Photo and caption by John Daniel. Taken today in Kuna, Idaho.Friday, November 23, 2007
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Stranded in Portland
Near the end of my tour of the Northwest with Kellie Forbes. We've been stranded in Portland for two extra days due to snow on the mountain passes. Of all the places to be stranded this is a pretty good one.
I love Portland. It's a sophisticated small city that is surprisingly cosmopolitan. It's also very wet, and very green--a nice contrast to the vast mountain west and southwest that I know much better.
These past two days I spent more time with local friends, went to a vineyard, and enjoyed the area. Heading home to Idaho tomorrow. Home is where my Airstream and puppy are--this has been an Airstreamless leg of my travels. Home for the moment is also my sister Elise's farm.
Kellie and I are still on speaking terms after nearly two weeks together. That's a good thing! We both tend toward being a little bull-headed. I was mostly an assistant to her on these two shows, with a fraction of my normal inventory out and for sale. We had a major theft at our Tacoma show which was a serious downer. It was her inventory that took the hit. She'll survive it, but the thief dealt a blow. Sunday night we wrapped the Portland show and packed up. It was a two margarita dinner for me afterwards and the alchohol was welcome after a long weekend.
Homesick for my Airstream, my pup, my sister, nephew, and all of our horses in Idaho.
I love Portland. It's a sophisticated small city that is surprisingly cosmopolitan. It's also very wet, and very green--a nice contrast to the vast mountain west and southwest that I know much better.
These past two days I spent more time with local friends, went to a vineyard, and enjoyed the area. Heading home to Idaho tomorrow. Home is where my Airstream and puppy are--this has been an Airstreamless leg of my travels. Home for the moment is also my sister Elise's farm.
Kellie and I are still on speaking terms after nearly two weeks together. That's a good thing! We both tend toward being a little bull-headed. I was mostly an assistant to her on these two shows, with a fraction of my normal inventory out and for sale. We had a major theft at our Tacoma show which was a serious downer. It was her inventory that took the hit. She'll survive it, but the thief dealt a blow. Sunday night we wrapped the Portland show and packed up. It was a two margarita dinner for me afterwards and the alchohol was welcome after a long weekend.
Homesick for my Airstream, my pup, my sister, nephew, and all of our horses in Idaho.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
An Airstreamer Finds the Arts
Two weeks ago my sister took my nephew and I to see Spamelot in Boise. It's a touring Broadway production inspired by Monty Python. Very British, very witty, very funny.
Tonight in Portland, Oregon my friends Steve and Herb took me to see Coleman Lemieux & Compagnie--a dance company out of Montreal. I came within 40 miles of Montreal three times in August and September, but never quite made it due to time limitations. How lucky to have Montreal come to me.
The production began with a whimsical series of half a dozen couples dancing sequentially to happy, classical music. Act II began with a wonderful piece featuring two men dancing. The two men were supporting each other--one would pick up the other from a broken, dejected state, the mood was lifted and soon the favor was returned. In the meantime their dance featured acrobatic feats of athleticism and beauty. A haunting lyric provided the background for this piece--it was in the genre of the Depression-era music of Woody Guthrie.
The theater was as much a masterpiece as the production. It's Portland's Paramount--a large 1920s theater built in an Italian Renaissance-style. It's a building that takes your breath away. Today it's named the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall after one of the benefactors that helped save and restore the property.
Spamelot and tonight's dance production were both wonderful treats.
Tonight in Portland, Oregon my friends Steve and Herb took me to see Coleman Lemieux & Compagnie--a dance company out of Montreal. I came within 40 miles of Montreal three times in August and September, but never quite made it due to time limitations. How lucky to have Montreal come to me.
The production began with a whimsical series of half a dozen couples dancing sequentially to happy, classical music. Act II began with a wonderful piece featuring two men dancing. The two men were supporting each other--one would pick up the other from a broken, dejected state, the mood was lifted and soon the favor was returned. In the meantime their dance featured acrobatic feats of athleticism and beauty. A haunting lyric provided the background for this piece--it was in the genre of the Depression-era music of Woody Guthrie.
The theater was as much a masterpiece as the production. It's Portland's Paramount--a large 1920s theater built in an Italian Renaissance-style. It's a building that takes your breath away. Today it's named the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall after one of the benefactors that helped save and restore the property.
Spamelot and tonight's dance production were both wonderful treats.
Coleman Lemieux & Compagnie
Promotional photo from Coleman Lemieux & Company. Visit http://www.colemanlemieux.com/ for more on this talented dance company from Montreal.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Articulate Genius
I worked with Paul Reiner in the 1990s at Novell. At the time Novell was still the world's leading networking software company. Novell's software linked together PCs allowing them to share resources. When we were at Novell we were part of an elite group: Novell Consulting. There were a lot of outstanding minds there, but Reiner stood out even in that crowd.
