Maupin again exceeded all expectations. I was hoarse from laffing and only now, Monday afternoon, am I recovering. What a party!
For you poor Easterners, here's the location: That's the whole town there. On this walk up into the hills, Bookwuss commented that it looked like a model train set. Note the tiny train across the river at left and the obligatory bridge at far right. Only thing missing is a tunnel.
Mark said that he expected close to seventy cars this year.
There's an Asstro in there somewhere. Oh, wait....
Ahh, there it is.
Trouble is.... both Amskeptic and tristessa cornered me at two separate times and confided,
sotto voce "Uh, did you notice that it's not an Astro? It's a Safari" I shuffled my feet and allowed as how that was actually true and that the white one had inherited the name from his 350,000kms predecessor. To me, they're the same vehicle. Oh well.
satchmo used several points on the Asstro's rear end to lash down his awning against the Maupin winds. I think I might change his name from "Asstro" to "TentPeg".
Here's satchmo with his sweet new Vanagon and his son John, working the bugs out of a high-def camcorder.
"Oh my goodness!", says Amskeptic (or words to that effect) as he tests the throttle response of 4.3 liters of General Motors quality.
"What a piece of ^$#%@!!!", he says to Bookwuss, not realizing that I'm still listening.
Meanwhile, tristessa's on his way to repair somebody's bong with this bit of recycled hose.
Cheryl hates being photograhed, but loves photographing.
bean instructs spiffy on the correct order of placement and tasting for the beer tasting session while covelo considers his options.
neal, covelo, spiffy, LiveonJG and bean anxiously await the signal to begin.
"Dear friends, we are gathered here today..." IFBwax (thanks for correcting me!
) instructs the participants on procedure.
co-pilot opens the bidding with something from a mason jar for bean
Sommer and baby watch with interest
As do satchmo and Mary with their portable fridge. Some people are better prepared than others. :)
Bookwus, however, has more important things to attend to: "Have your people call my people!"
"Hey, sis! You're looking in the wrong end!"
I said somewhere else that this session amounted to a PhD in beer. What an education!
(click image for enlargement)
All day long I kept wondering: "Where's Colin?"
"He left an hour and a half before we did", said satchmo, who'd arrived mid-Friday. Turns out he'd been sequestered in some abandoned gas station all day, detailing.
Look at that exit posture. Is that an experienced bus pilot or what?
I was delighted that I'd noticed Amskeptic's inconspicuous arrival and that I managed to get coverage.
Even more delightful was my realization that Cheryl was right on the ball, too. =D>
Me 'n Cheryl, we love this stuff. It ain't easy.
Then, of course, the lies begin.
misszora, LiveonJG, satchmo, Mary, Amskeptic
Amskeptic, Cheryl
covelo, tristessa, bean, neal
I don't know who these guys are, but they sure looked happy.
Dtrumbo and family
After dinner: music. I wish I'd met this guy, but I never did. His music was just fabulous. Smooth, liquid, quieting; it drifted across the meadow like a soft breeze.
We were all transported by his music.
An amazing way to spend a weekend, eh?
Thanks to all who made this possible.
Including General Motors.