FARTAB has been the kickoff to my summer vacation over the past couple years...Last year I took off 2 weeks in June right after FARTAB, and this year I took off almost 3 weeks. Why so much time? My job has been ultra-super stressful this year with the departure of my manager *and* a co-worker... from a product line of three. Ouch.... Anyhow.. Last year the 2 weeks off rocked, this year I decided to go for as much as I could.
I agree with Crayons Taste Like Purple... This year's FARTAB was a complete and resounding success... near perfect logistics (we didn't run out of beer in hope valley or need to set up camp in the dark), perfect conditions (sunny, 80F, and after two weeks of rain the river was nice and high), and the ibucket battery lasting the entire float-campfire-and paddle out..... man.. couldn't have gotten any better.
BBW came down the day before the FARTAB kickoff to go see Mike Doughty at the new new Lupos ("at the Strand"/Diesel). Gavin Castleton (of Gruvis Malt 'fame') opened. I was kinda bummed to hear Gruvis Malt split, but am glad to see Gavin is doing well. Mike D. was pretty cool to see, as always. Been seeing him for years since the 'Ruby Vroom' days of Soul Coughing. (yes I'm that old. :P )
The camera-phone pix (99% of the pix I post were taken with the 1.3meg camera in my phone)that I took of the Ghetto-track ride near here didn't come out nearly as well at CTLPs did. But.. I'm going to post them anyhow.... :P
Here we are on the homestretch of the ghetto-track ride; just as we're passing between the group home and Sanford and Son's. (I couldn't make this stuff up....)
Here is a more artsy less fartsy shot of BBW peering over the edge of the universe... or maybe it's a black and tan. (of course this is at the Owl's House...)
Holy Crap! LYNDIE ENGLAND (dressed as a Pirate no less!) was at the put-in too...
Here is the latest spy photo of the iBucket strapped to the back of my water based test vehicle. The H20-proof case, carrying 18 frosty cold beverages, side mounted h20-proof speakers, and *ahem* ipod remote, were able to keep the ferocious brown trout at bay for most of the trip. Fishermen too.
The river trip/float/padde itself was a great blur of floating, paddling, running rapids, and relaxing to some tunes. Seriously couldn't have possibly gotten any better. Those of you who didn't make the trip this year.. sucks for you.
Our usual campsite was swarming with *gulp* boy scouts. Without a word, all four boats spun around in almost blue-angel-like precision to high-tail it back UP-river to set up at another site. Far FAR away from the f'ing kids.
Here we are at the conclusion, about to reverse all the driving to return boats, people and gear.
Anyhow.. I can't say it enough... This year was a great trip!
This has gotten to be a pretty long post.. I'll throw the beginning of the vacation pix up in another post. Stay Tuned...
-40.
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