Yacht Rock!

There is nothing I can add to the awesomeness of this video.

Yarmonygrass info!

Telluride Bluegrass, Sunday

In the previous three festivals that we have attended, we never hung around for Sunday's sets (burning rubber back to the front range). This year, I was determined to stick it out. This is no easy task. On top of physical and mental exhaustion, the sun was burning HOT again. This guy was, of course, inviting this with his shirt. Why not, we are totally solar powered!

The dude on the left is an excellent metaphor for the average mental condition of the crowd on Sunday. Arrgh!

~FESTIVAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL~ !!!!

I *CAN'T WAIT* for next year...

Telluride Bluegrass, Saturday

Friday was pretty intense in the sunlight. We cut out during Elvis Costello with the intent of coming back 'round for Railroad Earth. Costello must have made the mistake of his sound crew taking over the sound from the Telluride house crew (same mistake Ryan Adams made last year). His set was tinny with muddy bass. The house sound crew has the town park set DIALED. These national acts come in and screw it up every time. suckers. Anyway, after all day in the blazing sun, we retreated to our "Fortress of Solitude" (the van) where I promptly crashed and slept right through Railroad Earth. Oh well.

These are the band contest finalists. The band that won, The Hillbenders, are a high energy unit out of Springfield, MS (far Left). You'll hear about them again.

Here is Greensky Bluegrass kicking ass. Anders Beck on Dobro in the rain. The cover of Hendrix's "Wind Cries Mary" *KILLIED IT*. Just bought tix yesterday to see these guys again up at Yarmonygras in Del Rio in August.

This guy was still rockin to the David Byrne set two days later. This was his impersonation of Billy Idol covering "Girlfriend is Better".
Then the pulled a long segue into, " Wind Cries Mary". ~EPIC~ !!
Greensky Bluegrass is my new favorite up-and-coming bluegrass band. I can't wait to see them with Billy Nershi up at State Bridge!
Musical proto-genius Chris Thiele put together a single mic unit, The Punch Brothers, and ran down covers that aptly summarized the history of bluegrass music. It was FANTASTIC! The cover of Sammy Bush's "Spider John" was repeated by Sam later on, which was pretty cool.
Here's the boys from Yonder kicking ass. Nothing to say other than the 3 day extravaganza in Oregon is gonna be GREAT!!!! I can't wait. They ran down the version of "Girlfriend is Better" that they have been doing for years, causing flashbacks to the David Byrne set.

After the Yonder set, we headed out to chill for a few minutes, and watched the mists break over the mountain, and saw the rainbow. Rainbow's are, after all, just excess bliss.
Doesn't get much finer than this.
This photo acurately captures the energy of Sammy Bush's set. Pete Rowan is onstage here, throwing down. I've seen Sammy Bush play a bunch, and this was my favorite set that he has played. Killer!

Telluride Bluegrass, pt 2

After an *EPIC* Thursday, we took it slow on Friday morning and enjoyed the beautiful setting and weather.

The view from the creek trail was perfect. I think the next photo is a good one.

Hey - free gondola rides!

Mt. Wilson from the top of the gondola.

Chillin' by the creek again.

Broeckero's new gig

Check this. My old boy, Broeckero, has been MIA for some time now. Yesterday, while browsing the NY Times online, I realized why. With his modeling career taking off, all I can say is, "He's so HOT right now"!

Telluride Bluegrass & Country Music Festival, 2009 - Thursday

a r i s E!

Ohhhh, beautiful vision!

Like a voice crying out in the wilderness, in the wilderness!

Tim & Jerry kicking it off on Thursday.

Sun's out, and i'm feeling fine!

Following a killer set by the Zac Brown Band, Peter takes the stage.

Here he is, taking some names...

Thinking about them, gathering the right vibes...

and KICKING SOME ASS!

This guy is realizing that this is the GREATEST Rowan live performance he has ever seen.

Hypnotic!


Here he is after the set, stunned.

The set was phenomenal. The very finest of his music. Like hymns sung in the natural cathedral that is Telluride. Arise! Skydancer.... wow!~

Favre, a purple headed warrior, pt. 5

This is just great drama!~ Our Boy , Favre, tells the douchy Joe buck that he'll play again if his arm is OK. The story here. This quote pretty much sums it up, "He said the only team he has spoken to is the Minnesota Vikings—and that they would be a perfect fit because he’s familiar with their offense."

