My goodness, how times have changed. Three columns into my favorite month and I haven't even typed October once.
There I did it.
We used to get excited about October in Elkhorn but there's not much enthusiasm for it now. Since the mayor and chief of police decided to end tourism in Elkhorn, the folks who used to come and spend their money in town now stop somewhere else.
The river's here, they still come on the weekends. Most just don't spend their money in Elkhorn City limits. That's what happens when you spit in people's faces.
That's what the city did to the boaters. To the trail runners. To the hikers. And as long as the current administration continues in Elkhorn City, the town will continue to see other places get revenues while we get scorn.
Once upon a time cars in Lexington and Louisville sported bumper stickers reading "It's always sunny in Elkhorn City!". Well it's been raining for twelve years now.
It was a noble effort last weekend with the Elktober Festival. Good entertainment, good food, and good refreshments. There was a decent crowd building when rain dampened enthusiasm and wind gusts sent popup tents flying all over Main Street.
Festivals are hard to pull off, so I hope the folks who pulled ElktoberFest together don't get discouraged. Everything can be where its supposed to be, fantastic entertainment lined up, and the best food court ever but an hour of rain and wind in late afternoon can scuttle everything.
It's the third weekend of whitewater season. Elkhorn cops will have another batch of innocent kayakers to pull over to "find out what they're doing." According to Meat, that's what happened six times on opening weekend.
For nearly 25 years, the third release weekend was Paddler Appreciation with some kind of large meal served to thousands of visiting paddlers over the years. There were pig roasts and spaghetti dinners and chili cook-offs. Usually with live music featuring local favorites.
When I talked to whitewater people in my former travels, those who'd been to Russell Fork--to a person--talked about how Elkhorn City was unique in how well it treated its visitors and how welcomed the town made them feel. Certainly no place had a paddler appreciation to rival ours.
Today, my old whitewater friends just shake their heads. It's hard to explain the mentality of so-called leaders who prefer to inhibit growth, to spurn revenue, and actively discourage visitors in their town.
Once again, on the fourth release weekend, the best whitewater kayakers in the world will gather to race through the Breaks Canyon in the Lord of the Fork race. Once again, the Russell Fork Rendezvous will draw hundreds of whitewater enthusiasts to one place to celebrate the wonders of our backyard.
And once again, these visitors will pass by Elkhorn City because the festival we once hosted successfully will be in Haysi, Virginia, because the mayor and powers that be in Elkhorn want it that way.
It's pretty depressing. No wonder I hadn't typed that word yet this month.