Tragedy, joy in North Fork

What a summer it has been. A mix of tragedy, relief and a joyful new beginning. Even the weather seemed involved, with its hot muggy days and smoke -filled skies.

Another tragic death. The second this summer, involving people who were out enjoying outdoor North Fork recreation. This time, a father accompanied by his two young sons, reportedly aged 8 and 12, was killed in an ATV accident on Red Meadow Road. Adding to the tragedy, the two boys had to wait at the scene until a car came by to help them. A beautiful day, full of fun, turned tragic. I am sorry for their loss and upset by the aftermath. They will be in my thoughts and prayers for a long time.

A second potential for tragedy started out with concern but ended quickly with relief. At 10 p.m., two 14-year-olds were reported overdue from a float trip from Ford to Polebridge. Initial report was that the two were not familiar with the river or the area and were floating on "rubber ducky" type flotation devices. To add to the concern, it was a pitch black night with no moon. By 11 p.m., North Valley Search and Rescue members were headed for every spot where vehicles could get close to the river and a call was placed to the Sheriff's office to dispatch the helicopter.

At 11:20, before the arrival of the helicopter, the boys arrived safe and sound at Polebridge, where searchers with flashlights helped them land and brought them to Polebridge.

After-action interviews revealed that initial reports were erroneous. Instead of launching at 7 p.m. As reported, they actually started closer to 6 p.m. They were each in a top-notch kayak with a self-baling bottom and were both wearing life jackets. To deal with the dark, they had a small flashlight which they used sparingly to save the batteries. Most importantly, one of the boys had floated this same stretch four times this year. Their only miscalculation was how low and slow the river had become. As a result they proceeded slowly and cautiously. I was impressed with how they reacted to a scary situation and the boys, parent, volunteers and NVSR members were relieved at the end result. Oh yes, the boys reported great fishing before it got dark and that might have slowed them down a bit.

Finally, the joyous new beginning was the wedding of Jason and Alex on Trail Creek and a big, happy reception at Sondreson Hall afterward. And what a reception it was with a catered meal and a separate open bar for adults and a special food station for kids, (I copped a hot dog from the kids), activities for the kids and a photo booth for everyone.

Tragedy, worry, relief and joy. I guess that is the human condition everywhere. I just hope for less tragedy and more joy. What do you think?