Last night I spent the night with Paul, his wife Darcy, and their kids. He lives about 20 miles north of Redmond, Washington--the center of the Microsoft universe.
Paul is always ready to offer a brain dump. This man is a bona fide genius, and he's articulate. After leaving Novell--reluctantly--Reiner went to work for the world's fiercest software company. The writing was on the wall at Novell, and had been for some time. The company's glory days were over and the opportunities were limited. When you can beat 'em . . . .
Paul joined Microsoft in 1999 and was an employee for four years. Initially he helped run the executive briefing center where MS schmoozes clients and world leaders. Among others he gave then Vice President Al Gore a briefing on technology.
His ability to cut to the chase and analyze problems was quickly recognized at the software behemoth. Within 90 days of starting Reiner was beckoned by Steve Balmer to brainstorm some big picture issues affecting the company. His immediate bosses had never seen such a thing--being called in to consult with such a senior executive. Balmer replaced Bill Gates as CEO in 2000. Paul met with Balmer who reassigned him to a more important role helping to define architecture of key software being developed in Redmond.
I am a user of technology and because of my six years working in the software industry I have a basic grasp of some technology issues that goes a little deeper than many people. But I am not a technologist. Paul is. He's a man with a deep and profound understanding of computer science. He's also someone who can easily explain the most difficult concepts. His deep understanding and quick mind allows him to see through complex issues and problems to find solutions.
Our conversations last night and this morning ran the gamut. Paul did the vast majority of the talking and I did my best to absorb all that he emitted--it was a lot.
In 1997 I ran Novell Consulting's truck tour--we built a mobile classroom in a semi that we took to 38 cities in the U.S. and Canada. I enlisted Paul's assistance. His task was to rig up a mobile Internet connection for our truck that would allow us to show off one of Novell's latest products. We would have the first, or at least one of the very first, completely mobile Internet connections on the planet. There were no commercial solutions for this available at that time--ours was a custom job. Paul took this on and had it working in no time. It was one of the coolest things about our very slick mobile classroom, a setup we spent close to a million dollars creating.
I loved seeing Paul and Darcy and their family. Today Paul is a high level consultant hired by Microsoft and leading a team of others in Redmond. Such arrangements have become increasingly common at Microsoft. He gets to be part of the world's most powerful software company, a company whose ability to commercialize software amazes even Paul, yet he's no longer an employee. He says this is the best possibility. He was going to tour me around the MS campus, but it worked out better for my schedule to visit him at his home. I am glad it did--it was fun to spend time with him and his fertile mind.
This is one of the greatest advantages of being an Airstreamer--connecting with so many friends and family throughout the continent. As I drove past Lake Washington today, beginning my way south, I thought of Lake Champlain between Vermont, New York, and Canada--a body of water I'd most recently crossed only six week ago. From Lake Champlain to Lake Washington I've covered the northern part of the country. With winter's quick approach I am headed south.
Last night I spent the night with Paul, his wife Darcy, and their kids. He lives about 20 miles north of Redmond, Washington--the center of the Microsoft universe.
Paul is always ready to offer a brain dump. This man is a bona fide genius, and he's articulate. After leaving Novell--reluctantly--Reiner went to work for the world's fiercest software company. The writing was on the wall at Novell, and had been for some time. The company's glory days were over and the opportunities were limited. When you can beat 'em . . . .
Paul joined Microsoft in 1999 and was an employee for four years. Initially he helped run the executive briefing center where MS schmoozes clients and world leaders. Among others he gave then Vice President Al Gore a briefing on technology.
His ability to cut to the chase and analyze problems was quickly recognized at the software behemoth. Within 90 days of starting Reiner was beckoned by Steve Balmer to brainstorm some big picture issues affecting the company. His immediate bosses had never seen such a thing--being called in to consult with such a senior executive. Balmer replaced Bill Gates as CEO in 2000. Paul met with Balmer who reassigned him to a more important role helping to define architecture of key software being developed in Redmond.
I am a user of technology and because of my six years working in the software industry I have a basic grasp of some technology issues that goes a little deeper than many people. But I am not a technologist. Paul is. He's a man with a deep and profound understanding of computer science. He's also someone who can easily explain the most difficult concepts. His deep understanding and quick mind allows him to see through complex issues and problems to find solutions.
Our conversations last night and this morning ran the gamut. Paul did the vast majority of the talking and I did my best to absorb all that he emitted--it was a lot.
In 1997 I ran Novell Consulting's truck tour--we built a mobile classroom in a semi that we took to 38 cities in the U.S. and Canada. I enlisted Paul's assistance. His task was to rig up a mobile Internet connection for our truck that would allow us to show off one of Novell's latest products. We would have the first, or at least one of the very first, completely mobile Internet connections on the planet. There were no commercial solutions for this available at that time--ours was a custom job. Paul took this on and had it working in no time. It was one of the coolest things about our very slick mobile classroom, a setup we spent close to a million dollars creating.
