This Fourth Of July Weekend was very different than years past.  Hopefully you found some way to celebrate that felt as normal as possible.  Windy and I found some fireworks in Canfield, drove over and had a blast.

This years celebration was tamped down and it did feel different. One change was this. Challenger The Eagle retired in late 2019, and this year was the first in a quarter century he didn't fly and amaze us at a July Fourth event. Challenger, if you don't know, has an incredible story. And he may be the most this important animal ever in this country.

Challenger was an eaglet that had to be raised by humans, after his nest was destroyed by a storm 30 years ago. Twice they tried to release him into the wild, and the second time almost killed him.  He was too imprinted by humans.  So, he was renamed Challenger (after the Space Shuttle) and trained to free fly at stadiums and other huge festivities to thrill and inspire us, and then gently land on this handlers arm as the National Anthem would finish.  He is amazing.

 Challenger With a Camera On His Back!

He has raised such awareness and inspired so many, and he has been given the credit for bald eagles to be taken off the endangered species list. Our countries national symbol rejuvenated by a single eagle.  He is awesome, and he has lead a life of wonder.  He retired this year from flying activities and now just makes appearances on his handlers arm. His list of events where he has flown and inspired us is nothing short of insane. World Series, Superbowl's, National Championship games of football and basketball, bowl games, dedications of all sorts in hundreds of cities, monuments, virtually every kind of big event one can think of.

Now, at 30, Challenger has retired, and lives at Dollywood with other birds of prey. He has led a great life, an important life, has done his civic duty, and trilled us all.  Funny, he and Smokey Bear (there was a real one, yes- a cub rescued in New Mexico in 1950 as the only living thing that remained after a forest fire - died 1990)  Each have made us so much more aware of very important issues, we owe them a debt of gratitude. I for one will miss the rare chance to see Challenger fly, but I thank him for single-handledly saving the bald eagle.

And letting us feel the thrill -  of an eagle fly.

Where The Stars And Stripes And Eagle Fly