Tickfest '06 after action report

We decided to combine the 60th and the 9th tick festivals this year and call it the 69th. (For those who don’t know, tick festivals are not done in numerical order. We did the last one three or four years ago, then did the first one a couple of years after that. We are now trying to catch up and get the others done. It’s a relativity thing.) By all accounts, it was a good one.

The usual suspects and workaholics showed up Thursday to make final preparations. Jeff Brown drove the Claytonmobile down from Chicago again to everyone’s amazement, and as far as I know he has now driven it back. Forgot to ask how many miles it has on it, but I suppose close to a million by now.

A good number of folks showed up for the Friday night film festival. Features included:
- A documentary about Jessco White, an insane tap dancing hillbilly Elvis impersonator from Kentucky or some such place
- Vintage footage of an early Wilders practice which raised questions about how they got any gigs.
- Vintage footage of an early Santa Rosa String Band performance which confirmed why they never got any gigs.
- Educatonal films about the dangers of drugs for teenagers and dirty books for all ages
- A home move of Don Carrick and Mike Murphy doing a Blues Brothers bit that left all speechless
- A Trouble in Mind feature done by a TV station back before they matured and became cynical

After the films, most of the Recycled band from Red Oak Iowa took to the stage and played with such persistance and determination that some gritters joined them and provided melodious and lullibic entertainment for those who went to bed before 3 AM.

A bunch more people arrived late Friday and Saturday. The usual 20 or so Rural Grit regulars were there (in various combinations, the represent about 65 performing bands.) Bill Rexroad again arrived with cannon in tow and effectively got everyones attention when needed. The Iowa folks arrived bringing a good deal of garden produce to cook, a few chickens, and a healthy attitude. The Eilts brothers and friends came in and showed good taste and judgement by camping 100 yards east of everyone else. Chris Rexroad led? a small but dedicated contingent from KU. All Wilders except Ike who has now missed 2 tickfests. If he doesn’t show up next year, he will be declared tickdead and his organs harvested to feed other parasites. (Well, maybe not his organs, but at least his polyester suits.) A few of my family came in long enough to confirm their suspicions about my judgement and sanity before leaving. And a few others, some of whom I see regularly, some of whom I hadn’t seen for several years.

The afternoon music was made up of 5 and 15 minute slots in which a lot of folks did their favorite solo stuff, tried out new original material, or tried to do stuff that they maybe had not totally mastered. High point for me was Phil and Betse doing a duet while confused about which instruments they can play. Evening was a good mix of real bands, pseudo-bands and not bands at all doing a whole bunch of good music. Trouble in Mind did a great set, these are the guys who started it all, and without them there would be no Rural Grit or tickfest. At one point, three guys wearing nothing but ski masks and fresh air ran past the stage. A paint ball sniper will be on duty next year to punish any repeat performance.

I enjoyed a bike ride Saturday morning until Kim Wade revealed her sadistic side by setting a killing pace on the return leg. Also a good talk about the Burr of Knowledge with KC Stanton, the greatest living authority on the subject. We still believe that someday, the Burr will sprout and mature in time for a tickfest. KC filled me in on two of the false burrs, Aaron and Under the Saddle.

I did not engage in a foolish adolescent stunt to celebrate my 60th birthday, as my whole life to date has been such a stunt and anything I might do seems redundant.

So there you have it. I’m sure a lot of others did really cool, fun stuff while I wasn’t around, but you can’t be everywhere.

Tickfest '06

OK, here's the official Tickfest '06 exchange site. Anybody who wants to comment, ask questions, or complain about it have at it.

Next weekend, July 21 and 22. I don't know who is coming or what they will do when they get here, but somebody likely will show up and do something.

Hotter than hell right now, and looks like it will be for the next 3 to 4 days. However, long range forecast calls for temps in the 80's daytime, 60's at night on Friday and Saturday. Maybe an amazing third consecutive cool Tickfest.

Directions from KC:
North on I-35 10 miles past Cameron to exit 64.
Turn West, left, and go about 4 miles to an intersection. State road EE goes south there, Santa Rosa road is the gravel going north. Take the gravel road
Go about1.5 miles to Otter Road. Turn East, or right.
Go one half mile to 108th St. Cope cemetery on left. Turn North, left.
Go 1.5 miles to the Tick Ranch. Go to the second driveway. No other houses anywere around here.