I loved seeing Paul and Darcy and their family. Today Paul is a high level consultant hired by Microsoft and leading a team of others in Redmond. Such arrangements have become increasingly common at Microsoft. He gets to be part of the world's most powerful software company, a company whose ability to commercialize software amazes even Paul, yet he's no longer an employee. He says this is the best possibility. He was going to tour me around the MS campus, but it worked out better for my schedule to visit him at his home. I am glad it did--it was fun to spend time with him and his fertile mind.
This is one of the greatest advantages of being an Airstreamer--connecting with so many friends and family throughout the continent. As I drove past Lake Washington today, beginning my way south, I thought of Lake Champlain between Vermont, New York, and Canada--a body of water I'd most recently crossed only six week ago. From Lake Champlain to Lake Washington I've covered the northern part of the country. With winter's quick approach I am headed south.
Thursday, November 08, 2007
On the Road with Kellie
Federal Way, Washington
Near Seattle
Wrapping up the second day of my twelve day trip with Kellie Forbes. I first met Kellie just under six years ago when I hired her to be my right hand woman during the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Here we are again, working hard, and having fun.
Kellie is the woman who introduced me to rock and gem shows and indirectly to meteorites too. She's built a huge business since the Olympics in this industry. She's a talented jewelry designer and has a huge inventory of beads and paraphenalia for making jewelry (silver, clasps, crystal . . . ).
In 39 days I've gone from Windrock Farm in New York to the Pacific Northwest. That's some traveling, especially without an aeroplane!
It's been a crazy couple of days. I was packing up from my Whiskey Creek Farms show earlier yesterday and prepping and packing for this trip. I should say semi-frantically trying to get a hundred things done. One of the "other" things was getting my Airstream winterized since I am exposing it to freezing weather before I head south for the winter. I am sans Airstream on this trip, traveling as Kellie's assistant for a little money and a small amount of free booth space. I chose to hire out the relatively simple task of winterizing because I was so pressed for time and didn't have the tools to do the job. This task expanded into a four hour operation (I was told I'd be in and out of the RV shop in Boise in 30 minutes).
In the meantime my sister Elise (whose farm is my current base camp) was staying home for the day because her dog was about to welp (give birth). Welp she did. As Elise was delivering puppies she went to stand up and her back seized up on her. She was in excruciating pain and couldn't move. I found myself nursing her through the day--she considered the emergency room then decided to tough it out. I assisted with the puppies, little Jack Russell's and very cute. I eventually finished packing at 3:30 PM--about three hours past the original departure time. I later fed Elise's horses, gave Jake lots of hugs goodbye, and so on. A hectic day.
At about 6 PM Kellie arrived, thankfully late given the day. We quickly packed up my stuff for the trip and then took off for what would be an 11 hour drive to our hotel here in Washington. At 4 AM this morning we collapsed for a few hours then we were off again to set up at the show here.
Kellie has a huge amount of inventory, impressive really. She also has mastered the art of cramming inventory into a small floor space. We ran in to a guy named Mark who was our angel today. Kellie hired him on the spot and he assisted with the setup. We worked hard all day and were going strong when they kicked us out at 7 PM.
We had a quick dinner and headed back to the hotel where we have proceeded to work for many hours more. One of the things we did tonight was go through my relatively meager bead inventory and she helped me clean it up, price it, and prep it for sales.
A busy and productive day. Lots of work. It feels good to get so much done.
Near Seattle
Wrapping up the second day of my twelve day trip with Kellie Forbes. I first met Kellie just under six years ago when I hired her to be my right hand woman during the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Here we are again, working hard, and having fun.
Kellie is the woman who introduced me to rock and gem shows and indirectly to meteorites too. She's built a huge business since the Olympics in this industry. She's a talented jewelry designer and has a huge inventory of beads and paraphenalia for making jewelry (silver, clasps, crystal . . . ).
In 39 days I've gone from Windrock Farm in New York to the Pacific Northwest. That's some traveling, especially without an aeroplane!
It's been a crazy couple of days. I was packing up from my Whiskey Creek Farms show earlier yesterday and prepping and packing for this trip. I should say semi-frantically trying to get a hundred things done. One of the "other" things was getting my Airstream winterized since I am exposing it to freezing weather before I head south for the winter. I am sans Airstream on this trip, traveling as Kellie's assistant for a little money and a small amount of free booth space. I chose to hire out the relatively simple task of winterizing because I was so pressed for time and didn't have the tools to do the job. This task expanded into a four hour operation (I was told I'd be in and out of the RV shop in Boise in 30 minutes).
