Concert Road Trip #9

love that powder blue Gibson

My friend A. and I loaded ourselves into Karma once again for another concert adventure south of the border. This time it was for Eric Clapton, and Los Lobos who opened for him. I stayed overnight in Victoria to avoid having to drive in from Sooke to pick A. up for the journey. After dropping her wee one off at a friend's we were off to catch the 9am ferry from Sidney. Smooth sailing across but the worst line-up ever at on-board cafeteria. Once we docked at Tsawwassen (near Vancouver) we hit the road headed south. A smooth border crossing (yahoo) and we were on our way, stopping at Safeway for some food and booze. We prefer US concerts to Canadian ones as the concert ticket prices are lower, the booze is WAYYYYY cheaper, gas is cheaper, hotels are cheaper.

The view from our hostel room

this is how you smuggle booze into the concert

We arrived in Seattle in due time, parked Karma and checked into our hostel on 2nd Avenue before taking a quick walk to Pike Street Market to check out the scene there. From there we headed back to the van to have some beers before the show. Along the way we stashed some of our booze on our bodies to smuggle into the show. I refuse to pay $8 for domestic beer when I can spend $10 on a dozen in the store down the street. We then set out to find Will Call, where we were to pick up our tickets. We had ordered them by mail but they never showed up in time. After walking around what seemed like the entire arena, we finally found Will Call. Getting in was a breeze, hardly any line-ups and the dude in the wheelchair was real lax. We then headed to the ladies room to put our booze back into our bags.

First order of business was to check out the tour t-shirts, and both of us bought one. They didn't have the one I wanted in the size I wanted, so I bought a different one, but I think I like it just the same.

acoustic guitar tunes

From there we went in search of the best seats we could sneak into and act like we owned them. Our tickets were for balcony seats in the nosebleed section, but that is not where we start. We were able to get seats in the 4th row from the floor, in the section closest to the stage. No one showed up for the seats until after Los Lobos, and into Eric's 2nd or 3rd tune. Once we were rousted from our seats, we went in search of our own, or more empty seats. Trouble was that the concert was sold out, and only just a few people didn't show up for their seats. We finally relented and went to our nosebleed section, but sat in the first empty seats we found, which were several rows ahead of where ours were. I was fine with it as the sound was still awesome and the high seats gave us a real different view.

Los Lobos played about 6 or 7 tunes, ending with La Bamba which was awesome. They were terrific, and it wasn't long before Eric Clapton hit the stage with his band. And he was AWESOME. Boy can he make that guitar of his sing, it was amazing to watch him in action. When he was standing he had this weird chicken leg thing going on with his left leg, hilarious to see. When he was sitting, he did some serious toe tapping. The concert was over before we knew it, and then it was time to head back to the van for a few more drinks. We had a little trouble finding our direction, since the arena has several exits, and the street we were looking for stops and starts again after the arena, so we needed to be on the right portion of it. After a bit of walking, we managed to find our way back to Karma. A few beers in the van, and we headed back to the hostel to turn in for the night.

The next morning we were up for the free breakfast and then hit the road for home. Some sloppy snow slowed us down as we went through the one small mountain pass on the I-5 from Seattle (saw two vehicles in the ditch) and then we were at the border - real fast stop there, and we managed to get to the ferry terminal by 11:20am, just missing the 11am ferry. We had to wait for the 1pm ferry, so hung out in the van until then. Just as I'm about to start moving to head onto the ferry, some Chinese dude came over to my window and asked to swap tickets because he had to be back in Vancouver later that day. Um, sorry bud, I am hungover, tired, and not willing to wait ANOTHER hour after having waited an hour and a half for this one, not to mention, my vehicle was running and the ferry was in the process of loading and while he was standing there, my lane was loaded...so I pulled away...

Now we're back in Canada again, with our eyes on the concert horizon once again - Rod Stewart and Stevie Nicks are playing a show in April...

Surf's Up!

I took a drive up island to Jordan Beach today to watch some surfers, and I wasn't disappointed. I knew only the die-hard talented surfers would be out at the end of February and they were. There was a gal, who did quite well, and an older dude who rocked the waves. Then some wind surfers showed up and the show went on.

And then on the drive home, I picked up a couple of backpackers who just hiked the Juan de Fuca trail which starts not far from here. Said it took them 4 days because they took a wrong turn at one point and wasted the whole day. I told them with such beauty around them, every day is a gift, and none are wasted!

