WASHINGTON – Not everyone will be grilling burgers and watching fireworks this Fourth of July.
Instead, Congressman Scott Tipton, R-Cortez, will be eating pancakes and driving throughout the 3rd Congressional District visiting constituents.
“It’s a privilege to have a reason to travel through this district,” the Cortez native said in a phone interview Wednesday.
The week of the Fourth of July is designated as a “district work week” in which members of Congress travel around their states to reconnect with the people they represent, Tipton said.
Tipton will first visit Alamosa to celebrate the town’s 100th anniversary and later visit the firefighters at the forefront of the wildfires, he said.
“(And) if it’s not too dark, we’ll drive back to Cortez and hopefully catch some fireworks,” he said.
However, he’s not the only one working.
Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., spent the first part of the week rafting through Lodore Canyon in Utah with local leaders to discuss public-lands issues, spokesman Adam Bozzi said.
Bennet will spend the holiday with his wife and three children in North Fork Valley, exploring Kebler Pass and the Lost Lake area before continuing on to the Cherry Days Festival in Paonia.
Although Tipton will be spending Independence Day without his two daughters, he said the Fourth of July is “always a special time for us.”
Tipton and his wife, Jean, recently celebrated their 30th anniversary while his daughter Liesl will soon celebrate her marriage to Christopher Ross, Tipton said.
Before he became a congressman, Tipton used to celebrate the Fourth of July in true American style: a good barbecue and great fireworks.
“I do the grilling,” he said of previous barbecues with family, friends and neighbors.
As the summer sky darkened, the Tipton family would climb onto the roof of their house to watch the fireworks and marvel at the stars.
“You can’t help but feel blessed,” he said, commenting on Colorado’s natural beauty.
Sen. Mark Udall, D-Colo., could not be reached for comment on his Fourth of July celebrations this year, spokeswoman Alyssa Roberts said Wednesday.
However, he celebrated the holiday last year by climbing Independence Monument, the tallest summit at Colorado National Monument, Roberts said. He helped raise the American flag at the monument’s summit, honoring a 100-year-old tradition.
Udall, with raging wildfires in mind, advised Coloradans to be careful in their celebrations of Independence Day in a July 2 news release.
“As our friends and families begin to gather, I urge all Coloradans to keep in mind the very dry conditions across the state as they enjoy their holiday,” he said in the news release.
Bennet also sent out a release regarding the Fourth of July, but highlighted the importance of this day for all Americans.
“As many of us celebrate our nation today with loved ones, we remember the brave men and women overseas who are fighting to protect the gifts of freedom, justice and equality that define our country.”
pjones@durangoherald.com. Paige Jones is a student at American University in Washington, D.C., and an intern for The Durango Herald.