In the meantime my sister Elise (whose farm is my current base camp) was staying home for the day because her dog was about to welp (give birth). Welp she did. As Elise was delivering puppies she went to stand up and her back seized up on her. She was in excruciating pain and couldn't move. I found myself nursing her through the day--she considered the emergency room then decided to tough it out. I assisted with the puppies, little Jack Russell's and very cute. I eventually finished packing at 3:30 PM--about three hours past the original departure time. I later fed Elise's horses, gave Jake lots of hugs goodbye, and so on. A hectic day.
At about 6 PM Kellie arrived, thankfully late given the day. We quickly packed up my stuff for the trip and then took off for what would be an 11 hour drive to our hotel here in Washington. At 4 AM this morning we collapsed for a few hours then we were off again to set up at the show here.
Kellie has a huge amount of inventory, impressive really. She also has mastered the art of cramming inventory into a small floor space. We ran in to a guy named Mark who was our angel today. Kellie hired him on the spot and he assisted with the setup. We worked hard all day and were going strong when they kicked us out at 7 PM.
We had a quick dinner and headed back to the hotel where we have proceeded to work for many hours more. One of the things we did tonight was go through my relatively meager bead inventory and she helped me clean it up, price it, and prep it for sales.
A busy and productive day. Lots of work. It feels good to get so much done.
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
The Art Show at Whiskey Creek--Kuna, Idaho
The art show at Whiskey Creek Farms featured jewelry from a select group of top American artists.
Kellie Forbes of Accent Artistry. Utah resident Kellie Forbes does a lot of business in Idaho. She is an extremely talented jewelry designer and a popular artist at Boise's "Art in the Park." Kellie masterfully composes pieces of jewelry made with gemstone beads and pearls. She's a silver artist and makes glass too.
Amy S of Lebe Loola. A Utahredrock favorite. Scroll down for more on Lebe Loola including some photos that give you an idea of Amy's outstanding work. Amy is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan and is a well known artist in the East. This is the first time her work has been shown in Idaho.
Sabra of Need to Bead. Boise's own bead goddess from Boise's best bead shop. Sabra's commitment to her art is palpable when you meet her and see her in action at Need to Bead. She is also an expert instructor and teaches beading classes right here in Boise.
Ron of RSB Designs. From his studio in Park City, Utah, Ron is known throughout the mountain West for his work. He's a regular artist at the prestigious Sun Valley and Park City art festivals. His work is unique, expensive, and worth every dime. In his own words: “My focus when creating handcrafted jewelry is to produce mini sculptures which are whimsical with an edge of humor and discovery. The unpredictable use of traditional materials is a constant in my work. I envision my work adorning the body in everyday life.”
Dennis Brugman. The pieces we have from this veteran artisan are similar to those from Lebe Loola. We have about six malachite pendants mounted in sterling. Dennis does the lapidary work (cuts and polishes the stones) and the silver work. He's an immensely talented man.
Other: We have a variety of other jewelry too, most notably perhaps is the old-stock Indian jewelry dating from the early 1970s. These beautiful pieces were made in New Mexico and all of them feature beautiful varisite from northern Utah (almost Idaho!) a green stone often mistaken for turquoise. Utahredrock has other jewelry we've acquired as well, mostly from artists unknown--however, all of it was handmade by somebody somewhere.
Meteorites at an art/jewelry show? This is our specialty and is unrelated to jewelry though we have had some meteorite jewelry this year. Our extensive collection of rocks from space is a must see and if you're interested in these extraterrestrial gems, this is perhaps your best chance to buy a rock older than anything made by our planet by billions of years. This is natural cosmic art.
Thanks to everyone who visited us at Whiskey Creek
Friday, November 02, 2007
Just a few of our Meteorites
This photo includes some of the best Campos I've ever had (Campo is a name of a meteorite). The small ones here are extremely high quality and because of their size they're still affordable--usually $60 to $160 depending on weight. I have meteorites as cheap as $10 each and as much as $5,000. In the plastic bags and barely visible here are slices of Campos, allowing you to see the inside of these meteorites. These slices typically run $20 to $50.
The High End Beads
For those who like to make jewelry. Beading class available at Need to Bead in Boise.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Back in Utah
I am back in Utah this weekend. It’s good to be in the intermountain West and great to see my Utah friends.
Yesterday at my Salt Lake show two friends came by just to say hello. One is someone I’ve known for 17 years now—I first met her in Tivoli, NY through my sister Cari. She’s extremely successful in the film business and extremely cool too. The other is a friend from when I worked on the Olympics, almost six years ago. She is a sweet, wonderful woman who kept me company yesterday afternoon.
I am staying with a friend who has a gorgeous house on the bench of the mountains above downtown. The Airstream stayed in Idaho to save fuel and simplify this weekend’s trip.
