Creeping up on the fourth

The forth of July is Bisbee's second biggest holiday, Halloween being the first. The 4th signals a start to the monsoon or rainy season. Rain in Arizona is always a good thing, even too much of it is a good thing. It's only a problem for the flatlanders.
The 4th is a big deal for other reasons as well. Bisbee was a mining town, a company town. There was one industry and that was copper mining. The mines never shut down totally. There always had to be someone running the pumps or many areas would flood. There was also a need for firemen as parts of the mines are burning to this day. But all other miners got 3 weeks of vacation all at the same time and it always started on July the 4th. So by tradition Bisbee becomes one hell of a party town on the forth of July. The population soars with many home town people returning from where ever they ended up after the mines closed. If there is a class reunion, and there always is, it will be the 4th of July. We have events unique to a mining town such as a hard rock drilling contest. Some events are unique to our mountain setting - The race up 'B' hill and of course the coaster race.
Now most folks know about soap box derby racing, but this makes soap box racers look like amateurs. The main street or Tombstone Canyon, is down hill at a fair degree for over a mile and it is twisted and curved. On one side there is a gully that is about 12 feet deep and has cement retaining walls protected by a pipe fence of sorts. Kids up to the age of 16 get in these very fancy coasters and ride down hill at speeds faster that I am willing to drive. The steering is generally lines connected to either side of the front axel and brakes are rudimentary at best. They can weight up to 250 pounds without the driver and are only about 4 or 5 inches off the ground. Most of the coasters are built with adult men sponsors and businesses provide the funds. It is a very canyon rat thing to do. My brother has at least three that he sends down. I think he is too busy to have built a forth as he is a city councilman who is under recall for the second time. But that is a blog for another day.
Everyone is on pins a needles to see if the sewer project will cause the cancellation of the coaster race. More will be revealed ,