A crashing success

The small community of Glacier View near Mile 100 of the Glenn Highway knows how to throw a party — especially a Fourth of July celebration.

The day started off with a three-plane flyover and a small parade, followed by a community potluck that featured every kind of holiday dish imaginable.

Then came the bowling ball launch — two, to be exact — which brought oohs and ahs from the crowd as the 10-pound balls where launched 500 feet skyward. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, an announcement came across the loudspeaker that the car launch was about to begin.

The crowd gathered in a small gravel pit and watched the cliff’s edge some 300 feet up. Counting down from 30, the announcer built up the excitement until, finally, a four-door Nissan launched off the top, winding up its engine as fast as it was falling. Cheers, screams and arms waved in approval as it hit the ground with a solid thud.

Mater of ceremonies Arnie Hrncir summed it up best when I asked him what’s the purpose of such different kind of event?

“Because we can,” he said. “It’s fun.”

Hrncir, along with a strong network of community volunteers and friends, have been celebrating the Fourth of July in some way or another since 2005.

And judging by how many people stopped him to say thanks for the good time, I would tend to agree.

—Robert DeBerry