Saw Pippa and Kirk last night, two of my favorite people on the planet. They’re thriving, though Kirk almost killed himself recently rolling his vintage Land Cruiser. Luckily he was mostly unharmed. The Land Cruiser, which he had towed to their house, was mortally wounded. He plans to salvage the engine and many parts from it. The three of us had drinks at the Alta Club last night. The club is an old school men's club, that is now open to all sexes. It's very nice with beautiful mission style stained glass at the entrance. Pippa just finished her work on the week long Utah Book Festival and there was a small event at the Alta Club with one of the authors. The three of us hung out, checked out the public areas at the club, and had a drink. I regaled them with stories from my life on the road and got caught up with their year as well.
I’d love to end up back in Utah at some point, though loving life in the Airstream too much still. I’ve just got so many good friends here and Utah is my favorite state. You’d never know that now would you? (See name of web site and business.)
Jake spent the last two days at the best doggie day care place in the world: Dog Mode. I was one of their first customers back in 1999. They’ve since upgraded to a new facility that they designed just for their business. Jon Campbell who owns Dog Mode is a wonderful guy and he’s done a great job creating an ideal environment for pups. He’s won many Best in State awards which are well deserved. His staff is outstanding. At least one guy, LJ, dates back to the days when I took Jackson there. If you haven’t heard of Jackson, my previous pup, there’s a lot more on him posted earlier on this web site (see late 2004).
When I was picking up Jake Friday a guy came in and asked for Jackson. My heart just about stopped and dropped too. Out came his Jackson, a yellow lab. It was a strange moment.
Utah was my home from 1994 to 2002 and I will always love it here. It’s such a pretty state and so diverse, at least in what it has to offer in the outdoors. Of course in other ways it’s not so diverse, though Salt Lake and Park City are much more liberal and heterogeneous than most of the rest of the state. The Mormons were always nice to me. It’s funny to me how many people have a Mormon-phobia and therefore a Utah aversion. They’re just people like everyone else—with their green jello and all (a Utah joke).
Need to get going for the last day of the Wasatch Gem Show.
Yesterday at my Salt Lake show two friends came by just to say hello. One is someone I’ve known for 17 years now—I first met her in Tivoli, NY through my sister Cari. She’s extremely successful in the film business and extremely cool too. The other is a friend from when I worked on the Olympics, almost six years ago. She is a sweet, wonderful woman who kept me company yesterday afternoon.
I am staying with a friend who has a gorgeous house on the bench of the mountains above downtown. The Airstream stayed in Idaho to save fuel and simplify this weekend’s trip.
Saw Pippa and Kirk last night, two of my favorite people on the planet. They’re thriving, though Kirk almost killed himself recently rolling his vintage Land Cruiser. Luckily he was mostly unharmed. The Land Cruiser, which he had towed to their house, was mortally wounded. He plans to salvage the engine and many parts from it. The three of us had drinks at the Alta Club last night. The club is an old school men's club, that is now open to all sexes. It's very nice with beautiful mission style stained glass at the entrance. Pippa just finished her work on the week long Utah Book Festival and there was a small event at the Alta Club with one of the authors. The three of us hung out, checked out the public areas at the club, and had a drink. I regaled them with stories from my life on the road and got caught up with their year as well.
I’d love to end up back in Utah at some point, though loving life in the Airstream too much still. I’ve just got so many good friends here and Utah is my favorite state. You’d never know that now would you? (See name of web site and business.)
Jake spent the last two days at the best doggie day care place in the world: Dog Mode. I was one of their first customers back in 1999. They’ve since upgraded to a new facility that they designed just for their business. Jon Campbell who owns Dog Mode is a wonderful guy and he’s done a great job creating an ideal environment for pups. He’s won many Best in State awards which are well deserved. His staff is outstanding. At least one guy, LJ, dates back to the days when I took Jackson there. If you haven’t heard of Jackson, my previous pup, there’s a lot more on him posted earlier on this web site (see late 2004).
When I was picking up Jake Friday a guy came in and asked for Jackson. My heart just about stopped and dropped too. Out came his Jackson, a yellow lab. It was a strange moment.
Utah was my home from 1994 to 2002 and I will always love it here. It’s such a pretty state and so diverse, at least in what it has to offer in the outdoors. Of course in other ways it’s not so diverse, though Salt Lake and Park City are much more liberal and heterogeneous than most of the rest of the state. The Mormons were always nice to me. It’s funny to me how many people have a Mormon-phobia and therefore a Utah aversion. They’re just people like everyone else—with their green jello and all (a Utah joke).
Need to get going for the last day of the Wasatch Gem Show.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
En route, Lewiston to Boise--1 of 3
This is one of three images taken from the same spot along the road. What you don't see in any of them is the mountain stream just to the right of this image and 25 feet below. From the time I entered Montana last week the views have been breathtaking.
