This was also the first time the four of us travelled in the recently purchased RV (a 2006 Chateau Sport). Determined to leave Wednesday night for CT we left the driveway (requires 2 backups to make the switchback to the road) headed south.
 |
| photo by Bill Evans |
We finally pull into the campground at 12:30am, two bunnies ran across our path (well out of our way), Bill starts singing "there's a rabbit in my tread, and he ain't got no head" to uproarious laughter.
Thursday we move to the festival's picking lot, and get ready for our workshop on double banjos and 6pm set (kicking off the festival).
You can read Ted's account of SP on his blog. He and Irene do a great job writing about their bluegrass travels.
Friends started arriving and camping nearby. Tex Orlomoski came in with some scissor jacks to stabilize the camper (thanks Tex!)
We had a fun workshop and there were plenty of folks in the audience for the start of the festival! That night was John Hartford night at the camp site. We stayed up late playing his songs and telling stories.
This is what happens when you have too many banjo players in the band.
All 4 of us have played banjo at one point.
We had our second set on Friday. Warming up behind the stage in-between a camper and a shed had a nice little twister of wind going, eventually blowing my mustard dress up over my head... thankfully the band were the only people in the area. I still recommend the dress, but maybe I should attach some lead lures to the bottom. Mod Cloth dress. Amy Gallatin suggest sewing quarters into the hem!
Picture this, but with more wind.....We hung around until 6pm staying for the cocktail hour that usually happens with our CT gang. I stick with snacks knowing there's a 5 hour drive ahead.
Somewhere in PA we stopped at a super market for dinner and to stock up. We then sat in the parking lot, eating fried chicken and soup; Bruce said it was like some sort of Coens Brothers film.
what to buy for festivals. the can is Pillsbury biscuits.
Sometime around midnight, the heavy rain, single lane because of construction put us in a rest stop for the night. It was pouring! Inches of rain fell. Can't do this in a popup!
The next morning it has stopped raining and we find NEPA! Pull in and wait to find a spot. Danny Stewart meets us, and directs us to an area. I keep driving through the soggy field, until it doesn't go forward, I try reverse; one foot and nothing. We're in mud up to the side step (oh yeah, 15,000 pounds). Within in minutes a guy has put down his beer, got his pickup and a chain and hooks on. I think yeah right, that won't do anything. But he pulls us right out!
Sheepishly we back into a spot and setup for the weekend.
April said she would never show this picture or even take it, she would be embarrassed. I think it's hysterical I did this.
We played two sets at NEPA, both on Saturday. One was on the Traditional Stage after Larry Stephenson and before Smokey Greene; and one on the Progressive Stage after supper break (they are at so many festivals!).
Great responses to both sets, maybe better on the traditional stage. NEPA certainly caters to the younger crowd with their Progressive stage. There were tons of folks in their 20s/30s, not something you see at every bluegrass festival. Everyone was really nice; and it was a fun time. We were tired and turned in early.
On the way back we went north and drove by the Tunkhannock Viaduct which was really cool Phil Zimmerman told us to check it out, and we drove alongside it a few times.
5 hours later we were home. It was a fun trip, no fights (other than my disagreement with a GPS).
I realize that we've now been to Jennybrook since I started this post... I guess more on that later.
No comments:
Post a Comment