Today I finally wrap up writing about Falcon Ridge. Good thing as I’m going stir crazy at home doing nothing to write about. It’s been a weird week. I’ve done nothing and I’ve seen no one. It’s been me and the cats along with some phone calls from Bri.
Sunday morning at Falcon Ridge was special, not because of the Gospel Wake Up, but because it was Bacon Tart Day at the Dharma Café. This is an amazing concoction that I found online that became a Dharma Café specialty; a mixture of potatoes and cheese wrapped in bacon. I am so hungry now. Part of me feels like I should just end the entry here; what can follow a Bacon-Potato-Cheese tart? I’ll force myself to stop thinking about it and move on. There was plenty of music and people to follow.
I always wonder around more on Falcon Ridge Sunday. I somehow forgot to shoot my Falcon Ridge Live in the Streets photos. I still spent a lot of time just walking around and talking to people. The one main stage act I made sure to see was Ryanhood. They are my people and play my music. Ryanhood is the duo of Ryan Green and Cameron Hood. They don’t dress like folkies, they dress sharp. Their only competition in the best dressed category is Low Lily. Someone needs to book them together. One thing that very much struck me this festival was that all you have to hear is a snippet of Ryan’s guitar playing and you know it is them. Nobody else is doing what they do.
Sometime during the day I had my last Frozen Cocoa Chiller from Taste Budds. I have one a day. It is worth the trip up there.
The other stage performance I wanted to see was Spirit of Woodstock 2019 with Kerri Powers, Martyn Joseph, Pamela Means, Carolann Solebello, and Mid-City Aces. I was at the Workshop stage for that but spent most of my time helping Linda and Janeen pack up the WFUV booth. I was too late for the breakdown. I felt bad about that. I love my FUV people, enjoy spending time with them, and want to help.
That was it for me downstairs, I had to get back to the Budgiedome for breakdown. As I got close I realized that I left my chair backstage at Main Stage and I had to go to the bathroom. So as soon as got up to camp, I dropped what I had on me and went right down the hill to Main Stage. That’s tied for being the closest port-a-potty, it’s alone in being the cleanest, and I had to go there anyway for my chair. I was in a rush as I promised to be back up at camp. That slowed me down. After using the port-a-potty I forgot all about my chair until I ran into Fred on the walk back up the hill. That meant going back to backstage to get it. Have I mentioned that I’m an idiot? I’m pretty sure I have.
Budgiedome breakdown seems to go more smoothly than usual. Maybe after 20 years we are getting the hang of it. Nobody got hurt. Fine, I didn’t get hurt. Then we went to help with Dharma Café breakdown. There’s a lot to do on Sunday.
That’s followed by the reward. We kept up one small easy up at the Dharma Café camp. We spent the evening making music and eating pizza. Did I mention that Joe brought a propane pizza oven? Most of both camps had left, it was just the hardy Sunday sleepover crew left. I love the Sunday singing circle. It’s intimate and special. We have our pros, Nick and Betina, we have their son Lydian and 8-year-old Jimi Hendrix in the making. We have the Taste Budds crew, We have Joe and Lou, then there’s the non-musicians, Fred, Mel, and me. There were not one but two trombones in our folk song circle. We are not bound by convention. Too bad I had misplaced my kazoo.
I finally gave in to Morpheus and went to sleep. I should have had a great rest but I didn’t. Instead I had a Crohn’s attack. This is the second time this has happened Sunday night at Falcon Ridge. I was up in pain a good deal of the night. I heard everyone else up and around in the morning and I tried to lay still and hoped it would pass. That strategy worked. I was up to breaking down my tent and packing up. By the time we left I was almost fine. In some ways it worked out for the best. When I have an obstruction my digestive system shuts down. As they pack up the port-a-potties early that proved convenient.
After saying our goodbyes Fred and I headed to the Martindale Chief diner as is out tradition. I used their bathroom, running water is not appreciated till you don’t have it. When I got out I was back to full health and able to eat one their delicious breakfasts. They are also ridiculously cheap. There were plenty of other Falcon Ridgers there. The Taste Budds crew left as we came in.
The ride home was quick and uneventful. It took only about 2 hours to get from the diner to my home. I had ambitions for things to do on Monday. They didn’t happen. I caught up on the season finale of Agents of Shield, and Last Week Tonight, gave affection to cats, and slept.
I’ve spent the week writing about Falcon Ridge, and editing pictures of Falcon Ridge. Kirk is right, Falcon Ridge never ends, it just takes a 51-week intermission. We run into town to pick up a few things, and then head back to camp in time for the festivities.
Wise Madness 