Рик Райхенбах из Пайн-Ривер 30 лет дарит жителям Миннесоты радость, создавая гигантские мыльные пузыри

PINE RIVER — For years, young visitors to festivals in Pine River, Backus and other Minnesota communities have been delighted at the presence of one Pine River resident, who some just know as "Bubble Man." Just before parades at Summerfest in Pine River and Cornfest in Backus, he can be seen with one or two long sticks. On one is a ribbon, and on the other a string of key rings. When he dunks them into bubble solution and waves them in the air, that's when the magic happens. ADVERTISEMENT With the ring-covered stick he makes a cloud of bubbles of various sizes, which children chase and jump at and reach out to pop. But the ribbon is where he shines, because when it is soaked in solution, he can make enormous bubbles, one foot in diameter and multiple feet long so long as the weather cooperates. The Bubble Man provides simple entertainment for little recognition. Those who know him personally know him as Rick Reichenbach of rural Pine River, and he's been the bubbly personality at area events for over 30 years. "It's totally just a fun thing," Reichenbach said. "People have tried to hire me and I go lots of places, but for nothing. It's good to see the smiles, and older people like bubbles too." Reichenbach just enjoys bringing joy to the local children and their families, though he wasn't always a local himself. He grew up in South St. Paul, the middle sibling among three brothers and one sister. Like many, he had a connection to the lakes area that eventually lured him north. ADVERTISEMENT "My grandparents bought a cabin on Middle Cullen Lake by Nisswa in 1932," Reichenbach said. "And the folks would drop us off with them from Memorial Day to Labor Day and they would come up on weekends. We had no TV and no radio except at 10:30 p.m." He graduated from Creighton High School where he attended ROTC before joining the Coast Guard for approximately two years. "I was stationed out of Boston on an icebreaker," Reichenbach said. "We broke ice around Thule Air Force Base in Greenland and went around Canada to a point." Their job was making sure seaports were open and safe to access. After finishing with the Coast Guard, Reichenbach relocated to Jenkins and worked at the Lake Country Echo in Pequot Lakes. "I knew a bunch of people around the area growing up and I just liked the area," he said. He met his wife, Sandy, and they married in 1973. She brought two sons to the family. ADVERTISEMENT Over the years, he changed jobs. After the Echo came Gardiner's Hardware in Pine River, then Standard Lumber Company in Pequot Lakes, Gardiner's Hardware again and finally the Pine River Area Developmental Achievement Center, where he found his passion working with and helping others. I'll keep blowing bubbles as long as I can do it. "I really enjoyed that job," Reichenbach said. "Whenever I got up in the morning, I wasn't thinking, 'Oh no, what am I going to have to deal with?' I totally enjoyed it." Working there may have inspired him toward another hobby. Between the bubbles and helping people at the DAC, it may be no surprise that Reichenbach often enjoys the simple things in life. For the past 15 years he has also been collecting license plates. Though he isn't certain, he said his time at the DAC may have been the beginning of his collection. "When I worked at the DAC, at one point we were at the recycling center sorting through different things and I picked up a bunch of license plates," Reichenbach said. "At other times I've gotten them from people all over on Facebook or wherever." His oldest plate is actually his Minnesota plate from 1947, his birth year. He even has plates from outside of the United States. ADVERTISEMENT "My brother had a hunting place in Canada and I got one from him," Reichenbach said. As recently as 2023, Reichenbach was still looking for license plates from 16 states. By September of 2024, he had finally completed his collection, giving him one more little thing to put a smile on his face. Reichenbach has no plans to stop enjoying the little things any time soon, and that includes providing bubbles at community events. He has made bubbles at Summerfest, the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Crosslake, Independence Day parades, Bemidji, Walker, Brainerd, Crosby, Staples, Motley and even in St. Paul. "I'll keep blowing bubbles as long as I can do it," Reichenbach said. Like what you're reading? Check out our other PineandLakes news articles , updated daily. Remember to pick up a copy of The PineandLakes Echo Journal — on newsstands Wednesdays and online daily in our e-edition and website.