If you get lost and can't figure out where you are, call one of these numbers. My office phone is 660-367-4400, my house phone is 660-367-2273. My cell phone won't work out here.

DO NOT STOP AND ASK THE NEIGHBORS WHERE THE TICK FESTIVAL IS !!!. They don't know anything about it and I'd prefer to keep it that way. Some of them will shoot you on sight, others will release dogs, and a couple will try to re-enact scenes from "Deliverance".

Water and solar shower available. Bring whatever you want to eat or drink. Nearest food/drink is 10 miles away. My long suffering wife will be preparing a mess of smoked pork for Friday night, so plan on a bit of that.

The livin' is easy

The last few days have pretty well captured the essence of July-August in north Missouri. Hot and humid. I’ve been trying to soak as much up as possible instead of whining about it as usual. The air conditioner in my van went belly up toward the end of June and I haven’t had it fixed yet. Just rolling down the windows, turning up a hard rock FM station good and loud, and cruising down the road thinking about the good old days. Sweating a lot, carrying a gallon jug of water instead of a little weenie bottle. Been doing some shop work most days, and that isn’t air-conditioned either. I’ve even went for some runs in the afternoon when the temperature is still about 90 or so just to experience it and enjoy the sensation of being hot and sweat soaked, then hosing down with cold water when I get back. Life is good.

Photosynthesis is in full swing in the fields of corn, soybeans, oats, and mile. The road where I run is lined with fields. I suppose that those plants dumping water into the air keep the relative humidity along that road near 100%, even if it is a little lower officially. All those plants have unique smells this time of the year and it’s a veritable smorgasbord of olfactory delight. Of course the smell of rotting road kill and stagnant ditch water tempers the joy a bit.

The garden just didn’t happen, I am concentrating on keeping the area mowed so that nothing goes to seed. I will then fall plow it and try again next year. Work situation will be entirely different then.

I will be wearing a couple of hearing aids the next time anybody sees me, I finally gave up and ordered them. Got a pair of the high dollar solid state kind that go inside the ear. I haven’t been able to hear much with my right ear since I had a bad infection when I was about 12 years old. Machinery noise and a bit of loud music have done my left one no good over the years. I’ll still be just as loveable, I just won’t be saying “Huh” as much. I wanted to avoid getting to the point where I did the stereotypical cracked voice “Whadja say, sonny?” I also got an optional third one so I could hear what was being said behind my back, but delicate good manners prevent my revealing were I will be wearing that one.

A couple of runs

I was driving down by Columbia last Thursday and had planned to stop for a run on the Katy Trail near Rocheport. I got there about 7 PM. It was hot, still near 85 Degrees and I had been driving all day with no air conditioning. Decided to run anyway, figured I could always dunk in the river if I got too hot.

The trail is a lot better than my road for running. For one thing it’s flat, no hills. Also, no loose gravel. At that location it runs along the Missouri River right next to some fairly tall rock bluffs. As most runners know, once you get past the gasping struggling stage and reach a level that allows a degree of meditation while moving, it is possible to draw a good deal of energy from certain surroundings. Running water is always a good source and the big old Missouri River is a veritable dynamo as far as the energy it broadcasts. The tall rock cliffs of course are rooted pretty deep in the earth and bring up another kind of power, and the big river bottom trees that survived the ’93 flood are also helpful. Once you learn to mentally communicate with all those things, they will help when you need it.

Not much to look to on my road. All the big trees got blown down a few years back and saplings are no help. They are like pre-teen girls, all giggles and chatter, no substance. The corn around here is so stoned on Nitrogen fertilizer that you can’t get a rational thought out of it. About the only outside help is the occasional thunderstorm, and those are very intermittent.

I have of course been slowly increasing my running pace on a half-hearted schedule, mostly just covering the miles and observing the pace. My best for 6 miles previous to last Thursday was 8:46 per mile. With all that help, I averaged 8:19 per mile and it felt better than any run since my resumption of expedited ambulation.

At the last minute, I also decided to enter a 4 mile race on July 4 in Cameron. It was at 7:30 AM which was a big turnoff, as I hate to run hard early in the day. Still, the competition induced adrenaline kicked in and I managed a 7:48 per mile pace which is the fastest that I have ran in at least 10 to 12 years. I finished ahead of almost all the women and children.

Nothing hurts very bad, so will continue the experiment.