And On We Go into the New Year

It's been a while since I posted. Here we are in the year 2012. If it contiunes like it's started it will be memorable.

Friday and Saturday I was playing with Lalla Rookh up in Estes Park, CO for the Winter Festival. Friday night was tough, playing in a fairground pavillion with little heat. The wind was howling outside and the bathrooms were about a half mile up the road. Luckily there was hot apple cider that I used as a hand warmer and hot chocolate to give me the energy to get through the last set. It was cold, but not as cold as the gig with Tuatha at Beltainia in 2010. We were provided rooms in the form of a couple of condos. I shared one with our bass player, Jim, his wife Megan and their almost two year old son Parker. I got the upstairs suite. Parker is a fun kid. We then played a long set on Saturday. It was a lot warmer and we actually donned the kilts.

After playing and changing out of gig clothes I hung out a little to listen to SHEL, a girl group consisting of four sisters and their father, then drove down the canyon home. I turned on the radio just as E-Town was coming on and I was treated to sets by Mumford and Sons along with Fort Collins locals, Danelle Ate the Sandwich. There was traffic but the drivers were acting civil and it was smooth ride along the Big Thompson River. I always think of my father when I drive this road. He lived in Loveland at one time and his parents are buried there. I still think of a family vacation when we went to the Dam Store (still in business) and to a couple of lakes in the foothills.

Instead of driving through Loveland, I took the Masonville road that goes through the foothills and Horsetooth Lake. There were few other cars, just a few bicyclists taking advantage of a warm winter day. The music was good and with new tires my car was running fine. Masonville is a little community with horse ranches, small farms and a feel that is totally different from most of the Front Range. Kind of the town that time forgot. Just one of those little perfect moments.

Last year was much better then the year before. I'm able to travel again. We took a trip to Jackson Hole to visit extended family and to help with the Swan Roundup which assists transfering trumeter swans to different places and reintroducing them to former habitats. The good news was, I didn't end up in the hospital like I did in the previous year's visit. We took a daytrip to Yellowstone for wildlife viewing seeing lots of bison, elk and even a mama griz and her cubs (from a safe distance). Even though it was early June, there was a lot of snow on the ground and one of the lakes was still frozen. I love seeing Yellowstone in different seasons.

The next trip took me home to California for my brother's 60th birthday. I was going to take the train out, but there was track out in Nebraska, so my train got cancelled. After getting a refund, I found a cheap flight on Frontier airlines. They let me take my guitar onboard but they speared my soft bag somehow. I didn't discover it until I was unpacking. I have no idea how they managed to do that. I was met at the airport by OMO Brother Bill Russell. We stopped in San Mateo and found a little Vietnamese restaurant. Yum!

I didn't get out as much as I'd have liked to on the trip. I was still dealing with fatigue and lack of endurence. We did get in a trip to Bean Hollow Beach for some personal time with Our Mother Ocean. So good to recharge at one of my "power spots." That was followed by a drive up to Skyline Drive through the redwoods.

My brother's 60th was a blast. Besides meeting my Great-Nephew for the first time, I got to see a bunch of friends who I don't think I've seen in 35 years. I also met my brother's new girlfriend. (Welcome to the family!) It seemed like everytime I turned around there was someone I haven't seen in years.

The next adventure was a day of sailing thanks to Capt. Gary Hall who took Bill and I out on his 35ft. sailboat. We went from Alameda, under the Bay Bridge (while I'd been over the bridge hundreds of times, it was the first time I went under it) behind Alcatraz and on the back side of Angel Island where we "parked" for lunch where a CD of The Grateful Dead's "Soundcheck at the Cow Palace" played as we ate lunch and sat in the sun. Talk about "perfect moments." From there, we sailed around the island and caught the wind coming through the Golden Gate and flew across the water back to the bay bridge where we lost the wind and motored back to port.

The next day I was picked up by my "Driver for the Day" in a '74 Cadillac, Mr. Jim Davis and his wife Pat. We took the Sunol canyon road out to Livermore to the Eckert Winery where Mike Eckert makes wine. Mike was another one of the "haven't seen in 35 years crew." We were joined by two more, Mark Horning and Tom Tidwell. After sampling the tastey wines, we went to a restaurant where my old pal Richard Sinkler and his band were hosting an open mic. Gary Hall joined us again as did my brother and his sweetie. I played two songs with the band and during the break, Richard and I played a few songs as a duo. For not having played together in 35 years, I'd say we done good!

It was great to be surrounded by old friends, connecting the ones who hadn't met and getting to play some tunes. Thank you, Richard Sinkler!

I took the train home. I love that trip, especially going throught he Sierras and the Rockies. I woke up somewhere in southeastern Utah as the sun was rising in what they call buttermilk skies contrasted with the red rocks of the landscape. And I had the feeling that I was getting near my home. I'm a long ways from the ocean, but Colorado has really become home.

Those were probably the highlights of 2011. My health continues to improve, I'm doing more and more music and I feel more connected to friends and family. And there's been a lot of reconnecting with old friends. Life is good. As we near the beginning of "The Year of the Dragon" I feel that we're living in auspicious times.