CORRECTION!

All: My bad. Left an "n" out of Don's mom's blog. Correct address below. Check it out!


www.tardis-journeys.blogspot.com

Reno over

DATELINE KOA CAMPGROUND, GHOST TOWN, CALIFORNIA --- Were we too far out in Fernley, Nevada to make it work? Did it help that the annual Street Vibes poker run they used to do through Fernley at the Silverado Casino didn't occur? Or was it telling 50,000 "patch" wearers to leave their colors at home? That's as far as I go on how bad Reno rally was. As usual, I seek positive. We had a wild fun visit with Ding's old friend and Marine Al and his wife Kim; and a really nice dinner with our friend from Laconia, New Hampshire, a man named Dragon - the one who sells beads. We also met three new folks - Tom, the Fernley fellow and friend of Al's who helped us set up; another Tom (now Tom-Fi) who was a Marine who visited often, gave us business but who also took us to dinner and most importantly had us over to enjoy his company and his wonderful property; and also Sean, a local sheriff's deputy who regailed us with stories. Tom-Fi and Sean have daughters who are beauties but can also shoot the guns. There was Reno one night and a hot shower.We sit currently near Barstow, hoping to see some old friends of mine, and then we are blazing east to get to Oklahoma. I don't have much more to say. Looking for a way to rejunvenate and make the final three rallies a success. The BFT is cleaned up, tires stocked and T-shirt inventory down (actually sold some of those in Nevada). We planned for some tough times. We got em. If anyone knows of any work for us in the off-season - starting Nov. 10 for us - shoot me a line. It's Hawg Lakes Rally Oct. 4-7 in Tecumseh, OK; then Boo Benefit in Jefferson, Texas Oct. 12-14; then Galveston for the Lone Star Nov. 1-4. Tell everyone you know. Dogs are well. Don's mom Bobbie is an artist and rendered a couple of great works of them. Check out her blog at www.tardis-jouneys.blogspot.com

Hand-painted pin-up art on the side of Tom-Fi's ride.

Hand-painted pin-up art on the other side of Tom-Fi's bike.

Bikes in Reno.

Sean, a local who had great stories!

Street Vibes from far away

A little gold panning operation in Virginia City.

DATELINE SILVERADO CASINO PARKING LOT, FERNLEY, NEVADA --- Apologies for not checking in sooner. No real reason other than there hasn't been a lot to share. We landed at the Silverado and the management team and staff have been really nice. It took a couple days to set up, another to post signs and posters in Sparks, Carson and Virginia cities and various other spots. The rally officially started yesterday but we likely won't see any traffic until Friday or so. It's a good thing we aren't paying to stay here because there's a chance our first skunking could occur. We have twice daily radio ads running and friends coming to visit who have spread the word but this location may be just a little too far from the action. I'll let you know how it goes. In between cleaning the trailer inside and out and other chores, we've popped inside the casino a few times to watch really bad Bronco football, play the slots and eat some good food in Jake's Restaurant. Whoever is cooking over there does a great salad bar, homemade soups (beef and barley and a cajun sausage one), huevos rancheros, and more. Since we're abutting the north side of the casino near the kitchen, some of the cooks and waitresses and other casino staff come outside at night for smoke breaks and chat with us. They really like our T-shirts so I've been giving some away and selling a lot more. We've met a nice local named Tom who Ding was able to help with his fueling system (he paid us in cold Sierra Nevada beer and an invite to his home for BBQ.) Another fellow named Don who was headed to Wyoming to hunt antelope broke down in the parking lot so he came over with his dog to visit. Tom Hoynes, a good friend of Ding's buddy Al, helped us set up one night and has been delivering our tires and mail because he lives locally too. Al and his wife Kim will arrive today from Nor Cal, and our buddy Dragon we met in Laconia drove over last night from the bay area and will surely be around to collect the bags of beads we've hauled across country for him as well as sip some Balvenie scotch with Ding. When we went to Virginia City to post signs, I recalled for Ding my visit to that old mining town many years ago with my buddy Shank. I showed him the very slot machine at the Bucket of Blood Saloon where I made a killing back then. Before we left, I sprung for two very fancy high ball glasses for his sipping time with Dragon. Tonight it's buffalo and barbecue wings on the grill with fresh carrot and celery sticks and dips. I've got some ribs marinating for when company arrives and Ding and I are thinking about an appetizer dinner night for everyone for which he will make his awesome jalapeno poppers wrapped in turkey bacon, and I will dish up some potato skins, garlic shrimps and some seasonal roasted veggies. Spread the word we are here everyone - we need the business! Bob and Thumper are well, as are Ding and I. Happy Fall and we miss everyone a bunch.

The Bowling Hall of Fame in Reno.

The BFT's first bath since starting tour, minus the rainstorms from the east.

The Bucket of Blood saloon in Virginia City.

