DIRT TIME 2008...AN ADVENTURE IN PICTURES

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ON JUNE 13, 2008, AT FOUR THIRTY SIX IN THE AFTERNOON, AFTER WEEKS OF STEADY RAIN, SNOW, HAIL, RAIN, I DEPARTED MY BELOVED HOMELAND AND AIMED THE GRILLWORK OF MY TRUSTY MUDBUG SOUTH...U.S. BORDER HERE I COME...OFF TO DIRT TIME TO JOIN THE FUN.

STOPPING IN BUTTE, MONTANA TO PICK UP MAKO (TRUSTY SIDEKICK AND NAVIGATOR) IT WAS DECIDED TO DRIVE STRAIGHT ON TO SEQUOIA.  26 HOURS AFTER LEAVING HOME, WE ARRIVED IN A PLACE DEVOID OF HOODLUMS...JUST A PARTY OF BURNING MAN TYPES...SO WE CAMPED OFF THE ROAD DOWN A WAYS FROM THE SITE. STRANGELY ENOUGH, WE WERE DISCOVERED BY TWO HOODLUMS SANS PAREIL...HALCON® AND DUDE !  WE SPENT THE MOST OF THAT DAY (SUNDAY), EXPLORING AND TALKING WITH EACH OTHER, THEN SET UP WHEN THE PLACE WAS VACATED.

OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS, PEOPLE BEGAN TRICKLING IN. I HAD THE GREAT FORTUNE TO END UP WITH TICTURD, SNAPS10, AND NUMBER3 AS NEIGHBOURS!! SUDDENLY THE WHOLE WEEK BECAME A BIZARRE JOURNEY...

SNAKE EATING, LIZARD KISSING, KNIFE TRADING, BEING BEATEN AT CHESS BY CHRISTOPHER NYERGES, BEING ATTACKED BY A DEMONIC BLADE...WHAT A TRIP!!

I ENJOYED MEETING ALL OF YOU, AND HOPE YOU FELT THE SAME...JUDGING BY THE RUN ON ALL OF MY CATHETERS I DO BELIEVE SOME OF YOU DO!

LET US MEET AGAIN AND SOON...

(Click on pics for larger images)