Lewiston to Boise--3 of 3
Still the same spot . . . hard to believe. My truck and Airstream after traversing the continent through the rain. It was only about 90 more minutes after this stop to my sister Elise's near Boise. Jake demanded a stop though and I assented.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Hells Canyon
Last weekend was Hells Canyon Gem Club's show in Lewiston, Idaho. The club did a phenomenal job and had a good turnout in the heart of Lewis and Clark country. Clarkston, Washington is Lewiston's sister city just across the Snake River.
Lewiston is Idaho's only seaport. Ocean going vessels can reach it via the Columbia and Snake rivers.
The drive from Lewiston to Boise was five solid hours of mountain roads including a hellacious drop in to Hells Canyon. The road plummeted 3,500 feet down to the Salmon River in less than ten miles. My truck and Airstream handled it fine, but my nerves were tested.
My first trip ever to the West was to this area with my brother John in 1983 when we floated the Middle Fork of the Salmon River--six days on a world class river and an introduction to the region where I've spent most of my adult life.
Lewiston is Idaho's only seaport. Ocean going vessels can reach it via the Columbia and Snake rivers.
The drive from Lewiston to Boise was five solid hours of mountain roads including a hellacious drop in to Hells Canyon. The road plummeted 3,500 feet down to the Salmon River in less than ten miles. My truck and Airstream handled it fine, but my nerves were tested.
My first trip ever to the West was to this area with my brother John in 1983 when we floated the Middle Fork of the Salmon River--six days on a world class river and an introduction to the region where I've spent most of my adult life.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Montana Jake
Jake on our hike this morning in Pattee Canyon, just outside of Missoula. One happy puppy.
Tree Magic--The Western Larch
I never knew there was such a thing but the yellow pines here are a species called Western Larch--a deciduous coniferous tree. The larch is one of only two coniferous species that loses its needles. The needles change color and drop off in the autumn. They were feathery in appearance and spectacular.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
The Trek West
Monday:
Morning Depart Jackson, Michigan, just west of Ann Arbor
Early evening Cross the Mississippi River, I-90, Minnesota
Evening Sleep in Walmart parking lot, Fairmont, Minnesota
Tuesday:
Most of day Cross South Dakota, does it ever end?
Mid day Pit stop at Wall Drug, South Dakota tourist stop that had been advertised for 300+ miles
Evening Sleep in Garryowen, Montana at closed RV park parking lot, free but no hookups, again
Wednesday:
Mid day Pit stop at the continental divide near Butte, Montana, Jake plays in the snow, I chat it up with father and son pair of pheasant hunters who're on their way home
Afternoon Arrive Missoula, Montana and an RV park with full hookups, showers, and Internet
Jake and I covered 1,800 miles in 2.5 days.
Tuesday was the longest with over 750 miles driven. We're staying in Missoula for two nights before the final 220 miles to Lewiston, Idaho.
Morning Depart Jackson, Michigan, just west of Ann Arbor
Early evening Cross the Mississippi River, I-90, Minnesota
Evening Sleep in Walmart parking lot, Fairmont, Minnesota
Tuesday:
Most of day Cross South Dakota, does it ever end?
Mid day Pit stop at Wall Drug, South Dakota tourist stop that had been advertised for 300+ miles
Evening Sleep in Garryowen, Montana at closed RV park parking lot, free but no hookups, again
Wednesday:
Mid day Pit stop at the continental divide near Butte, Montana, Jake plays in the snow, I chat it up with father and son pair of pheasant hunters who're on their way home
Afternoon Arrive Missoula, Montana and an RV park with full hookups, showers, and Internet
Jake and I covered 1,800 miles in 2.5 days.
Tuesday was the longest with over 750 miles driven. We're staying in Missoula for two nights before the final 220 miles to Lewiston, Idaho.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Dee . . . Troit!
I got a taste of Detroit this past weekend. There for a show, I hooked up with my friend Sven and got a small sampling of what the motor city has to offer.
With Sven's assistance I managed to back the Airstream in to its tightest spot yet. It barely fit on the narrow single-lane driveway next to Sven's 1920s house. Neighbors had to move cars for us when I was arriving and departing.
I met Sven's wife Kristen (he was single when we first met). He's a journalist and an amazingly good guy--Kristen is a gem too and is about to add a third to their young family.
We were all busy, but still managed to hang out. One of the coolest things we did was go to dinner at a place called Union Street on Woodward Avenue in Detroit. My maternal grandparents are from Detroit. Back in their day the restaurant we ate at was Italian and called Arturo's. While I don't know for sure if they ever went there, I had a strong feeling that they'd been there too. They've been gone since 1985 and 1990--it was nice to imagine I was visiting an old haunt of theirs.
