Saturday, 22 August 2009
Say Goodbye Now
Isabella and I performing "Say Goodbye Now" at the Victoria Folk Music Society in Victoria, Vancouver Island last Sunday; captured by Angus on his digital camera.
Friday, 21 August 2009
Tornados in Toronto
We got home after a loooooong flight of about 20 hours ...
The Air Canada flight from Vancouver was late in arriving (and therefore late in departing) - then when we got closer to Toronto I learnt that tornadoes over the airport had closed it down, and nothing was going in or out of the airport! We finally touched down about one and a half hours late ... then sat on the tarmac for another 40 minutes.
Luckily (did I say "luckily"?) the London flight from Toronto was delayed too ... by over four hours. We boarded at 12.30 but didn't take off until after 1.00AM.
We walked in our door about 3.00 this afternoon .. a little tired! But what a great trip! And all our thanks to Angus and Christine who so wonderfully "bookmarked" the USA trip with a great time in Vancouver .. and thanks to Laurie for introducing me to the Nevada City dream.
And thanks to everyone for reading this ........
I was hoping to put some videos up here .... I may do it here or on YouTube; I'll let you know.
Bye for now!
The Air Canada flight from Vancouver was late in arriving (and therefore late in departing) - then when we got closer to Toronto I learnt that tornadoes over the airport had closed it down, and nothing was going in or out of the airport! We finally touched down about one and a half hours late ... then sat on the tarmac for another 40 minutes.
Luckily (did I say "luckily"?) the London flight from Toronto was delayed too ... by over four hours. We boarded at 12.30 but didn't take off until after 1.00AM.
We walked in our door about 3.00 this afternoon .. a little tired! But what a great trip! And all our thanks to Angus and Christine who so wonderfully "bookmarked" the USA trip with a great time in Vancouver .. and thanks to Laurie for introducing me to the Nevada City dream.
And thanks to everyone for reading this ........
I was hoping to put some videos up here .... I may do it here or on YouTube; I'll let you know.
Bye for now!
Tuesday, 18 August 2009
Victoria, Vancouver Island
VICTORIA - as a tourist: Victoria is a beautiful city; some great restaurants (Pagliacci's - be prepared to queue even for lunch, but the evening is a great occasion - The Swan which serves great beer and has live music every night, Willie's Bakery, so many more) and the whole city is cool and relaxed. Lots of homeless on the streets though, but they're pretty cool too - during the day at least! Message from Isabella: the clothes are overpriced!!
VICTORIA - the gig: Sunday night played the Victoria Folk Music Society. It's a real folk club, no mics, and everyone likes to sing along; so in a way it was a step outside of the safe territory for me, and a bit strange for Isabella ... but we really enjoyed it, and it was nice to get the standing ovation at the end!
The Gig Video: I'll be uploading a video of a song at the VFMS gig, one that Angus shot on his phone: it takes a while to upload, so while we're out today I'll leave it uploading.
Sunday, 16 August 2009
Some more photos from my 'phone
I loved this part of the drive through Chico ... I wish I'd shot some video of it now. Getting off the I-5 into Northern California was perfect; the beginning of the end of the marathon 12-hour drive to Nevada City!
This is where we stayed the night of Evangeline's gig, right out in the forest near Grass Valley. Saw deer and feeding hummingbirds, and I heard the coyotes howl all night long to the full moon!
I loved Eugene ... friendly and relaxed, and you know I'm a sucker for train tracks!
Touching toes in the Pacific; our first evening in San Francisco.
This bridge makes me think of the Blues Brothers! It's the lifting bridge over the water in Victoria, BC. That's all for now!
This is where we stayed the night of Evangeline's gig, right out in the forest near Grass Valley. Saw deer and feeding hummingbirds, and I heard the coyotes howl all night long to the full moon!
I loved Eugene ... friendly and relaxed, and you know I'm a sucker for train tracks!
Touching toes in the Pacific; our first evening in San Francisco.
This bridge makes me think of the Blues Brothers! It's the lifting bridge over the water in Victoria, BC. That's all for now!
