Cascade Shores, CA – In a story that could only come from the depths of Nevada County’s unique “anything-goes” approach to local culture, the Barstad family found themselves at the center of a spectacular and somewhat illegal Viking funeral gone awry at Scotts Flat Lake earlier today.
The Barstads had recently lost their 92-year-old patriarch, Norman Barstad, and in true Viking spirit, decided to send him off with the ancient ritual of a fiery burial at sea—or rather, lake. Unfortunately, what was supposed to be a dignified blaze turned into a fiery fiasco that ended with bits of Grandpa raining down on the neighborhood, much to the horror of locals (and the Nevada County Sheriff’s Department).
“It’s the Viking Way”
Norman Barstad’s son, Jimmie Barstad, told reporters that the elder Barstad had always admired Viking culture and had specifically requested a Viking funeral on the water. “Dad wanted to go out in a blaze of glory, and we made it happen,” Jimmie said, though perhaps a bit too enthusiastically. “We just didn’t expect it to be that… explosive.”
Jimmie and his crew constructed a makeshift funeral barge, which some witnesses described as “a pile of logs,” while others speculated it was a repurposed pontoon boat hastily adorned with kindling. Whatever its origins, the boat was sent out onto Scotts Flat Lake early Friday morning, and within minutes of its voyage, it erupted into flames. Unfortunately, it also detonated with the force of what one witness called “the 4th of July on steroids.”
Too Much Gasoline, Too Many Fireworks
The explosion startled local fisherman Hank Snow, who had been casting peacefully from the shore. “I didn’t think much of it when they rolled up with a truck full of sticks. I figured it was one of those hippie, back-to-nature things we see around here all the time,” Snow said in a phone interview. “But when it blew up like a Hollywood action movie, I was like, ‘Holy [redacted]!’ There was debris everywhere. I think I got hit by a finger.”
According to Jimmie Barstad, who masterminded the fiery send-off, the explosion was not exactly part of the plan. “I might’ve overdone it a little on the gasoline and fireworks,” he admitted. “I wanted to make sure it worked, you know? So, I put in everything flammable I could find. But I didn’t realize gasoline doesn’t burn like lighter fluid. It just… went boom.”
“We’re Still Picking Up Pieces of Dad”
The result of Jimmie’s overzealous preparation was less of a Viking pyre, and more of a backyard fireworks show gone terribly wrong. Witnesses reported seeing flaming chunks of wood and what may have been human remains flying through the air as far as Cascade Shores, where horrified residents were just minding their business when body parts started landing in their yards.
Sherry Smith, a resident of Cascade Shores, recalled the eerie aftermath: “I heard a thump on my roof and thought it was just the usual noise you get out here. But when I went outside, part of a leg slid down the roof and hit me on the head. It was horrible.”
Another family on the lake, out for a peaceful afternoon on their boat, also reported getting hit by airborne debris. “We didn’t see the explosion. We were too far away,” said Stacy Grant, “but we heard it and then got showered with sticks and things. I hope they were just things.”
The Authorities Step In
Not surprisingly, this display of Viking valor didn’t sit well with local authorities. Despite the Barstad family’s belief that they were fulfilling their father’s last wish, the Nevada County Health Department and Sheriff’s Office responded swiftly after numerous 9-1-1 calls.
“Generally, the burning of bodies on public water is frowned upon,” the Sheriff said in a press statement. “While there are no specific laws banning Viking funerals on Scotts Flat, you can’t just launch flammable things, especially ones loaded with fireworks, into a lake and expect it to go unnoticed.”
No Regrets for the Barstad Family
Despite the $5,000 fine and the somewhat traumatic aftermath for Cascade Shores residents, the Barstad family remains unapologetic. “It’s the Viking way,” said Jimmie, still proud of the chaotic send-off. “We gave Dad the burial he wanted, and we knew there’d be some risks. This is Nevada County, after all. We figured no one would really care.”
As for what’s next, Jimmie hinted that he hopes his own burial will follow in his father’s explosive footsteps. “I’d love to be sent off on Lake Tahoe someday,” he mused. “But I think the kids might have an even harder time pulling that one off. They’ve got stricter laws up there.”
In the meantime, Cascade Shores residents are left picking up the literal pieces of this “special day.” One thing’s for sure—Norman Barstad will never be forgotten, not in Cascade Shores or, apparently, on anyone’s roof.