The restaurant was done up in high art deco style that clearly dated from the 1930s but has been faithfully kept up over the decades. I love art deco. Airstream's were born in that same decade and boast the streamlined design also used in the deco style. The interior of my trailer is pure 1970s, but the exterior maintains the 1930s design of the original Airstreams.
Amy Sorensen of Lebe Loola jewelry took care of Jake (my pup) and I spent Sunday night at her very cool 1920s house in Jackson, Michigan, west of Ann Arbor. Muchos muchos gracias for taking great care of the Jakester.
On my way out of Michigan on Monday I was able to meet up with another dear friend, Jennifer D., formerly of Salt Lake City. She's got an amazing spirit and it was a joy to see her.
Michigan is a great state and so different from Ohio--it's neighbor and my home state. It's very much a water state with a strong orientation to the Great Lakes and the smaller lakes of northern Michigan. My family vacationed there when I was young and I've been back a few times because my younger brother is based on Mackinac Island in Lake Huron. October is a good time to be heading out of Michigan too. The winter is long and brutal. For Airstreamers like me, that means it's time to head towards warmer climates (Arizona is coming in about 10 weeks).
The Detroit show went well. Considering the economy there, I was very happy. Thanks to everyone who made it a great weekend.
With Sven's assistance I managed to back the Airstream in to its tightest spot yet. It barely fit on the narrow single-lane driveway next to Sven's 1920s house. Neighbors had to move cars for us when I was arriving and departing.
I met Sven's wife Kristen (he was single when we first met). He's a journalist and an amazingly good guy--Kristen is a gem too and is about to add a third to their young family.
We were all busy, but still managed to hang out. One of the coolest things we did was go to dinner at a place called Union Street on Woodward Avenue in Detroit. My maternal grandparents are from Detroit. Back in their day the restaurant we ate at was Italian and called Arturo's. While I don't know for sure if they ever went there, I had a strong feeling that they'd been there too. They've been gone since 1985 and 1990--it was nice to imagine I was visiting an old haunt of theirs.
The restaurant was done up in high art deco style that clearly dated from the 1930s but has been faithfully kept up over the decades. I love art deco. Airstream's were born in that same decade and boast the streamlined design also used in the deco style. The interior of my trailer is pure 1970s, but the exterior maintains the 1930s design of the original Airstreams.
Amy Sorensen of Lebe Loola jewelry took care of Jake (my pup) and I spent Sunday night at her very cool 1920s house in Jackson, Michigan, west of Ann Arbor. Muchos muchos gracias for taking great care of the Jakester.
On my way out of Michigan on Monday I was able to meet up with another dear friend, Jennifer D., formerly of Salt Lake City. She's got an amazing spirit and it was a joy to see her.
Michigan is a great state and so different from Ohio--it's neighbor and my home state. It's very much a water state with a strong orientation to the Great Lakes and the smaller lakes of northern Michigan. My family vacationed there when I was young and I've been back a few times because my younger brother is based on Mackinac Island in Lake Huron. October is a good time to be heading out of Michigan too. The winter is long and brutal. For Airstreamers like me, that means it's time to head towards warmer climates (Arizona is coming in about 10 weeks).
The Detroit show went well. Considering the economy there, I was very happy. Thanks to everyone who made it a great weekend.
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Visiting the new cottage at Sandstone Farm, Ohio
Last night I spent the night with my inspirational friend Francis. We were at her farm.
She's owned the place for 17 years. She keeps ten horses there, along with two barn cats, three dogs, and a semi-adopted racoon. The driveway to the house and barn is almost a mile long.
Francis has recently been through some major changes in her life. She owns a few beautiful, though neglected houses in Mansfield that she rents and lives in. She spreads herself thin with her full time job, she also owns and runs a separate small business, and manages her farm by herself.
This year she's put a ton of energy into revamping the property. It's called Sandstone Farm and it's in northern Richland County, Ohio. It includes over 240 acres of beautiful Ohio woodlands and fields. The name comes from the house which is built from sandstone blocks. Other than a brief period the house has been empty for at least 30 years. She lived there for about a year seven years back, but it was more like camping. There was not much of a roof, no windows, and no running water. Most tent camping I've done was in higher style and provided more comfort. She got so sick living there in the winter that she relented and returned to civilization.
Her dream has been to live on the property. But it's not exactly up to contemporary living standards. Nevertheless, in late September she moved back out to a cabin where she will be living for at least a year, until she can get the main house usable again.
The cabin is cozy and very cool.
It was just a little plywood building when I last saw it. Now it's got rough hewn planks on the interior walls, insulation (everywhere but the floor--which is plywood suspended over dirt), new wood siding, six new windows, and even heating. There is still no running water--she showers in town.