From torrential downpours...	...past swollen rivers...	...under leaden skies...	...and by the longest train trestle...	...I made it to the border!
No more rain!! Utah was hot	...and hotter!!	The Mojave was scorching	...but the first sunset at sequoia...	,,,was breathtaking!
Mako on the prowl,,,	...for Manzanita	Hidden Falls	Mako and Dude check the falls	...found 'em
more exploring	Monkey Man	The Halcon® and Mako	Indian grinding pots	Two happy campers hoist the banner
An International event begins	the Hoodmobile arrives	changin' out Ron's batteries	my little mudbug being unloaded	and the forest whispers a silent hello
Dude sharing with Ron and Karen	...and listening	All hail our mighty chef!!	Dave Dennis did a great job	The famous Ticturd Spa
sausage time	Ticturd arrives	Mako and Grizzly Dave posting	Oooh...a fabulous furry forest critter	Bill Hay couldn't stay
Slinging	...is fun with Ron's staff	wanna try?	okay, we'll let him. It's his, after all	Alan's mighty reflector
Arson training	Funny, I don't remember packing a Centerfinger	Snaps10 checks in	as does ScrapIron	The putative agenda
Now we're filling up the place!	Ticturd and Aboman	Tony from the Australian shores	requisite big fire picture	My first tent mate
Dude and Akan welcome the horde	lots more now	they are everywhere	Would you buy a used car from these guys?	More trees!!
The Aboclan	Bill Qualls	Gotcha too, Bill	Some people just went out of their gourd	Bigfoot like gourd...gourd friend!
hacking and cutting	sawing and sanding	it was a strange compulsion	count those fingers!!	Anvilsmith's wicked whistles
while Alan takes a picture of a mosquito or sumpin'	Grizzly Dave on the loose	A table belonging to a very bad person who exploited our weaknesses	Christopher Nyerges and Ron	Dabile hides,,,yeehaw
some wonderful items were displayed	My second tent mate	smile for daddy, honey	no Joe, I mustn't...	The ritual of the hoodlum tea
all must partake	of this vile brew	Mako's creation went down smooth	Aboman'x box of temptation	Troy (Ticturd) chelaxin'
Number3 plotting	the good snake	the mad bowyer at work	the classroom	Troy and Marsha filming steadily
making horn buttons	Grizzly Dave contemplating life	You want how many blades?!?	knife hafting class	mmm...antler stew
Aboman laid in a good supply	Vec's mighty handle	Sig giving a smile	Christopher gave a great plant walk	...and found stinging nettles, too
Al Jensen and Vec conspiring	Hey little buddy	was Troy's boot comfy?	a comfy hammock	knife time
JJ's giant puffball	Joe Dabile and Sig	Christopher among the arrers	Grizzly Dave getting ready	Luke looking thoughtful
Vec's fearless companion	We were well looked after...	Places everyone for the fire lecture	Alan in his element	...and the crowd is awed (or odd)
...are they taking my picture?	Yep, mine too dagnabit!!	Well then...HI Y'ALL	the forest was full of predators	Marsha checking on JJ
steely eyed determination	Alan meets snake	snake meets Alan	PLACE YOUR AD HERE!!!	skinning the first snake
Alan, Snaps10, Number3,snake, and machete	ibid, op.cit.	JJ likes snakes	Serpent a la Halcon...delicious	Centerfinger and Alan waiting for the snake
Christopher's lecture...and no NATO troops around	so sultry...so beautiful...so mine!	that's why it is called Sequoia Forest	They are pretty well fireproof too	Adam and his snake
yup, that'll make a good belt	Ron gave a quick snake lecture	then got ready	and skinned that puppy...more eatin'	Vec at the trade blanket
the trading crowd forms...	Dude surveying his wares	our man Mako givin' a grin	Ron resting? No...teaching!!	an attentive bunch, indeed
Jesse exploring	Christopher, Dude, and Alan handing out gifts. No, that is a hot sauce bottle on the stump	many fine utensils were made	Tony walking proud	That day was hectic, no one wanted to leave
Ron and Karen with their gold pans	oh lord, not another knife	Number3 providing aid...Canadian medics abounded	Number3 and a small tree	the mighty snake hunters meet Methuselah
yep dat one big tree	snake hunting is sociable work	tree people	they come out at night usually	in their nest in Methuselah
Methuselah's younger brother, Arnold	Bill just taking it in	okay...whose feet are those on the left?	yep...Monkey Man	and they should look satisfied..they put on a great time
No one looked happy the last day	some tried to smile	wonderful quivers	JJ searching Mako for knives	don't just do something...stand there
JJ borrowed my vec hawk, and my hat	Mako got a great Kifaru	Mako's patented NATO disguise/shelter	The Sunday obligatory bye bye picture	The farewell to the Hoods
Vec comes to say goodbye	offering beads if all will stay	Pretty soon, all that were left was the Sequoia four. BrianP, Ticturd, Number3, and Mako...	So we displayed our cutty things!	Made Mako an objet d'art
and sat around and chilled	The final goodbye on the hill...got me all misty	...and the sun blazed a golden farewell	Mako and I then went to see the redwoods	and gathered salmon berries
...found a neat grotto	and found lunch	hmmm...looks okay	probably find more in here	ahh...dinner is served. fried slug with salmonberry oatmeal, washed down with mint tea
and of course, wilderness spaghetti	we hit the Oregon coast	and beachcombed for dinner	love the ocean...I'm usually landlocked	yep, we'll take those
the patterns of nature are great	Mako found lunch in a tidal pool in Washington	and mussels	we didn't know what the heck this thing was	found plenty of starfish
under every rock	different colours	found a BSA mess kit on the beach	gettinr things ready	using our trusty magic stove grill
add a little mustard and cattail	and voila...Kelp Me I Think I'm Falling Mussels with littlefish au sand!! Num num!	our sea fetish to scare away tigers...it worked...didn't see a single one	ahh...the mountains of Washington	Picturesque lakes...
stunning panoramas...okay, enough...	Idaho dust devil	quite interesting	...really	That's about it...I dropped Mako off in Missoula and slowly wended my way back to my little cave in Alberta. I hope to see you all again real soon...it was a great time!!

Oh...Ron and Snaps10... this one's for you with love from the Sequoia Four (BrianP, Mako, Ticturd, and Number3)

(Sung to the tune of "Walking in a Winter Wonderland)

Nato men, are you listening?
As dirt-time, you are missing?
Way deep underground, nowhere to be found,
Scanning all our mental frequencies.

Blue berets, in the shadows,
Tanks and planes in the meadows,
A sasquatch to see, or space mystery,
While they're scanning mental frequencies.

Maybe later I will be a tracker,
Running through the woods so nakedly,
Refusing all assistance from the doctor,
I wonder what Tom Brown would think of me?

As we wander through the forest,
God will heal all things for us,
Except for that light, that I see at night,
Scanning all my mental frequencies

Wadded up insect netting,
Lonely bed, I've been wetting,
I stand here and stare, then pace everywhere,
While they scan my mental frequencies.
 

(Hugs and kisses to you and your Missus')