Saturday, 15 August 2009
Victoria #2 (Full Blog Update)
Yes, time and access to a computer that works properly has caught up with me. It's Saturday already and coming up to the last gig on the tour. So - what's been happening recently?
LAKE TAHOE - Saturday:
It would have been silly to drive this close to Tahoe and not visit. Yes, OK it's beautiful, and I'm glad I drove by ... but we had to then find a motel in Tahoe which was very expensive ... and the food in the diners across the way was awful!!
However the drive over the Sierra Nevada mountains to Sacramento in the morning was fabulous; then a long dusty drive down across California with some good radio ... R&B on FM 101.5 intermingled with odd blasts of Mexican radio. Photos? just the one from the gas station, Davis, California (see below)
SAN FRANCISCO - Sunday/Monday:
Lovely driving back over the Oakland Bay bridge after a 30 year gap! (except no "Lay Down Sally on the radio..." like last time. Parked up in the shade in Golden Gate Park and dipped our toes in the Pacific. After a hot climb to the Cliff House to find it way! expensive, we got a great sandwich in Safeways.
Stayed the night at Fred's. Thanks to Fred and Sarah.
Following day booked into the Ocean Park Motel - still original 1930's small motel, super cool - that's the day I wrote all this up at the coffee bar on Polk Street.
ROUTE 101 NORTH - Tuesday:
Checked out of the motel in the fog. Drove up to Eureka ... loads of fog in patches every time we got near to the sea. The coast here is just beautiful; Isabella took some photos, and there's a video coming sometime (probably on YouTube) showing some of the route and some amazing bridges.
Pilgrimage Time: Yes, we drove down the Avenue of Redwoods ... 30 years ago it was just beside the road, but now the freeway goes off to one side. I finally got to revisit the same tree I visited all those years ago. (Got photo's and will put them up[ the next time I get to visit a computer with internet, when I have my USB lead on me)
Stayed the night in Arcata; nice motel, but in the middle of a truck-stop. Drove into Arcata downtown for food ... small town square with bored people sitting around, driving around, doing anything and doing nothing.
FLORENCE - EUGENE: Wednesday.
Sang "Crescent City" as we drove through Crescent City heading further north. The coast north got foggier, more dismal, so after driving through Florence and getting very depressed on Heceta Beach, decided to go back down and drive the Florence-Eugene Highway to Eugene.
Eugene is a nice city; walked across the park under the freeway for a good pint of IPA and a burger. So here we are back on I-5 and due to head north again. Starting to say goodbye to California.
OUT FROM EUGENE - Thursday:
Right - I-5 again heading North. Where to? I still would like to make Olalla Festival near Seattle if possible, so I say let's drive up to Port Townsend - stay there until Sunday morning (we have the ferry to Victoria, BC, booked)and then we will have time ti drive back down the Kitsap Peninsula.
However, the rain starts to really come down halfway up the Olympic Peninsula. As beautiful as it is, we HAVE seen a lot of trees and a lot of water ........ and suddenly Port Townsend isn't the pretty little town I had imagined and the idea of three days there seems NOT a good idea. "Hey, let's drive to Port Angeles ... it's too late for a boat tonight but we can go early tomorrow morning". It's really raining now and miserable.
In Port Angeles, we decide why not check out the ferry line, find out where and when etc. I drive in through the entrance gate and the guy says "You've got one minute ... the boat's going ..." so we pay our fare and drive straight on the last boat out!! The weather changes halfway across, the sun comes out, and we drive into an early evening Victoria feeling we did the right thing, and those Indian Gods have smiled on us YET again!!
Goodbye to the USA ..............
LAKE TAHOE - Saturday:
It would have been silly to drive this close to Tahoe and not visit. Yes, OK it's beautiful, and I'm glad I drove by ... but we had to then find a motel in Tahoe which was very expensive ... and the food in the diners across the way was awful!!
However the drive over the Sierra Nevada mountains to Sacramento in the morning was fabulous; then a long dusty drive down across California with some good radio ... R&B on FM 101.5 intermingled with odd blasts of Mexican radio. Photos? just the one from the gas station, Davis, California (see below)
SAN FRANCISCO - Sunday/Monday:
Lovely driving back over the Oakland Bay bridge after a 30 year gap! (except no "Lay Down Sally on the radio..." like last time. Parked up in the shade in Golden Gate Park and dipped our toes in the Pacific. After a hot climb to the Cliff House to find it way! expensive, we got a great sandwich in Safeways.
