My Granola Weekend: pickin' on Main

Friday night I had the night off which excited me greatly, so I decided to rally the troops and head into the booming metropolis of Etna for dinner at the "Trail House." Thomas Blackmon, David Dailey and Jamie Myers and I loaded up in Thomas' car and had a fabulous dinner of "tri tips" (which was really quad tips...these little mini steak things) with much random entertaining chatter...you know...those good deep belly laughs that just make you feel healthy. Anyway. After our meal was finished we wandered out into the dusty streets of Etna, California and into the midst of an impromptu bluegrass pickin' party. Seems that the "Scott Valley Bluegrass Festival" was Saturday and Sunday and pickers and strummers from near and far were kicking the festival off by jamming in the street. The one Etna police man had blocked off main street (all two blocks of it) with hay bales and the entire town was either playing something or dancing about to the strains of banjos, guitars, double bass and mandolins.

I of course, was taken with this entire idea and plopped down on the sidewalk to listen in. We hung out for a few minutes and then had to get Jamie back to camp to work snack bar so I reluctantly was torn away and rode back to camp. We had no sooner unloaded at the Ranch when Thomas pulled me aside and asked if I'd like to go back to the bluegrass jam with my violin and see what I could get into. (Thomas gets the friend of the year award for this). So we piled back in the car, picking up my fiddle, Trenton's guitar for David to jam on, Trenton himself, Jordan Mahy, and a few other folks, and made the 15 minute drive back to Main street Etna.

The next two or so hours were pure bliss for me. I floated from group to group picking up what I could learn, engrossed in the melodies of a host of bluegrass standards. The folk there were true pieces of "Americana" if you will. It was such an awesome evening of relaxation, good music, good friends, and authenticity. Everyone was happy to be there and genuinely happy to meet new folk and to exchange ideas and tunes. When I was finally dragged away, I felt that my inner musician was more than satisfied....if only I'd known what the next day would bring.

The pictures above are of me (fiddle) and David Dailey (guitar) jamming on the street. There is also one picture of some of the folk jamming without us.