A state of sin we be in



See if you can pick out our rig!

DATELINE PILOT TRUCK STOP PARKING LOT, CARLIN, NEVADA --- In stark contrast to the east, middle America and certainly Utah, we've arrived in the land of 24-hour fun. While Laconia, New Hampshire was as far east as this circus would go, Reno will mark the western edge of the inaugural Ding's CC tour. Street Vibrations fall 2012 rally starts Sept. 19 and generally draws some "whales (think nor cal docs and lawyers)" to its five-day event. As we did for Sturgis, we are rolling the proverbial bones and planning to vend far off-site from the main action. Our base of ops will be the parking lot of the Silverado Casino in Fernley, Nevada. These folks are mighty military friendly and have graciously offered to spin us up on the jumbo-tron outside and maybe run a radio spot or two. We will arrive on the blacktop today and commence a massive marketing and ad campaign that will have us posting fliers and such in a 50-mile radius, most notably in Reno proper, Sparks and wonderful Virginia City (I won a nice pile of cash many years back at the ol' Bucket of Blood saloon in VC. The riches allowed my buddy Shank and I to stay an extra night and have one of those old west portraits taken. Naturally, we scoffed at a suggestion to wear corsets and carry parisols and instead opted for dusters, chaps and big boy rifles! This work of art is on permanent display in Wyoming) I believe if we market enough and accept any and all help from friends Al, Kim and Dragon, who will join us for the new thoughfare, we can cover our gas and more (at $4.50 a gallon for diesel, every fill-up is more than $200!) From Reno, it's south to see Shank for a couple of days at the funkiest desert motel and bar I can find. Apres that, we're off to Tecumseh, Oklahoma for Hawg Lakes rally Oct. 4; then Boo Fest in Jefferson, Texas Oct. 12 (yahoo, Billy Gray and his wife Deb will be at Boo); and wrap the season on Galveston Island in November. For those keeping track of my conversion to quasi-military bride, I must announce my official "branding." On Tuesday, I was issued my official military ID card at Hill Air Force Base near Ogden, Utah. To celebrate, the Dinger and I went out for Italian (and, unlike my pre-military days during which chain restaurants were generally taboo - along with everything else that is boxy, homogenized, sheep-like and grossly mainstream) at an, ahem, Olive Garden. Surrounded by 8-top tables filled with Joe Smith's relatives, we guzzled good chianti, savored portabella ravioli and seafood alfredo, inhaled one of the better tiramisus I have had recently and my man with the big weathered hands daintly sipped super duper high octane espresso. Our wonderfully gay server seemed stunned I was relatively new to the suburbia lifestyle-way of dining. What's next for this hippy chick? A planned subdivision; a shopping spree at Ikea; a mini van; or something else? I'll keep you posted....Love Hol, Ding, Thumper, Bob and, yes, that same fly from Algona, Iowa. 

So long old Colorado home, hello Utah

A photo cousin Doug Davlin shot of the paint water an artist left behind on the main street after a show in Creede, Colorado. I thought it was a pool in some Bora Bora cave and Don guessed aerial kite photography, which Doug is famous for.

