Ned Luce

Early last week I thought the only “Fortress of the Bear” was a bear rescue center in Sitka, Alaska.

It currently houses several bears, mostly rescued as cubs from situations where their mother was no longer available as a result of being killed by a hunter or an accident. The center is fashioned from an old sanitation plant outside of Sitka with high concrete walls topped with walkways around a three quarters of an acre habitat.

BJ and I visited the center several years ago when we took the Alaskan Ferry Columbia out of Bellingham on a two-week jaunt around the waters of Southeast Alaska. (Another story but we do recommend this trip.) While at the center, we were able to feed the bears from the elevated walkways, as well as some eagles that were able to catch some salmon when it was thrown up in the air.

Color me out of touch with the current version of the “Fortress of the Bear,” (FOTB). It turns out there is a Seattle-based rock band named “Fortress of the Bear” that drew a big crowd last Thursday to the weekly Concerts on the Dock sponsored by Port Townsend Mainstreet in, yep, Port Townsend.

FOTB is a rock band built on a foundation of bluesy guitar riffs, catchy vocals, and a pounding rhythm section.

Add this band to a beautiful afternoon here in the Pacific Northwest with a beer and you have a recipe making for a big crowd and a really good time.

We arrived in time to snag a great parking spot in front of Port Townsend City Hall. At least we thought it would be a great parking spot until we got out, observed the utility wire high above our heads, the abundant sea gull droppings on the car next to us and more of the same on the pavement under our car. We were in BJ’s car and I just washed it last weekend leading me to be reluctant to expose it the obvious danger.

Ah, the heck with it. The benefits of a great parking spot outweighed the potential downside of a sea-gull-painted car. We were off to the concert with our lawn chairs in tow, or on our shoulders.

After procuring a fine pilsner in a take-home glass from the folks at Port Townsend Brewing, we planted our chairs in what came to be a great viewing and listening location.

BJ spotted Port Ludlow’s Louise Valois and we spent an enjoyable 20 minutes with her before the music started.

We noted that The Leader was one of the sponsors of the concert and found several of the staff parked in the “sponsors’ special seating area.” (They didn’t tell me about this. They even had pizza!)

OK, I went over to say hello and Donna Etchey offered me a seat and some pizza. Lloyd Mullen seconded the offer!

BJ and I noticed LMC manager Brian Belmont with his shaved and bare head. We were very concerned about the potential effects the afternoon sun was going to give his head and were mollified when his wife Dena ordered him to go get a hat.

OK, all the side issues were solved and the music took over. Then we saw off to one side a talented young woman with a Hula Hoop enjoying the music immensely.

Of course, if you go to an event like this there will always be those folks who enjoy dancing. It ain’t “Dancing with the Stars” kind of dancing, but it is obviously joyful.

If one enjoys some great rock and roll music, a little good beer, some warm sunshine and a spectacular view, last Thursday was tough to beat.

Not to mention, there was no need to throw salmon at the band and BJ’s car remained unpainted by the sea gulls.

Love a curmudgeon and have a great week.

(Ned Luce is a retired IBM executive and Port Ludlow resident. His choices in parking places can be a little spotty, however. Contact Ned at ned@ptleader.com.)