Grateful Dead

Been there a few times, love it!
Stayed in Mountain Village first time there. My cousin and our buddy paid as they could afford it lol.
I wasn’t going to go (BG fest) but they talked me into it.
I went mostly to hike and pa-tah! as I did not have tix or credentials.
Climbed I believe it’s Gold peak (above Mnt Village?) and up past the mine and falls etc at the end of the box canyon? on whatever that Jeep road is that heads back to civilization? Sorry been at least 25 years? The night I hiked to the top of that, as I returned back down and into town I could hear Emmylou Harris playing just for me!
. We had a suite, but I slept on the balcony in my sleeping bag JK style. Amazing stars and meteors up there! Fa-king awesome! One of the best WE trips ever. Wish it wasn’t so far, but I guess that’s part of what makes it.
Never got to ski there but I was drooling the whole time I was hiking overlooking the back terrain etc.
it was always so cool to meet a wealthy person and/or celebs that were truly nice and down to earth! Hey they all put there pants on the same as us!

It really was fun. I was never star-struck because they just look like normal folks. The townies are a whole different class from Mountain Village where the mega stars live. Some like Justin Leonard had skied there his whole life as his parents had a condo in town and later he did too. Saw him a lot in the summer as well, had to get out of Dallas! I think he still has a place in Mountain Village too and one in Aspen. You brought one to mind I'd forgotten. Treasury Secretary John Snow. I could tell when he was coming in because the guys in suits that talk to their wrists would precede him, always in pairs. NO ONE wears a suit in Telluride. He too wore the dorky ski clothes. Now Mr. Toll was anti-fashion. His outfit was a Hawaiian print wind shirt from the 70's or an ancient navy blue plain down parka. Salt of the earth dude. You would never know he was a big wheel in construction. Ralph Lauren very grounded too. Big ranch near Ridgway. He remembered me from shopping in Montrose years before which impressed me. I sold him white Levi's and a white denim Levi shirt for a BBQ he was throwing at the ranch. We would talk cars. He had supercars but my favorite was a '69 Mustang coupe, baby blue with a white vinyl top. Reminded me of my Mom's Mary Tyler Moore plain Jane '70 'stang only Ralph's had a 351 Cleveland and Carroll Shelby's signatures on the glove box and clear coated on the trunk edge. Ambassador Holbrook was a genius. He made me guess who he was as I had no clue. Took me weeks of 20 questions while he would be putting his gear on. Finally his wife had to give me a hint, said he worked in the government. He could speak extemporaneously for any length of time. Saw a 40 minute speech he gave to the U.N. on TV. His son said his notes for that were 4 bullet points on a 3x5 card.
For the hockey crowd, I worked with a guy who recently passed away who was Stan Mikita's cousin. He said Stan wasn't blood, had been adopted.
Cheers

It’s funny how many people recall meeting celebrities and comment on how they were shorter than expected. Besides Phil, the Dead was kinda like that the few times I was around them (not on stage).

DENNIS: nice! Hey, you know us, so, that and a dollar might get ya a up of coffee ; )

DEADMIKE: nice to see ya, hope your 42 comes soon! Think I have the poster you mention. I have it as part of a collage on about a 10’ by 20’ wall in our stairwell. The one with Phil sporting the SYF weed shirt and JG in pig tails? Think I got it back in the seventies in High School?

CROW: great story “ and I left her mad ass there by the side of the road”.

HF: sounds awesome! That’s the spirit, forward, never straight!

AJ: you shoulda just casually said “Hi Mr Hasslehoff as you passed by lol.
Hey, I told ya the AVs weren’t THAT good. Feeling it’s going to be a real series, gulp.
And if they do make it to the cup finals, boy yer right about Kucherov and the Bolts. It’s like they keep getting a little better the farther the go in the playoffs!

ISTSHOW: I know of what you speak. Worked “guest service” work for ten years: Golf resorts in the summer hotel Doorman, Bellman and Ski Valet in the winter. One of our favorite pastimes was mocking out clueless rich folk wearing the old one piece snow suits with un PC names I can’t repeat nowadays lol. For years folks had bumper stickers that read “Dick Chaney skis in jeans” (the ultimate insult at posh resorts) after his secret service guys abused and arrested some dude for simply shit talking him in Beaver Creek, Douche! I thought there was this thing called free speech?
Used to see the Fords a lot as they lived there, they were always nice. Later in life Jerry would sometimes do interviews on the deck/patio at our hotel, and his secret service guys would stay there when in town. We’d sometimes get to know the regular SS guys a little.
The Giffords used to live up here too. Guy I used to work with worked at their house a few times. Said Cathy Lee was usually nice and would usually just be hanging around the pool sipping cocktails. Frank came to the hotel once when I was doorman, asked where Tramonti restaurant was, I pointed and said right there (about 20’ through the small lobby under a prominent sign that said “Tramonti” lol.
First thing I learned about rich folks: many are pretty clueless as they’ve had everything done for them their whole lives. They always seemed to be losing everything: their skis, golf clubs, shoes, cars, you name it!
But generally I’ve found people come in two general classes: ones that give a shit, and assholes. All walks of life, social class, race, celebrities, you name it. After ten years of dealing with ALL kinds of folks, to me, that’s what it comes down to.

Jack, you are right - all of Florida is learning Kucherov’s name. He is a remarkable talent. I expected more fight from the Panthers, but they could not get the inside of the offensive zone. Tampa Bay turned their amps up to 11.

HF - Welcome back, sounds like an absolutely awesome trip. Muscles tired in the best way possible, a humble run against nature, and some fine company and provisions to make it memorable.

