The Gypsy Journal, the K of C, and bluegrass-- the MI to TX quickstep!

By September we were down to Elkhart, Indiana where we again performed for the Gypsy Journal at their eastern gathering....for those of you who are not familiar with Nick and Miss Terry and their rallies, we heartily encourage you to check them out. www.gypsyjournalrv.com. You'll have a great time and learn a lot!

Gypsy Journal-ists actually seem to be a sharper audience than most; so we prepared some special material for them.

Of course, the "beauty contest" that occurs during GJ rallies kinda undermines that impression.  It's not an event for the faint of heart. 
We'll spare you the "graphic images."

Next we made our way to the Escapee's  50th Escapade held in Goshen, where we had the honor of playing right after opening ceremonies.  Although there were some sound issues, we had audience that thoroughly enjoyed what we did.  800 coaches and about 2,000 folks. Learn more about this wonderful RV club and our extended RV family at www.escapees.com.

Our last big gig up north was our first "black tie" event, the Knights of  Columbus Provincial Dinner in Royal Oak, Michigan, a beautiful affair with all the pomp and circumstance the Knights are known for and a fantabulous dinner which we followed.

Though the evening had already run long, the kind folks all stayed and weren't too tired to respond heartily.You might not normally think of us as a black tie act, but with the addition of some sequins & jewels (on us, not the tub!) we fit right in!

(We got to dine afterwards, as entertainers often do, in the pantry area off the kitchen.  The staff was sooo nice and heaped a multi-course version of the evening's dinner choices on our plates...Great food and company!).

Then it was back down across Indiana to Kansas City, Missouri, and then back to Lubbock, and anther great audience at the West Texas Bluegrass and Traditional Music Assn. held at the Hillside Country Club.  Again, though we're not bluegrass, they're always very kind to us there.

Again, one of the best perks, in our opinion, of this wierd lifestyle is the dining to which we are often treated.  At the Hillside CC it's a wonderful make-your-own combo plate at the all-you-can-eat seafood and pasta bar!  Yikes!  (It's a tough life out here on the road.)

The Virgin Islands & bluegrass...but not together...That would be wrong.

We had our route of Northern Michigan to Florida all mapped out, not counting on the "asthma" (as the doctor decided to call it) Judy suffered with for 3 months at the beginning of year; some of our gigs in Florida had to be cancelled and we were unable to work for almost a month during the worst of it. (See our last post for all the glorious details.)

Our down time included a little trip to St. Croix in the Virgin Islands for Whitt's son Justin's fabulous June wedding to the lovely Triona. 

 Judy was quite a bit better, but (due to medication) left with a suppressed olfactory sense.  How wonderful to be in an exotic location for a feast without being able to smell or taste anything!

But we rallied (grateful to be "ashore" at one of the kids' homes for a while) and sallied forth, rallying and sallying our way through Georgia, and, of course, north to the cool north woods of Michigan.

We love summer in Michigan and the opportunity to spend time with old friends--uh, that is long-time friends!  (Heaven knows, all of our friends are young (at heart).

One of our favorite things about Michigan is a neat, growing event called "Bluegrass In The Park" in Atlanta, Michigan, in the beginning of August where we did a full concert next to the beautiful Thunder Bay River and Mosquito Sanctuary. Visit their site at  www.bluegrassinthepark.com.

 Although we are clearly not bluegrass, folks at Bluegrass in the Park, in Atlanta, Michigan, have been putting up with us for years as their Sunday Morning Gospel Hour before they hit the road.

Ever see Judy play finger cymbals?






This year Doc & Luann Bungard, founders of the fest, held on the banks of the beautiful Thunder Bay River, asked us to do a whole concert on Thursday evening, before the official start of the festival, for RVers and others who arrived early.  (They may not make that mistake again!)

Other than the amount of blood everyone had to donate to the Sanctuary, it was a great time.  Fortunately, the sudden drop in temperature drove the mosquitoes off (and, unfortunately, folks to their rigs for blankets).