Stayed the night at Fred's. Thanks to Fred and Sarah.
Following day booked into the Ocean Park Motel - still original 1930's small motel, super cool - that's the day I wrote all this up at the coffee bar on Polk Street.
ROUTE 101 NORTH - Tuesday:
Checked out of the motel in the fog. Drove up to Eureka ... loads of fog in patches every time we got near to the sea. The coast here is just beautiful; Isabella took some photos, and there's a video coming sometime (probably on YouTube) showing some of the route and some amazing bridges.
Pilgrimage Time: Yes, we drove down the Avenue of Redwoods ... 30 years ago it was just beside the road, but now the freeway goes off to one side. I finally got to revisit the same tree I visited all those years ago. (Got photo's and will put them up[ the next time I get to visit a computer with internet, when I have my USB lead on me)
Stayed the night in Arcata; nice motel, but in the middle of a truck-stop. Drove into Arcata downtown for food ... small town square with bored people sitting around, driving around, doing anything and doing nothing.
FLORENCE - EUGENE: Wednesday.
Sang "Crescent City" as we drove through Crescent City heading further north. The coast north got foggier, more dismal, so after driving through Florence and getting very depressed on Heceta Beach, decided to go back down and drive the Florence-Eugene Highway to Eugene.
Eugene is a nice city; walked across the park under the freeway for a good pint of IPA and a burger. So here we are back on I-5 and due to head north again. Starting to say goodbye to California.
OUT FROM EUGENE - Thursday:
Right - I-5 again heading North. Where to? I still would like to make Olalla Festival near Seattle if possible, so I say let's drive up to Port Townsend - stay there until Sunday morning (we have the ferry to Victoria, BC, booked)and then we will have time ti drive back down the Kitsap Peninsula.
However, the rain starts to really come down halfway up the Olympic Peninsula. As beautiful as it is, we HAVE seen a lot of trees and a lot of water ........ and suddenly Port Townsend isn't the pretty little town I had imagined and the idea of three days there seems NOT a good idea. "Hey, let's drive to Port Angeles ... it's too late for a boat tonight but we can go early tomorrow morning". It's really raining now and miserable.
In Port Angeles, we decide why not check out the ferry line, find out where and when etc. I drive in through the entrance gate and the guy says "You've got one minute ... the boat's going ..." so we pay our fare and drive straight on the last boat out!! The weather changes halfway across, the sun comes out, and we drive into an early evening Victoria feeling we did the right thing, and those Indian Gods have smiled on us YET again!!
Goodbye to the USA ..............
Friday, 14 August 2009
Victoria
Internet broken in our hotel .... but here we are in beautiful Victoria, BC. Looking forward to our gig on Sunday. You can find more information (like - where it is etc) here:
http://www.victoriafolkmusic.ca/
http://www.victoriafolkmusic.ca/
Wednesday, 12 August 2009
Photos of the trip so far
Some photos of the trip so far! It's been difficult .. ah, impossible, to upload images from my phone onto the blog "on my phone" so I've had to wait until I got to a computer ... the first one is Evangeline's Cafe .... (the lovely blue building in the distance)
Next .....
The next one is Davis, California, filling up with gas. I'll spare you the endless photos taken from the driver's window of highway after highway after highway!
Not many photos of San Francisco, I'm afraid ... but I thought you might like to see the hotel; it was the first motel to be built in San Francisco, down on Ocean Beach.Shame I don't have any ready photos of the inside; it was so 40's ... like something out of a movie (so I shot some video on the foggy morning as we left)
Finally (oh, yes there's loads more!) I like this one in Eugene walking back from a well-deserved beer in the Brewery on 5th Avenue near the market.
So for the story so far? As you can see, we are in Eugene heading up to Seattle. I'm hoping to have a few days not driving, somewhere up on the Kitsap Peninisula and hopefully manage to get to the Olalla Festival on the 15th of August.
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