that, and form into one great time. Enjoy the little things about life and you will receive the best memories.