Jumpin' January

Holy Snow Batman! Talk about a brutal winter so far. Apparently it hasn't snowed here this much since 1978! Travel is preceeded by checking the AMA road reports and it may be fine on the way but that could change midway or on the way back. With an approaching storm, we still traveled to Lethbridge for Rob's 50th birthday party.

Arriving a day, early we checked in and went to dinner at El Comel Mexican Restaurant before heading to the Sound Garden and then to Ezzies to dance the night away and partied the next night away at Rob's birthday bash. I even got up on stage with the band to sing Me & Bobbie McGee. Even though I was the only one to bring cheat sheets, the manager loved what she heard and was ready to see a repertoire to hire me to sing in the lounge. Quite flattered, but not quite ready to turn professional, Won't be quitting my day job any time soon.

Nor will I be a card shark even though my first ever 24 hand on January 20th allowed me to stomp on the competition with ease! Sorry, just the way the cookie crumbled!

January 28the was a busy night cramming as much in as possible. After dinner at friend’s in town, we went to the Esplanade to see Rich Little! He brought back so many memories of the family watching the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson! I would post a photo but no cameras were allowed! After his performance we gathered back at our friend’s, along with the Beierbachs, who were in town for hockey tournament then headed home in dangerous weather. We were supposed to go back into town the next day but Old Man Winter would not allow. I would miss out on emceeing the Tongue On The Post Folk Festival and the men would miss out on a night of too much tequila! Thankful for at least one miss!

Racing Through September

The long weekend of September we jumped on the Road King and headed to the Highway To The Sun Road through Glacier National Park to Whitefish. It was gorgeous weather at the start and a few flakes fell while descending the mountain but after checking in we rode around town and stopped in at the Wasabi Sushi Restaurant for a fantastic meal and wine. After a bit of shopping, we walked downtown to hit every single bar on the main drag, and after 7 stops, back tracked to the Great Northern where the Elvis impersonator rocked the bar. The walk back was a little longer than on the way to even though we took the same route.. if you know what I mean.  

The next day's tour meant bundling up with rain and hail ahead of us but it also meant frequent stops to warm up. It's not the destination, it's the journey and the stopping in between is definitely the most fun. The fine folks at the Tall Pine Lounge in Big Fork were also riders and it was great to visit with the locals who pointed us in the right direction around Flathead Lake on East Shore Road for the next stop in at Swanee's Bar & Grill in Polson before heading back to Whitefish to rest up for the ride home.

On Sept 12th. I was finally able to take part in the Media Race at the Medicine Hat Speedway on their final night of racing. After a nerve wracking race, even though my time was not that great, I still managed to make it into the trophies! I got points for my default win last month and tied for first place... even though I came in dead last! lol. We even stuck around for their wind up BBQ for some burgers around a bonfire as the nights were getting quite cool to be on the track after dark.

It's always a treat to play music with my friends Dave & his father in-law Peter and it was even more exciting to head to Maple Creek for Peter's 75th Birthday Party. We parked the RV at Willowbend Campground & jammed at the Jasper Cultural & Historical Centre where the food excellent and the entertainment was entertaining. We all fell in love with Peter's birthday present, a hand made wash tub bass. First stop on the way back was to spend a night at Eagle Valley Campground located just off the #1 where the wash out occurred and was partially open after the June flood. Second stop was Peavey Mart to buy parts to build a wash tub bass!

crazy craven crew

This was the second time to the Craven Country Jamboree for Ray and I, and the first time with friends rather than with a radio station. Having to line up with the masses and camp in the back was not as discouraging as other moments, but I'll touch on that after a quick review of the first night in the beer gardens!


We arrived just as the Kentucky Headhunters broke into song and we sang along with every song we knew, especially their cover of Norman Greenbaum's 1969 hit Spirit in the Sky, but it was Jo Hikk that stole the show with their rocking country tunes and more classics from Doucette, The Doobie Brothers and Neil Diamond.

It was a later night than expected and my guy didn't even get to bed for an hour and a half before having to get up at 4 am for the gohper run. We joined them at 8am to finish off their 6 hour wait to get a seat near the front. Even as taxing as that was for 3 days in a row, our crew is ready to make up t-shirts that say "2009 Craven Gopher Run Champs!" Friday's performances were seen from the 4th row.

After a nap, it was the old hippies, The Bellamy Brothers singing their country, crossovers and some classic rock.







Charlie Daniels traditional country was classic and of course everyone was stomping along to Devil went down to Georgia.








Kellie Pickler's dressed down, down home charm won us over as much as her big voice from her little frame.










And the guy to the right is Moose Jaw's Country 100's morning man and my young friend Dustin Dion who was the host of the main stage for the day.




Taylor Swift's big time, big show dramatics was impressive but impersonal.

No beer gardens this night. It was straight to bed and up at 4 am for the gopher run for the girls who had the first row seats for the wait, and got 2nd row seats for the shows, a little too close as my neck was sore from constantly looking up but it was fantastic none the less.

Joe Diffie was awesome and I even got one of his picks and of course the minute he commented that it's not going to rain, it did, but only for a little while.









Joe Nichols was handsome and humble, singing songs he wrote about his wife in his low and sexy voice, looking just as sexy in a Fabio kinda way.










Williams & Ree were hilarious and the"attention Walmart Shoppers" comment was directed at our group in the funky hats.







Rodney Atkins was a simple country boy singing simply awesome songs about tractors, the south, his wife, and of course his little buckaroo.










Clint Black was freezing. He got the night with the cold north wind and was sharing hot shots with the band to keep their hands warm. Even in the cold, he performed perfectly on the guitar and even entertained us on the drums.

For Sunday's gopher run we were not as aggressive, wanting to be back a little from the stage so we could see the big screens better. 11th row was perfect with polite people in front for a change.

Jake Owen was all about whiskey, women and song











Doc Walker, the pride of Portage La Prairie, were singing through smiles as big as the prairie.







Billy Ray Cyrus was a tad over dressed. I wondered if Clint texted him to tell him to bundle up for the cold Canadian nights. Within minutes his leather jacket, scarf and over shirt were off, but by the end of his show, they were back on as it cooled down fast when the sun lowered in the sky, but thankfully not as cold as the night before. His voice varied from song to song, from raspy and deep for his harder edged newer songs to the young clarity of his older hits, of course Achy Breaky Heart a must for the crowd.




George Strait was and is all about the music. With more than 50 number 1 hits, he couldn't fit them all into one show, but we still got an ear full of his finest!

That's Craven 09 under our belts and next up, all the music and events at Sturgis 09! Just hope there aren't as many disrespectful drunken idiots like there were in Craven. (yeah right)