Friday, November 4, 2011

4 November 2011 Fog on the mountain, fire down below


          Yesterday began in the dentist’s chair and closed around 0-dark-thirty this morning. 
          I was up early to drive into Johnson City.  Once there our dentist told me that his office staff had scheduled more procedures than allotted time allowed.  Since we had plans to go to Asheville, I opted to reschedule the planned extraction. 
          Our good friend, David Gans, was playing in Asheville, last night, at MoDaddy’s Bar.  This is the third time he’s been booked into the area since we moved to TN.  He’s a remarkably accomplished singer-songwriter with amazing guitar skills.  He makes an extremely difficult field of art appear effortless by means of his accomplishments. 
          We planned to leave around 1630, thinking to arrive around 1900, in time to enjoy dinner.  We actually left home about 1700, ensuring that we were able to make the trip in the promised rain.  Rainfall here was 0.46 inches.  Fortunately, the rain was slow and steady rather than violent and stormy. 
          We arrived as planned, spent 10-15 minutes in the parking lot shuffle before finding a free spot close to the bar.  We were seated immediately by a waitress who took good care of us all evening.   We ordered from a newly revised menu and settled in for the wait. 
          While we were eating, the Roy Jay Band was sound checking.  They spent about half an hour dialing in their hardware before playing two well mixed and skillfully played songs.   When they were satisfied, they left the small stage and David ran his sound check and worked a bit with the musicians with whom he would be sharing his performance time.  Then it was work the crowd time for David. 
          David has a large and loyal on-line following.  They come out for all his performances.  He understands the obligations that such fans lay on performers and works the crowd quite well.  I’ve watched him do this severable times, dating back to 1995.  He seems to be able to recall each fan, keeping faces and names straight over months- years between performances and meetings.  Comparing his abilities to other musicians, it’s a rare ability. 
          The meal was excellent, particularly for a bar.  We met several people, locals and performers.  One we shared table space with and had quite an enjoyable conversation waiting for the show to begin.  Others, David introduced us to, including Galen Kipar.  Galen sat in on two numbers last night.  He is also a fishing guide in NC.  We’re listening to his new CD now, pre-release copy that David passed on to us with Galen’s permission. 
          David played an excellent set, lively, clean, imaginative jams when he shared the stage.  His shows remind me of why I first picked up a guitar.   He’s always a treat to hear.  If you haven’t heard him, http://www.dgans.com/
          Last night’s set included Pancho and Lefty, Ian Tyson’s Four Strong Winds, Norwegian Wood, Down to Eugene, & Who Killed Uncle John.  There was an excellent Candy Man offered up by David with the Roy Jay Band in support.  Galen Kipar and a wonderful fiddler (name lost in the murk of my hearing loss) helped round out the set. 
          Also check www.galenkipar.com  there is some find listening to be had at both sites.

          We left about 2300 for the trip home.  We’d have liked to stay for the final set but the day’s pains were piling up.  The rain had dwindled to mist as we headed home.  The drive was largely routine for wet roads, staying alert, blocking glare off the road, and maintaining a safe speed. 
          The about two miles from the TN/NC border we hit fog.  FOG!, not fog.  This was thick, nasty, evil stuff.  I had the fog lamps on instantly but they offered no real benefit.  The visibility was actually zero.  Nothing existed beyond the front of the car or outside the window except fog.  We drove at 25-30 MPH on the interstate, hoping to see the lane demarcation stripes as the road turned and bent; hoping that no idiot would come barreling into us from behind.  In the next 5 miles of obscured road, we were passed by 3 cars that were traveling at about 60mph with absolutely no more visibility than we had.  Idiots abound!
          We left the heavy fog about 10 miles from Erwin but had wispy fog mixed with rain the rest of the way in.  We turned into the driveway ca. 0040. 
          This morning hit at 0630 as pain meds wore off and morning traffic noises started.  It was still raining off and on at 0900.  Cancelled this morning’s hike with Mike.  I don’t like being on the road when its wet.  People forget that they have brakes and don’t slow down to pass pedestrians. 
          We had a very good time last night.  Loki has a vet appointment this afternoon for shots and check-up. 
That’s it for now.  I will now return to becoming outraged at the political idiocy being perpetrated by the teavangelists.  Please join me in letting them know that you are outraged too.  Write and call your Congressperson and demand that they tell Grover Norquist that he no longer has any power over Congress.

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