Frosty Morning

I awoke to glitter coating surfaces here and there. Even on those dear little buds that dared to show some green this past week.

The sunset was a couple of nights ago. I need to find the horizon it sets on, as I'm blocked in by woods all around it's path at sunset, and I face northeast here.

Beach Time

As this journey along the west coast wraps up in the coming weeks, I have to get more beach time in. I'll be moving on to Australia's red centre, land locked for the next two years. It's a lot to take in when I realize it. I'm good with the decision I've made, so I am capturing the ocean so I can bring it with me. I'm going to get some posters made of my photos.

Today I went to French Beach Provincial Park, just a few kms down the road from me near Shirley, BC. The sun tried it's hardest to shine, and the rain was very light, so I was able to crawl along the beachrock for some photos today. Then a pack of people showed up with a pack of dogs to walk and the roar of the ocean was drowned out with howling and barking. Time to move on. I had it in the can anyhow. There is still time and more beaches to explore before departure.

Island Life Adventures

I stood outside under the rainy skies tonight, while the moon, threatened to make an appearance. I was wearing my John Lennon t-shirt and cotton pyjama pants. The temperature was 6C, and light winds. The moon came out for just a few moments in Equimalt where I went for supper with a friend and had some of the best poutine ever from La Belle Patate - real cheese curds, veggie gravy and home cut fries. It's right across the street from this friend, and she works on the Esquimalt naval base. I like seeing our military uniforms. Reminds me of my childhood, living on air force bases all over Canada. I'm here in my last Canadian city on the 44 year Canadian tour. I've lived in all climates, all time zones, and taken both the best and the worst of Canadian weather. I've seen the best of the Canadian landscape, and feel ready to explore another continent, with my memories of Canada stored fondly in my heart. I will be an immigrant.

Insight from the Dalai Lama

Maybe I should have checked with the Dalai Lama first before ranting about the noise...he had the answer all along. This was from my page a day calendar from my sister - eerily fitting. It was yesterday's page.

"Your neighbor may be very noisy or very difficult, but so long as your own mind is calm and peaceful, neighbors will not bother you much."

The Not So Quiet Woods

So much for a quiet cabin in the woods. The landlords who live on the other side of the wall have surround sound, and for what reason, I honestly don't know. The cabins are barely bigger than a bathroom. And they play it SO DAMNED LOUD I'm about ready to take my axe to the door between us. At first it was an occasional movie, maybe once a week. It's been at least 4 nights in a row they have been playing movies for hours at TOP volume. I'm about ready to cry, honestly. I have a pounding headache from listening to it, and feel pretty powerless about the whole thing. She did not disclose this very annoying habit of theirs when I rented the place, and now I just want to move the hell out to get away from it. I am SO OVER IT. Surround sound is for when you own your very own separate house, not when you must subject your neighbors to it constantly. It was bad enough when I lived in Victoria, listening to the damned racket the neighbors made there, playing video games, music, and movies on surround sound, rattling the dishes in the cupboards, but now that I'm out in the woods, I thought it might actually be peaceful, but it seems I was sadly mistaken. If it isn't the damned construction site next to the property waking me up, it is the damned surround sound next door irritating the HELL out of me. This is NOT what I signed up for. Seriously. Most of the time it is fairly peaceful but that surround sound really gets to me.

Oh yeah, and I'm premenstrual so if you catch the glint of steel in the moonlight, that might be my axe flying through the air...

Island Life ROCKS

this is too much snow...gross.

I've been following the weather across the country these past few months and it looks like one of the snowiest winters in a long time. I've been checking out photos people are posting of their driveways, their cars under snow, their steps with several feet of snow, and the roads with huge drifts like this pic. Gross.

And then I look out my window and see green grass, and green bushes. Sure, the ordinary deciduous trees have lost their leaf since last fall, but there are many other species on Vancouver Island that don't lose their leaf, keeping it year round. I often do not wear a jacket, and go out in shirt-sleeves. I was out chopping wood today in a t-shirt, and still worked up a sweat. I've been barbecuing in my shirt sleeves, and often run to town without a jacket. Spring seems to be just around the corner.

this is just enough snow - NONE.

Sure I've had to deal with a lot of rain, but I don't have to shovel rain, and it's easy to walk in. It usually falls straight down, unlike east coast rain that beats into you, drenching you in mere moments. The sunny days are more often now, and soon will outnumber the rainy days. The temps are all above zero, day and night, often up to 10C some days. Before you know it, I'll be sitting out in the sun, working on my tan...island life ROCKS!

