Saturday, August 20, 2011

The Last Post?

As the posts become fewer and fewer, I am wondering if this won't be the last post on our beloved experiment?

Anyhow, greetings from Montana. It has been a crazy summer, so crazy in fact that this is my first weekend in Helena since early June. Many tales to be spun, hopefully in person with some of you at hand.

Back over July 4th weekend, Jim was kind enough to host a reunion of sorts. Rye, PIMP, Dean-O and myself were able to attend (apparently the price of gas for the six hour drive from Lubbock to Denver was too unbearable for the J-Hole). A concert was attended in Steamboat, a baseball game in Denver, a fireworks display from Jim's roof, and lots of cigarettes and even more bullshitting went down over three days.

Stoney and I made the drive from Montana (once his plane landed a mere ten hours late). Yellowstone, Teton and the nothingness of southern Wyoming proved just the trick for two old friends catching up. We did get stonewalled by some snow high in the Wyoming mountains near Jackson, but that just added to the fun. Next year, Vegas baby! Stoney, you should publish some pictures here.

Later in the summer a few friends and i attended Red Ants Pants music festival in White Sulfer Springs, MT. A bit of Texas came to Montana, as Jerry Jeff (Austin), Lyle Lovett (Houston), Carrie Rodriguez (Austin), Rodney Crowell (Houston), Guy Clark (Houston), the Trishas (Austin) and a few others showed up in the hills of central Montana for two days of awesomeness. The awesomeness culminated with Rodney and Guy sitting on the stage playing songs for each other on Sunday afternoon. Poor Guy can barely get around, and can't remember his own songs anymore, but still amazing, especially since his solo show was on Saturday, thus giving us a real treat by sticking around just to play with Rodney Crowell. During his solo set on Saturday, Rodney and Lyle sat just off stage simply to watch Guy Clark play music.

I did manage to squeeze front and center for the shows, because, well, that's just who I am.

Here is Guy Clark singing with Verlon Anderson. Yes, it was The Cape.

Rodney Crowell crooning Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight



Rodney watching Guy trying to remember the Lyrics to Old Friends


A sober Jerry Jeff singing Mr. Bojangles or Navajo Rug, I forget which at this point.

In other news, my brother submitted some photo and became season ticket boy for the Houston Texans. Monday night was meet the team night. Here's a copy of the ticket for all none of you that are interested:

I reckon I'll follow this up at some point with a few more summer details (hikes in Glacier, work trips to Florida, Vermont and Alberta), but who knows, maybe I'll just fade into the distance...