It looks great, especially from the perspective of this full time Airstreamer. I purchased a second Airstream and she considered moving in to that, but sadly opted out for her self-made cabin, which I admit is cool and more appropriate to her needs.
Her barn is in great shape. For her birthday my mom and I gave her a load of gravel to fill a huge hole between the barn and the paddock where the horses come in and out daily. For too long the hole was a pit of mud and muck. It's now solid ground and should stay dry.
I took my Airstream out for the night and we had dinner in there. Francis looked very elegant eating dinner on the couch of my traveling home. There is nothing like an Airstream to add a touch of refinement to a once neglected farm.
It was fun and wonderful to see her living on her property again. While she has a long way to go, her living quarters this time around are much better than when she lived in the stone house seven years ago.
It will take time but if the progress she's made this year is any indicator, this will be one amazing property very soon.
My Airstream has now visited horse farms in South Carolina, Virginia, New York, and Ohio.
She's owned the place for 17 years. She keeps ten horses there, along with two barn cats, three dogs, and a semi-adopted racoon. The driveway to the house and barn is almost a mile long.
Francis has recently been through some major changes in her life. She owns a few beautiful, though neglected houses in Mansfield that she rents and lives in. She spreads herself thin with her full time job, she also owns and runs a separate small business, and manages her farm by herself.
This year she's put a ton of energy into revamping the property. It's called Sandstone Farm and it's in northern Richland County, Ohio. It includes over 240 acres of beautiful Ohio woodlands and fields. The name comes from the house which is built from sandstone blocks. Other than a brief period the house has been empty for at least 30 years. She lived there for about a year seven years back, but it was more like camping. There was not much of a roof, no windows, and no running water. Most tent camping I've done was in higher style and provided more comfort. She got so sick living there in the winter that she relented and returned to civilization.
Her dream has been to live on the property. But it's not exactly up to contemporary living standards. Nevertheless, in late September she moved back out to a cabin where she will be living for at least a year, until she can get the main house usable again.
The cabin is cozy and very cool.
It was just a little plywood building when I last saw it. Now it's got rough hewn planks on the interior walls, insulation (everywhere but the floor--which is plywood suspended over dirt), new wood siding, six new windows, and even heating. There is still no running water--she showers in town.
It looks great, especially from the perspective of this full time Airstreamer. I purchased a second Airstream and she considered moving in to that, but sadly opted out for her self-made cabin, which I admit is cool and more appropriate to her needs.
Her barn is in great shape. For her birthday my mom and I gave her a load of gravel to fill a huge hole between the barn and the paddock where the horses come in and out daily. For too long the hole was a pit of mud and muck. It's now solid ground and should stay dry.
I took my Airstream out for the night and we had dinner in there. Francis looked very elegant eating dinner on the couch of my traveling home. There is nothing like an Airstream to add a touch of refinement to a once neglected farm.
It was fun and wonderful to see her living on her property again. While she has a long way to go, her living quarters this time around are much better than when she lived in the stone house seven years ago.
It will take time but if the progress she's made this year is any indicator, this will be one amazing property very soon.
My Airstream has now visited horse farms in South Carolina, Virginia, New York, and Ohio.
Sunday, October 07, 2007
Ten Ohio Days in October
Utahredrock is back in Ohio for ten days. This weekend we had a show at our family farm.
On October 1st I gave a talk on meteorites at Kingwood Center in Mansfield to the Richland Lapidary Society. The talk emphasized the profound impact rocks from space have had on our planet. It featured a discussion of the meteorite that hit earth 65 million years ago and took out 70% of all species including the dinosaurs.
We also were covered by the local television station WMFD who spent an hour interviewing me on Saturday. That was fun.
On October 1st I gave a talk on meteorites at Kingwood Center in Mansfield to the Richland Lapidary Society. The talk emphasized the profound impact rocks from space have had on our planet. It featured a discussion of the meteorite that hit earth 65 million years ago and took out 70% of all species including the dinosaurs.
We also were covered by the local television station WMFD who spent an hour interviewing me on Saturday. That was fun.
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Richland County's Best Rock Shop
A sample of the cool rocks and minerals we have. Tumbled rocks of many types, rough citrine and amethyst (Brazil), geodes, petrified wood . . .
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
The Jewelry of Lebe Loola
Utahredrock proudly offers the jewelry of Lebe Loola--set in silver by Amy Sorensen. Going counter-clockwise from the lower left (excluding the cab of dino bone in red): black onyx bracelet, ammonite pendant with pearl, dinosaur bone (black) bracelet, painted jasper pendant and earrings, Crazy Creek Colorado turquoise bracelet, in the center are various earrings--the red are fossilized dinosaur bone from Utah, upper right a brown jasper bracelet, above that black onyx cufflinks, upper left large turquoise pendant of Leadville, Colorado turquoise, and red ocean jasper pendant.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)