Daily Cabin Life

Stormy keeping watch over the stove

Looking back at my cabin

the lake is so pretty by the cabin, even if it is small

the big house - 3 apts in here, and a whole lotta unfinished

the piano man`s cabin at left, mine at right.

Stormy`s girlfriend

Well, life in a cabin in the woods is a little different than life in an apartment. For one, I have a wood stove. I have come to both love and hate the wood stove. It must be the most contrary one I've come across for burning wood. I can have a full raging fire going, embers glowing red and orange and look back 10 minutes later and it has gone OUT. Not a flame or flicker in sight. It happens on a daily basis, often several times a day. I have never had to work so hard to get a frigging wood stove to burn. I've had them for years in other places I've lived, so I do know what I'm doing, but dammit, this stove is pissing me off. But when it is burning nicely, the heat is so nice to curl up with on a damp and rainy day here.

I usually get up about 8:30am-9am, which is late for me, but it is just so quiet here, there are no buses roaring by, no sirens blaring all night long, and no crackheads picking through the dumpster at midnight. It is also pretty dark out here. I don't have any curtains up, other than in the bathroom, and although there are blinds for all the windows, I don't close any of them. They all face the woods for the most part, and no one is out there staring in (that I know of!) so I've always enjoyed letting all of the natural light in, day and night. With the floor to ceiling glass in front, it is just awesome to have all of the natural light, even on rainy days. When I go to bed at night, I can barely see across the room, it's so dark. The most light comes from the electronics in the cabin - little white and yellow lights on my computer, little red light on the phone, little green light on the microwave, that kind of thing. It is amazing how much a light a tiny LED can provide.

After I get up, I normally start the wood fire, which as previously mentioned, can be a real bitch. Once that is done, I head for the computer to check in with the world. Facebook, email, CBC news, and the Australian news are my regular stops. After that, I usually get dressed, put on some music, and get moving on the daily chores - bring in more wood, wash up last night's dishes, clean the cat litter box, sweep up all the frigging mess the wood makes, and then it's time to get some breakfast/lunch. After that, its either sit down to do some writing, or head out for a hike and photo opportunity. Once back, I upload photos, maybe write a blog post, and then I'll usually watch something on tv. I don't have cable or satellite by choice here, but have a ton of stuff downloaded to watch when I'm in the mood.

Supper is usually in there somewhere, and more social networking, and probably a phonecall or two to someone. Lately there has been a number of phonecalls with the recruitment agency for Australia, and a friend of mine that has also interviewed calls often to compare notes. Then its either more television, an online game, or a book. I can only sit in this chair for so long per day, so often it is tv or a book.

About twice a week or so I head into Sooke for some groceries, and to check the mail. I have just general delivery at the post office, so must go into town for my mail. I don't mind, as I rarely get anything important in the mail these days. All of my bills come electronically, and no one seems to write a real letter anymore. Shopping in Sooke is pretty good, a choice of bigger grocery stores, so I don't have to actually leave Sooke to get what I need.

Every week or so, I make a trip into Victoria as well, though I don't have one planned for 2 more weeks now. I like to go into town to do more shopping, visit with friends, and run errands. My friend A. just picked up our concert t-shirts from Roger Waters: The Wall Live so I'll be stopping by her place the next time I'm in town, stoked for the shirt!

I've been thinking about taking a short jaunt up the coast later this month or next to Port Renfrew, and taking Stormy with me to camp for a few nights. We've missed camping in Karma, so looking forward to exploring somewhere new. For now, I'm content with cabin life.

East Sooke

the mountains are in Washington, USA

see my tiny blackberry on this HUGE log...

gnarly arbutus tree

Karma looks so small here against the tall trees!

I went for a hike this afternoon in East Sooke, at Aylard's Farm. The hike took me along some gorgeous coastline, and past a really nice man named John from Afghanistan...we had quite a chat actually and talked travel, and he kept flattering me with comments about being strong and smart, because I traveled much of it alone, and I'm a woman. I don't think he was being sexist, I think he just hadn't met many women who are willing to travel alone. He is just back from a visit to Morocco, and lives here in Sooke, has for 20 years he said. He was sitting on a bench along the way, enjoying the scenery with a thermos of coffee and a doobie.

I had wanted to go in the other direction and tried but it was far too muddy and I didn't wear my rubber boots today for some reason. There are petroglyphs in that direction, so I shall have to return another day with me rubber boots on. In any event, the scenery was amazing, so I happily snapped away.