Day 81: Interstate Tour 2018
August Dulcimer Daze organizer George Haggerty strings a mountain dulcimer while Jon Timlin looks on.
The weather had cleared up enough to where I felt comfortable flying the Mavic to get some shots of Snow Mountain and the surrounding area first thing in the morning. Then, I drove Imua over to The Mountaineer Inn, got some more shots, talked with some folks before the first workshop and prepared to head south.
As the number of subscribers to my Patreon Channel increases, I'm beginning to see more and more of them in person at events like this. Some have been with me from the very beginning, others have signed on fairly recently and all of them let me know how much they're enjoying all of the content. Their questions and suggestions are direct inspiration for guiding me towards what to explore next and their feedback is invaluable when it comes to the new material that I've been posting.
Often times, someone will introduce themselves and I'll greet them, then they'll mention that they're a patron and I suddenly feel this rush of gratitude towards them and a sense of familiarity. These are my peeps! They're dedicated not only to helping support what I do, but they're also mostly musicians who are eager to learn new things and expand their capabilities. It's a fabulous mutual admiration society and it was great talking with everybody on Sunday morning before I headed out.
Wasn't I just here?
August Dulcimer Daze is a neat retreat and I'm thankful for the invitation to return this year. Organizer George Haggerty usually rotates performers every two years and my two were a great experience and a deeper introduction to the people and music of New England. Vermont is also some of the most beautiful country that I've ever driven through, especially Route 9 near Bennington. There's a section of highway that seriously dives about 3000 feet in under a mile, just spiraling away, drilling deeper into the heart of the mountain.
Then, into New York on Route 7. Delanson. Cobleskill. Worcester. Towns settled along the Schenevus Creek that winds through the mountains that border the road. The sun managed to cut through the overcast haze and send a misty golden light over parts of the drive, giving the journey a dreamy, mystical vibe.
Before I knew it, I was back in Pennsylvania.
Indeed, it sure didn't seem like 6 hours had gone by when I rolled into Harrisburg and put down tent stakes for the night at a Walmart that has been "home" a few times in the past. You may be a RVer if you have your favorite spot in the parking lot at Walmart.
At this point, the game begins. I have a production objective this week and it's largely contingent upon what goes on with the weather. Right now, there seems to be a trend towards the next cold front/storm system getting here sooner rather than later. It was looking like a wet week down the east coast, but chances are looking good towards the end of the week now.
In the meantime, there were errands to run, which is precisely why I headed for Harrisburg - some of the usual places will come in handy tomorrow!