'Viggo' watch rings in at fever pitch
The "Viggo" watch has hit a fever pitch for Long Bridge Swim organizer and lead push, Eric Ridgway.
The 10th Long Bridge Swim is slated for Aug. 21 and Ridgway is anticipating up to 500 swimmers this year. There were 350 last year — including 60 swimmers who registered the morning of the race amid a thunderstorm.
Rumors that actor Viggo Mortensen might join the Sandpoint-area's premier athletic event started swirling about two months ago. I reported on the possibility of his Viggo-ness' appearance in a column about the same time.
Mortensen is best known for his role in the Lord of the Rings movies and the recent hit, Hidalgo.
As soon as the column came out a reporter from the National Enquirer called me and asked if I could confirm the actor was swimming. I could not. Since we put my columns on the Daily Bee Web site, any name mentioned can show up on search engines such as Google.
The actor, who has a ranch near Naples, has legions of fans and several fan club sites. The rumor that he is swimming in this year's race has been treated as fact on a few of these Web sites.
Ridgway has been getting many phone calls and e-mails from fans who would make the trek from about anywhere to see Mortensen in a Speedo.
"I've been taking this whole thing as humorous, cute and funny but if there are people coming here from California on the off chance he is swimming here, that's pretty pathetic," Ridgway said.
Ridgway has dug into the rumor and talked with a friend of a relative of the movie star.
Reports have come back that Mortensen is shy, wouldn't be caught dead in Speedos and is a chain smoker, Ridgway said. Still, if Mortensen were to swim in the race he wouldn't register under his real name or he would register the morning of the race.
"Hey, we have plenty of good-looking, local swimmers in the race," Ridgway said. "We don't need Viggo to have a good time."
It will be hard to top last year's contest for Ridgway. Shortly after girlfriend Cindy finished the swim, she proposed to him in the water in front of all the swimmers and a couple hundred fish.
They were recently married.
Look for a large wedding cake at the finish line on Aug. 21.
If you want to take the plunge — swimming, not marriage — consider registering for the race early. Latecomers might not get a shirt.
The Lake to Forest triathlon celebrates its' 23rd birthday this Sunday in and around Garfield Bay. Organizers say the the limit of 300 participants is fast approaching. Want to race? Call Missi Ballison at SWAC at 263-6633.
The Red Cross had a unique way to drum up business for a blood drive Tuesday. They had an attractive girl dressed up like a drop of blood. Two older gentlemen were discussing the blatant attempt to drum up business as they waited in line to give blood.
One man said to the other: "She was kind of cute, huh?"
The other replied: "She's not my type."
I was kind of hoping I wouldn't have a "Type-O" in this column, but I'll remain positive.
Congratulations to Ryan Luttmann, the new president of the Sandpoint Rotary Club. Ryan and his lovely wife, Nikki, are expecting a boy. They turned me down when I suggested we could have a "name Baby Luttmann" contest in this column. I cast a vote for Luke, as in short for Lucky because this kid is going to have two great parents.
Kootenai resident Jim Ramsey has been elected as an alternate
delegate to the 2004 Democratic National Convention from Idaho's 1st
Congressional District. The convention takes place next week in Boston
(July 26-29.)
He will join other Idaho representatives as 4,353 delegates and alternates from every state and territory gather to nominate the Democratic candidate for President and Vice President.
Ramsey serves as Kootenai precinct captain on the Bonner County
Democratic Central Committee and was recently elected state committeeman
from the county. He is a freelance writer, and formerly worked as a
reporter/ editor for the Idaho Statesman.
"I am looking forward to serving as an alternate delegate and
representing Bonner County and North Idaho, along with the rest of the
Idaho delegation," Ramsey said.
The Idaho delegation includes such prominent Democrats as Secretary of Public Instruction Marilyn Howard, former Ambassador Alan Blinken, Bethine Church( wife of Sen. Frank Church) and Wendy Jaquet (minority leader of the Idaho House.)
David Keyes is publisher of the Bee. His column runs weekly.