HILL AIR FORCE BASE, OGDEN, UTAH, "FAM CAMP" CAMPGROUND --- What a wonderful few days we've had. I'll start with the current thorougfare and work backward. We now live at Hill AFB in Ogden, Utah. The camping goddesses were with us and we snagged the last site with hookups on base. Blazing north from Monticello, Utah, where we bunked in a truck stop Saturday night, we proudly sported our Bronco T-shirts and other head gear and promptly dropped the BFT Sunday late afternoon and headed to the local Wild Wings pub to watch Manning and the boys pull out a nice W in Denver against the Steelers (started at base bowling alley but league play overshadowed the game and we had to relocate). We are here to buy supplies, handle some paperwork and ready the BFT and truck for Reno. Sunday was a very nice day. After being left to sleep in until a late hour, I was greeted with my mini cup of hot coffee and a fat Salt Lake Tribune. We jumped in truck and listened to Sirrus morning NFL games before taking a break at a great truck stop diner in Price, where we had brunch. We gilded the lily with ice cream in Spanish Fork and phone chats with my Mom and Dad. Between seven football games (surfing Sirrus) and LA and NY times crosswords, the time flew by. It's warm here - still in 80s as I write. Before leaving Colorado, we buzzed up to Wagon Wheel Gap and visited cousins Doug, Ginni, Don and Sonja and another nice couple from Denver. Wild Alaskan salmon, Doug's caesar salad (yes Dad, I ate your anchovies) and fresh sourdough bread from the Pagosa bakery were the repast. Doug showed us all great photos he shot of the Johnny Depp filming of the Lone Ranger movie due out next summer. We all wonder if the Wagon Wheel Gap/Denver Rio Grande Western Railroad depot will make the flick or end up on cutting room floor. Don made quick work of becoming a friendly among folks, enticing more than one to lay down or stand outside as he used his flashlight to give an impromptu lecture on astronomy. Don and I and the critters stayed at the Cottonwood Cove cabin for the night. Cool weather and a good heater felt nice. As if interesting, welcoming conversation with family and new friends wasn't enough, we landed at the exact time of the art show, All day Saturday, one could drive from Creede to Southfork and around, visiting galleries and private mansions to see artwork. We drove over to a wild, funky, million-dollar compound near the Creede airport and viewed Doug's photography, Ginni's fiber art and dye work and more. The couple who own the manse are celebrating 50 years together - they share their time between Cape Cod and Creede - and the husband was selling his pottery that was displayed just inside their turquoise welcoming gates. Don bought me four beautiful hand-painted wine glasses. The artist told me to name a price; I declined. What ensued was a wonderful discussion about local politics and the state of everything. The artist said he had made the glasses several decades ago and was "cleaning house." Suffice to say, he practically gave the art away. If I had a truck, I would have bought so much more. Alas, I didn't but what few gems I find on the road will help make the al fresco, grandiose dinner party I'm planning down the road that much more special. Under the white twinkly lights, with a mandolin player in the round, and a roaring fire, I will find a way to bring many of us together. There will be stories to tell. Wild Bill is home safe and sound and Al and Dragon await our arrival in Fernley near Reno. I've found a way to drag us south toward my friend Shank in So Cal after the rally and possibly across AZ and New Mex to see more family and friends. Critters are well (hello back to Mouse!). Send up the supplications for the ride to Reno and for the rally. T-minus four rallies and counting. That said, I live for today. More soon, Don, Hol, Thumper, Bob and the fly that has hitch-hiked with us from Algona, Iowa. 

Creede artist manse from the road.

One of several living areas in artists' manse.

Turquoise doors leading to manse courtyard.

My new wine glass collection!

Ah, the pink flamingos live at the Depot in Wagon Wheel Gap!

A crane of sorts lives at the manse.

End of main drag in Creede, Colorado. Sheriff's office to left.

Back porch of Depot at Wagon Wheel Gap. Cousins eating lunch.

Front of Depot at Wagon Wheel Gap.

Driveway to Wagon Wheel Gap depot and Doug and Ginni's summer home.

Ginni's beautiful fiber art.

They startedthe Colorado State Mining championships in Creede, Colorado in 1892. I've competed in spike driving many years, ranking in the top five in the state.

A wonderful photo by Doug.

A Utah sunset.

Ignacio ends

Wild Bill on the grill

IGNACIO, COLORADO, SOUTHERN UTE FAIRGROUNDS, THOROUGHFARE --- That's Colonel Gray, Billy, grilling killer moist and tasty barbecue chicken on the little smokie. Rally ended last night and we are starting to break down today, but it will take us until tomorrow afternoon to finish. This was an interesting event. I'm reluctant to get into too many details online but suffice it to say the drama was major here. This rally has moved around a lot in 20 years and returned to the native dirt this year. Some of the problems were too many chiefs and not enough indians, so to speak. They didn't spend enough on advertising, split the rally between the fairgrounds, the tribal casino and downtown Ignacio - and they only made people pay an entry fee at our location. Turnout was abysmal. At most on any given day there were maybe 300 or 400 people here when there should have been thousands. The casino, downtown and Durango were full but not us. As most of y'all know, we did OK because we offer very needed services and products. We should have brought in double the amount but we covered the nut. A much-anticipated and promised indoor burnout pit never occurred, which also hurt us. The arguing in the thoroughfare between vendors and rally organizers was very real. I will shut-up now. The joy of this rally was being with Billy and, once again, thankfully, meeting some really good people. Badger sells great head gear, Rob and Chris have wonderful patches, Junkyard Dog and his old lady Jessica had those really cool shock systems, and the food vendors from Pagosa kept our bellies full with fresh salads and gyros. We had some great customers, too. Several couples and individuals out of Arizona and New Mexico were a hoot (strange but welcome tips occurred) and some very kind tribal members from the local area were a constant source of peace. It's still rippin hot here but the air cools at night. I made leftover steak, chicken and seasoned potato burritos for lunch and spaghetti is on the menu tonight. Billy's ride, Charo (think Chiqita bannana), has new shoes for his 1,000 mile trek home; I have a new black leather vest AND jacket, courtesy of my wonderful hubby; and Ding has his MGD cowboy hat and a depleted tire inventory that make him smile. We be off to Reno later in the week. May try and visit some family in Wagon Wheel Gap this week and take a couple days at the Cottonwood Cove cabin. Bob and Thumper as cool, cute and fun as always. More soon....Love Hol, Ding, Billy, Thumper and Bob the Dog!

Miss Ignacio Bike Week

Deaf dude from Arizona getting a tire