I agree 100% on the feedback on this latest Stones live release, the El Mocambo (a fine club that has reopened again). They sound engaged, rested, revitalized with Ronnie on board, and despite Keef being in the throws of his smack habit, the musicianship is absolutely crackling. I’ve mentioned here before I knew a guy in high school that won a radio promo to see the opening band (April Wine), and he thought it was going to just be a night out, hear a half decent band, have some ales, enjoy. But then the Stones came on - sometimes, you are in exactly the right spot at exactly the right time! This release is up there with Ya Yas and Brussels for sheer quality.

VGuy - Gerard Gallant a finalist for Coach of the Year (actually, the kiss of death) > why was it the Knights dumped him again??? Kinda a Leaf move!

Margo Timmins - I have met her as well. She is awesome.

Regarding short people. About 10 years ago were were at a restaurant for my wife's birthday and Alec Baldwin walked in and sat two tables away from us. One of our friends says, "That is Alec Baldwin." Half of us disagreed because he was so small. It's well known how prickly he can be so nobody wanted to approach him and say, "Hello." Since it was my wife's birthday I offered to do it. I simply said that I will walk over there and say the following, "I'm sorry to interrupt your dinner Mr. Hassellhoff, but it is my wife's birthday and she would like to say Hello. Would that be O.K?"

She made us leave.

Great, er, trip... Little Snake is seldom rafted, probably because it runs only for 4-6 weeks in spring, then becomes a sand box. Big 28 mile first day, 18 each on second and third days. Popped a well-stocked cap of psylocibin on first day and had time and the heart to reflect on my 20-year journey with my recently departed pal, Zoe. Was able to convert the blubbering grief into warm love and thanks to the universe for her companionship and sense of humor. Let's face it: I got lucky. What a time we had together. (Thanks to Crow and PT for your recent comments...)

Late on the first day we stopped at a grassy spot among endless high desert thorn trees at around 5pm, having done the planned 24 miles for the day. My buddy Rob insisted that we use the remaining daylight to go another 4.5 miles and break the back of the 64 miles we had to paddle on this trip. Of course, we shove off and, suddenly, 25-30 mph winds kick up and freezing rain falls and the river is all white caps and sea foam. At one point we had to hold onto shoreline willows to keep from being blown back upstream... Amazingly, we covered the 4.5 miles in just over an hour, hunched into the wind, digging in with our paddles. A real physical challenge but I managed a few maniacal laughs as the rain stung my face. We would not be denied. Man, the whiskey and Indica tasted good that night. Lots of bald eagles, vultures (my favorite), great blue herons, coyotes, elk, swimming deer, swallows, meadowlarks, redwing blackbirds. A spiritual renewal when needed most. We saw one human in 64 miles. The morning after the first day, we were loading the boats (inflatable pack rafts, 6-7 feet long, 3 feet wide -- try that in big water!), by an old antique ferry -- a single one-inch cable strung across 50 yards of fast moving water. The "box" was ancient and unsturdy and rolled on two wheels sitting atop the cable. We wondered how many years it had been since a person used it. Then a sheepherder arrives in a truck, climbs in and rolls 3/4 of the way across the river (he probably couldn't swim if he dropped into the drink) then uses a tool he carried to winch himself the rest of the way to the opposite shore, jumps out and waves to our cheers, jumps on a waiting ATV and rides off to work on the ranch on the opposite shore. Second day we encounter a four foot drop-off -- actually two within a half mile -- at a bridge over the river with standing waves as high as our heads and we did fine. Then a river-wide pour-off of similar stature, then camp before the wind killed us. Third day, we entered the river's lower gorge and joyfully rode the Class II rapids through a 7-8 mile gorge devoid of human traces. (Definitely going back to that gorge!) Anyway, we had a time of it, smoking doobies and hitting the flask. And just in time, as extreme winds hit Colorado yesterday and today south of Denver we're expecting a classic spring snowstorm. Tonight: playing blues with a few buddies who knew Zoe. A celebration of life, as it should be. Zoe's resting easy in a silk tapestry under a couple of paving stones in the back garden and I'm turning the page..... Shoulders still sore but I'm back home with my guitars and a real bed.

I have read what some of you have written, about the alternative tracking number, if it ends with CH, which my package does. I don't understand why it's being sent to Switzerland instead of Sweden? I found it on the Asendia site though but only that they had recieved information about the package.

I recieved a shipping e-mail on April 26th. Package was recieved in Fontana, CA on May 3rd, it was processed on May 6th and processed again by an international carrier on May 11th. So I guess it will arrive in Sweden around May 25th, perhaps, even though I have never undestood why it is taken so long.
When I order GarciaLive albums I get the packages in about maximum three weeks but more often less time than that. So how come Dave's Picks packages take that much longer to arrive in Sweden?

Btw, I have a poster of the Dead framed on a wall in my living room. It's from June 9th or 10th 1973. I have a tape of the latter since the mid-80's but would love to have an official album from both dates.
I bought the poster in San Francisco in August or September 1986, so I have had it for a long time.

Micke Östlund,
Växjö, Sweden

....I once ran into Laurence Fishburne on 18th Street in Washington, DC.
He was shorter than I had expected.

Sixtus

Better know by his first name, passed away yesterday, he was 79. Loved those albums he made with Jon Anderson of Yes, The Friends of Mr. Cairo comes to mind. Jon and Vangelis made several albums together and they are all very good. He also was big in movie soundtracks back in the 80's. Via con Dios.

..... except the fine people here on the forum.

NEVER met anyone.

But I do have high friends in low places.