Home for the Holidays

A 12 hour drive later and I was home.

I have been having a lovely time on the home front for the holidays. The majority of my time has been spent in front of the fireplace enjoying some much need lounge time! However, hiking around the property, skiing, and meeting up with some friends has also taken up some time. Last Thursday I went out the the Ridge, Scio's only bar. It was pretty quite besides the heated conversation about Chevy trucks and last nights pool match. I knew most of the old timers there and received plenty of comments about my new North Carolina status.

My semester at ASU finished with bang on two fronts: 1)ASU won the Division 1-AA national championship in a killer game vs. NIU and 2) I got a 4.0. I did more work this semester than, seemingly, my entire undergraduate career. I think my 2.5 years out of school changed my work ethic and got my priorities in line. I did manage to fit some very fun/wild/scandalous times in and certainly plan to keep that rolling into next semester. The next year should prove to be quite interesting on the travel front with trips to Chicago (March) and Montana (July) and to India (May) and Costa Rica (December) - all of which I am quite stoked about.

Though I love being home, it is about that time to head back down south. Before all the other students return, I hope to spend some time in nice-quite Boone. I want to get plenty of skiing in and get up into those mountains.

Huck Finn and Babe

A very fun night in Boone.

One year later...back in Bristol.

Well readership of none, greetings after my multi-week break from blogging. Here I am in Boone, NC in my first year of grad school at Appalachian State University. I am hitting up the Masters in Geography Department like a hill-top kegger (upstate NY reference). When not thinking about the spatial nature of the world, I have spent much time exploring my new surroundings. Whether it is getting in the truck and driving through the hills - tunes cranked naturally - or getting on the trail, I am outside whenever I can. I have a choice roof set-up as well were I can lay in the sun scantily clad while reading about dead white geographers.

This weekend, however, it was back in sunny Bristol, VA/TN for the Rhythm and Roots Reunion Festival. There was a big ol' shift in the fest-going routine...I went with a friend. Yes, the solo mission was placed aside and I had a bitchin' good time. My geography compatriot Andi and I took off Friday afternoon and stayed through Sunday. She is from northern Alabama, went to Auburn, and is a super cool chika. The entire weekend was full of us walking around town, dancing while others stared, drank while judging those who passed by, and enjoying a ton of great music. We both had on the shagdar at all times glaring at hot bearded men..there were a few.

On the music front, always a good time were Old Crow, Tim O'Brian, Doyle Lawson, The Everybodyfields, and so many more. Whenever I get to be amongst the people of these festivals I get reminded why I came down to this area and why I can see myself being here for a while. Even when I say I am from New York, which is a four letter word down here, I get a warm smile. All of this makes me ache for the day when I can have that house in the hills where music always flows and where contentment is in the form of simplicity.

The Triple Threat

On trucks in my native Allegany County there exists what I call "the triple threat" - the combination of three specific bumper stickers that is a must if you plan on identifying with our local culture. Today was a grand day for the TT. I witnessed a variation on one of the stable threat members that was quite choice.

Our three threat stickers are as follows: 1) Some kind of patriotic stamp, i.e. "Support the troops," an American Flag, etc... 2) An homage to their prefered "outdoorsman" sport of choice, i.e. "I'd rather be bow hunting," 3) and, may I say the most important, Calvin pissing on the hated NASCAR number of choice.

Well, today, that Calvin sticker was altered on a shiny F-150. Instead of Calvin pissing on Gordon's big ol' 24, he was pissing on OSAMA. It was classic.

So long Sweats McGee

On this, the 27th of July 2005, sweltering DC summer day, I say farewell to CSPI. My last day is here and I must say I have jack shit to do. I plan to spend my last 8 hours here searching for the ultimate trail running shoes as my current pair have acquired some kind of funk that no man made product can destroy. However, since I am broke as a joke, I will just sigh and not make any purchases. Second, I will make my way through the NYT with a little less guilt than usual. Third, I will do more research on my upcoming vehicle purchase. Anyway, who cares. I get to spend the next 3 days with two of my best pals packing, listening to good tunes whilst packing, and enjoying my remaining time here. Not to mention my impending going-away party that should be a blast! Cheerio DC.

You can just see the scaffolding of the stage on the left. This was taken on the last night. Photos can never capture the glory of sunset, but, I tried.

The beer was a phenominal local brew and at 9000 ft. it didn't take too many. 

Each night the moon would rise over the mountains - that is what I am pointing at. Side note - on day 1 I was sans-hat. Day 2 my face felt, even after lathering myself in sunblock, like a saddle.  

Wake UP! After basking in the sun for a several hours, I would need to refuel with a beer/coffee combo to get me psyched for the evening sets.

Being the early riser I am, and, being on east-coast time, I was able to go for a few morning hikes. This was taken at about 6 am as the sun was rising.  

Our glorious campground.  

6 days later, we made it back from Telluride in our noble steed. I had the privledge of riding in "the nook" in the back. This photo was taken the morning after leaving Telluride at midnight to get back to our 10:30 am Denver flight. So, this is at about 7:30 am post my first shower in 5 days, getting ready to head to the airport.  

tune.

Last night I rediscovered a mixed CD that was, at the time, the main set in my nightly musical showcase. Now a year or so later, as each new song played, it took me back. It is a mix of Townes Van Zandt tunes as sung by some of bluegrass's finest.

Late last night, it was one sung by Doc that made me weak - the tune "If I needed you." As I lay in bed with only my old "Taylor Guitar" t-shirt to cover a bit of my sweat glistened skin, I felt vulnerable to those words.

If I needed you
Would you come to me,
Would you come to me,
And ease my pain?
If you needed me
I would come to you
I’d swim the seas
For to ease your pain
In the night forlorn
The morning’s born
And the morning shines
With the lights of love
You will miss sunrise
If you close your eyes
That would break
My heart in two
The lady’s with me now
Since I showed her how
To lay her lily
Hand in mine
Loop and lil agree
She’s a sight to see
And a treasure for
The poor to find

Townes wrote that tune after waking in the middle of the night from a codeine induced sleep. Last night, I felt as if he wrote that tune for me. Thanks Doc and Townes...you do me right.