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.
Monday, 10 August 2009
San Francisco Part 2
Still here with bebop and coffee. It's cool but sunny here in San Francisco.
So where was I? Ah! Nevada City!
NEVADA CITY - Thursday: Thursday morning really starts to drag ... we've walked down past KVMR, so I know where the radio station is. I can't eat much breakfast ... you know, it's the first time I've been on the radio for a long long time and I'm nervous! I guess Isabella is too, because it's certainly the first time she's ever been on!
But Kim Rogers is really sweet and very friendly and puts us at ease. We do 5 songs in the end, maybe because I'm still a bit nervous and not talking that much; but the end song feels good and strong and then ha! suddenly I feel like a good long beer!
COLFAX - Friday. After lazy morning, getting ready for the gig in the evening, we finally turn up in Colfax at Evangeline's Cafe. She is the sweetest person you'll ever meet, and so happy to see us. Bill is there to help us get the PA sorted out; we get in tune, run through. Then ha! suddenly I need a long cool beer again. Colfax is a rail depot, so it's good for us romantic Brits to hear those long wailing, pulsating notes that the trains push out as they clatter clatter through the station. Apart from the station, Colfax is just one side of a short main street, with Evangeline's in a lovely blue clapper-board building at one end.
The gig is great ... the Cafe is small but it's packed; Isabella sings so well she blows the place apart! Evangeline's gig is excellent, she runs a good show and well worthy of being the high-profile venue that it is on the North California tour schedule.
After we stay at Eric and Kristina's place 1/2 hour drive away right up in the forested mountains where the coyotes howl all night long to a big bad moon ........
So where was I? Ah! Nevada City!
NEVADA CITY - Thursday: Thursday morning really starts to drag ... we've walked down past KVMR, so I know where the radio station is. I can't eat much breakfast ... you know, it's the first time I've been on the radio for a long long time and I'm nervous! I guess Isabella is too, because it's certainly the first time she's ever been on!
But Kim Rogers is really sweet and very friendly and puts us at ease. We do 5 songs in the end, maybe because I'm still a bit nervous and not talking that much; but the end song feels good and strong and then ha! suddenly I feel like a good long beer!
COLFAX - Friday. After lazy morning, getting ready for the gig in the evening, we finally turn up in Colfax at Evangeline's Cafe. She is the sweetest person you'll ever meet, and so happy to see us. Bill is there to help us get the PA sorted out; we get in tune, run through. Then ha! suddenly I need a long cool beer again. Colfax is a rail depot, so it's good for us romantic Brits to hear those long wailing, pulsating notes that the trains push out as they clatter clatter through the station. Apart from the station, Colfax is just one side of a short main street, with Evangeline's in a lovely blue clapper-board building at one end.
The gig is great ... the Cafe is small but it's packed; Isabella sings so well she blows the place apart! Evangeline's gig is excellent, she runs a good show and well worthy of being the high-profile venue that it is on the North California tour schedule.
After we stay at Eric and Kristina's place 1/2 hour drive away right up in the forested mountains where the coyotes howl all night long to a big bad moon ........
San Francisco
Sitting tapping away at crud-filled keyboard in real rundown but uber-cool coffee bar on the corner of Polk and Sacramento, with verry cool jazz playing ... trying to catch up with this blog!
OK I've got 12 minutes left to catch up!!!
VANCOUVER - Monday: Went to Avis to collect the car ... "sorry we don't have any small cars (like you booked) can you come back tomorrow?" Uh! No! We ended up driving away in the BIGGEST thing you can find, a GMC Yukon SUV gas-guzzling monster ... took me a few hours to get used to the width and the length! Same price, so rather cool really, being that big and that comfy - just like 30 years ago we drove across the States in the BIGGEST Cadillac ...
SEATTLE - Monday: Picked up my guitar from Dusty Strings ... a great place, friendly, helpful. Big thanks to Rob and all the guys in the shop. Didn't get away until 6.00, though. Fremont's a nice side of town.
PORTLAND - Monday: Didn't get there until 10.00 at night ... pulled into the motel we had chosen, to find drug deals going on, drunk kids hanging around, dark side of Portland .. scary. Pulled out of there and didn't get into a motel until nearly 11.00 - but real nice friendly Quentin-Tarantino sound-alike called Jason at the Shilo Inn made us welcome and gave us "musician's rates"!!
PORTLAND - Tuesday shopping day. Wednesday set off at 7.30 in the morning heading South down Interstate 5. Stopped in Cottage Grove for coffee. Again, a bit of a nostalgia trip .. stayed in CG some 30 years ago. Back on I.5 headed South. Some time late breakfast stopped in a Gas Food Lodging for some gas and had brunch. Then ... on, on, on! Down through Shasta stopping in Weed (ah, because I just had to didn't I?) for a Subway sandwich.