Now you gotta ask yourself, is this the right moves for the vikes, or is this a desperate grab at faded glory, and possibly the greatest double-cross in NFL history? Yes! the conspiricacy theorist in me still believes that Favre plays the oafy chuckle-head card as a disguise for the cunning evil-genius supermind that hides within. Is ultimate shame for the Vikes his diabolical aim? or is there a much more dark and subtle goal a the heart of his devious schemes? Time will tell....

Check out the van, Man!

Check out the new trailer hitch and roof rack that I put on yesterday. The hitch was about the easiest install I have ever done on a car. 15 mintues to bolt that sucker on. Yeee-Haw! Erica bought it and a bike rack that plugs in to it. The rack is all her as well.

We bought the hood icon from Pan-Galactic Sculpture in Boulder. It's chromed aluminum, and is meant as a custom cam cover for a harley. There are few words that can accurately describe the high degree of *BADNESS* that this adds to the van. Telluride, here we come!

Durango Herald News, Paddlers revel in River Days parade

Yours truly drove my good buddy Dan's boat in the madness of the River Days float yesterday. The experience is about like having a drunk driving contest on New Years Eve - 150 boats all rolling downstream at the same time. What a blast!

Durango Herald News, Paddlers revel in River Days parade

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State Energy Profiles - Cool Link

Even wonder how much energy comes from the US Virgin Islands? Did you know that Colorado produces half of the Coalbed methane in the country? If not, then check the DOE's nifty energy breakdown by state page here.

For the love of particulate matter....

Check this story from the Four Corners Daily Times: Ash cloud released at Four Corners Power Plant That's just dandy. Time to shut that sad old shithole down.

Mohave Generating Station gets the axe

The Arizona Republic reports today that the shuttered Mohave Generation Station near Laughlin, NV is to be razed and possibly rebuilt as a solar generating plant. You can read the full story here. One dirty-assed coal plant in the four corners region down, 3 to go!

Oil Shale Development in the West and you, pt II

The Center of the American West located at CU Boulder has released a GREAT report on current developments in the saga of western Oil Shale devlopment. You can check the video below, and the full report is here. This is well worth the read. You can see my earlier post from last year by clicking on the post labels below.

Vanin in Mineral County, CO

This poor quality picture from my cell phone is sole record of the van's first epic voyage into Mineral County, CO. In short order we hit took the bottom corner of Hinsdale County, and we're back in our neighboring Archuleta County a mile later. Sure is some nice country out there.

Single Hop IPA (Simcoe) - My finest brew~2~date.

Oh man. I finally hit a winner with this IPA. I borrowed the recepie from a blog site online, then modified to what I have posted here. This will give you a moderate body beer with a nice malt base and a huge resinous & piney hop character balanced by a healthy dose of alcohol from the sugar. We drank three bottles of the first batch on Sunday, and I brewed the second batch of this last night. I used the same malt base with warrior hops, but did not dry hop that batch. I will do that again, only with the dry hop. It was lacking nose.

Single Hop IPA (simcoe)
~ For 6gal Batch ~

11 lbs 2-Row or Pale Ale Malt (Rahr 2-Row OR Colorado Malting Pale)
1 lb Vienna Malt
1 lb Munich Malt
.5 lb Carapils Malt
.5 lb Caramel Malt 60L
1 cup Corn Sugar

.5 oz Simcoe Hops 60min
.5 oz Simcoe Hops 45min
.5 oz Simcoe Hops 20min
1.5oz Simcoe Hops 10min
2oz Simcoe Hops 0min

2oz Simcoe Hops Dry-Hop in Secondary

1pkg Fermentis S-05 American Ale yeast.

Mash in grains to 18qt H2O at 167deg for 60min (154deg mash temp), Sparge with 170deg H2O to collect 8 gal total.
60min Boil - add sugar later in boil.
Used Durango Tap with 1 tsp each gypsum, Chalk, Epsom Salt.

'Hank' get's a new lift kit!

I began installing the 3.5" lift kit from Rubicon Express on Sunday. So far, So good. Here's a shot of the stock setup before I tore into it.

Her it is now (I am on a rain break right now). Note the burly new coil & control arm.

My boy, Biss, is a 'Yota kid. So check this out, 'Yota Kid... and ask yourself, do you fear me now? DO YOU FEAR ME?!