NEVADA CITY - Wednesday: This can be the end of this short Blog - I mean, for the Road Trip Part One. After 12 hours driving we finally get to Nevada City (after a long drive down a great dusty back road through the olive groves going through Chico etc).
In Nevada City, luckily I decide that I NEED to drive down the Main Street before we go looking for a motel. And yes! right at the top of Broad Street we find a real nice motel called the Outside Inn, and they have one room left ... No. 6 at the end of the short row of rooms with it's own little patio with tables and chairs. I park the Monster Yukon right right outside.
We stroll down into town - do you know Nevada City? It's the sweetest little old Gold-mining town still looking like it did in 1900 apart from the odd T-shirted Harley Davidson bike rider or big pick-up truck chug-chug-chugging up that steep hill .. Have a good evening meal & a beer (or two) at Matteo's and tell them all to listen out for Kim Roger's show at 2.30 Thursday ...........
OK I've got 12 minutes left to catch up!!!
VANCOUVER - Monday: Went to Avis to collect the car ... "sorry we don't have any small cars (like you booked) can you come back tomorrow?" Uh! No! We ended up driving away in the BIGGEST thing you can find, a GMC Yukon SUV gas-guzzling monster ... took me a few hours to get used to the width and the length! Same price, so rather cool really, being that big and that comfy - just like 30 years ago we drove across the States in the BIGGEST Cadillac ...
SEATTLE - Monday: Picked up my guitar from Dusty Strings ... a great place, friendly, helpful. Big thanks to Rob and all the guys in the shop. Didn't get away until 6.00, though. Fremont's a nice side of town.
PORTLAND - Monday: Didn't get there until 10.00 at night ... pulled into the motel we had chosen, to find drug deals going on, drunk kids hanging around, dark side of Portland .. scary. Pulled out of there and didn't get into a motel until nearly 11.00 - but real nice friendly Quentin-Tarantino sound-alike called Jason at the Shilo Inn made us welcome and gave us "musician's rates"!!
PORTLAND - Tuesday shopping day. Wednesday set off at 7.30 in the morning heading South down Interstate 5. Stopped in Cottage Grove for coffee. Again, a bit of a nostalgia trip .. stayed in CG some 30 years ago. Back on I.5 headed South. Some time late breakfast stopped in a Gas Food Lodging for some gas and had brunch. Then ... on, on, on! Down through Shasta stopping in Weed (ah, because I just had to didn't I?) for a Subway sandwich.
NEVADA CITY - Wednesday: This can be the end of this short Blog - I mean, for the Road Trip Part One. After 12 hours driving we finally get to Nevada City (after a long drive down a great dusty back road through the olive groves going through Chico etc).
In Nevada City, luckily I decide that I NEED to drive down the Main Street before we go looking for a motel. And yes! right at the top of Broad Street we find a real nice motel called the Outside Inn, and they have one room left ... No. 6 at the end of the short row of rooms with it's own little patio with tables and chairs. I park the Monster Yukon right right outside.
We stroll down into town - do you know Nevada City? It's the sweetest little old Gold-mining town still looking like it did in 1900 apart from the odd T-shirted Harley Davidson bike rider or big pick-up truck chug-chug-chugging up that steep hill .. Have a good evening meal & a beer (or two) at Matteo's and tell them all to listen out for Kim Roger's show at 2.30 Thursday ...........
Thursday, 6 August 2009
Nevada City
Blog running out of sync, because can't get to PC. Did KVMR today - Kim Rogers. Great! We are @ Evangeline's, Colfax 2moro. Hope to see you ALL there! Will catch up on the excitement so far when get to Fred's in SF; Sunday or Monday.
Wednesday, 5 August 2009
oregon
so much to tell, but it's tough to tell all on this little 'phone keypad .... Hopefully get to a PC in Nevada City tonight. On KVMR Kim Roger's show Thursday 2.30. Thanks for listening.
Sunday, 2 August 2009
Saturday, 1 August 2009
One 18-hour flight later! I guess we ran the entire length of Toronto Airport - nearly missed the flight as the guitar took a long time to arrive in baggage collection.
Here we are now in West Vancouver staying with friends Angus & Christine. We are 5 minutes walk from this photo of Lighthouse Bay.
But that's not all! In the afternoon we climbed Grouse Mountain, 3000' above West Vancouver rattling up the last bit in the ski lift and breathed real fresh air in the pines. Vancouver Island (where we are playing Victoria Folk Music Society on the 16th) was lost in the afternoon heat haze across the bay. In the evening Vancouver put on a firework display for us!
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