Seems the “fix” I implemented a few days ago to allow comment attachments is creating problems – both visible to readers and some administration problems – so I’ve removed it. This might cause problems if y’all want to add images or some such … but maybe not. Since I can’t see what goes on from your end, let me know if you have any issues or notice problems.
DT
Itchy Feet Time
Gets on this time of year and I start thinking road trips to the back country.
Out in the dry lands, roads can keep tracks for a long time … until a rare flash flood comes roaring through a narrow canyon on its way to nothingness in a dried out playa and wipes all traces away.
Don’t your feet just getting to itching wanting to know what’s up this canyon?
I spend a lot of time and gas finding out the answer is usually “Nowhere in particular” but sometimes …
Maybe I’ll run across Brigadoon … or maybe I did already.
Brother’s Birthday
You’re famous now, bro – got your picture on the wundernet.
He’s the pitcher. Loves his baseball, always has. Mumblety-mumble years old and still plays the game. Does pretty well for his age too. Spends his springs at the Tiger’s fantasy baseball camp. Works so much with the Tigers, I’ve wondered why he doesn’t get on the payroll.
Look close – the ball is about ¼ the way from the 2nd baseman to the 3rd just into the dirt from the outfield grass.
Happy Birthday!
Pyramid Lake
End of the Truckee River, some odd miles north of Reno, some odd miles south of Black Rock desert, this is where Lake Tahoe ends up. I was out here along one of the more remote northern stretches of a lake that’s pretty remote to begin with. At one time, the Southern Pacific Railroad passed through here – I was following the old route. What tourists there may be (fishermen mostly) are kept well south of this point.
Truckee was a chief of the northern Paiutes (aka “Chief Winnemucca”) – he guided a party of travellers from the headwaters of the Humboldt River to Donner Pass and they named the Truckee River for him. The Humboldt River became the primary trail to Sacramento; today I-80 follows its course from its beginning at Wells, Nevada to the Humboldt Sink just west of Lovelock. From here, travellers had a choice of deserts to cross: to the Carson Sink and Carson River through the 40-Mile Desert, eventually crossing the Sierra south of Lake Tahoe – now US50; or across an unnamed stretch to the Truckee River near today’s Wadsworth, Nevada and on to Donner Pass on the north side of Lake Tahoe. Either trail ran about 40 miles with no water. In 1850, almost 1000 graves were counted along the 40-Mile Desert stretch. I-80 follows the Truckee River route.
But I was speaking of Pyramid Lake … north of Wadsworth. The Northern Paiute name of Pyramid Lake is Kooyooe Panunadu or Kooyooe Pa’a Panunadu.
The lake is the largest remnant and once deepest part of Lake Lahontan, an ancient inland sea that covered most of northern Nevada. Pyramid Lake is 10% the size of Salt Lake but 25% larger in volume.
Pyramid Lake lies entirely within the Paiute Indian Reservation. This photo was taken from the northwest side of the lake, apparently now closed to the public due to “desecration of sacred sites”. The entire lake is considered sacred … but portions of it are open to the public and the lake is renowned for its (baitless, barbless) fishing of Lahanton cutthroat trout – the record fish being over 40 pounds. 20 pound fish are considered normal. Perch are also common … I’m rather found of fresh water perch myself. A permit is required for almost all activities at the lake and I’m sure that now, like then, if you’re not a tribal member, you do not want to be caught breaking any laws – speeding especially.
There are hot springs along the shore – I suspect these may be the sacred sites – but there’s not much out here – or wasn’t when I took this photo 40 years ago except an old ranch in ruins.
There was a “war” – known as the Pyramid Lake War – fought south of the lake in 1860. Two battles were fought in 1860; the Paiutes “won” the first. The Paiutes lost the second which was fought on the same location as the first. The site is on the reservation and appears as it did in 1860. These battles caused the only halt in service of the Pony Express.
There is a state historical marker at the site of the main fighting (one source suggest the sign has been removed. The Google Street view is from 2005 so it may not be reliable).
County Fair
ghostsniper brought up county fairs in a recent post. Here’s a preview of what’s coming up this summer
The magic appears at night; the day, not so much.
County fair Kentucky, August nights
Just ‘Cause I Felt Like It
Ray Stevens – Ahab the Arab – 1962
Remember “The Streak”? Same guy.
From One To Another
A card from Jean
Maintenance
Warning: A major system update is coming and the site may be down for a while. It’s not me, it’s the underlying system. Not sure when it starts or ends … so see y’all when we return to our regularly scheduled broadcast
More Tunesday
submitted by SK via Comments
Since it is music day today on this blog of DT’s, and I am in a good mood, I thought to share some cheerful Italian music. I lived and worked in Italy many years ago and so was exposed to a lot of contemporary Italian music on the radio. Italians, generally speaking, are happy people who love beautiful things, especially women, food, sport, design and music.
I grew up in a house full of classical music and opera because my father was a pianist and opera buff so some of their singing was familiar to me…Mario Lanza, Caruso, Gigli, all famous opera stars.
But Italians of all stripes sing with such joy and humour, such passion and enthusiasm, you can’t help but love their music even if you don’t understand the words.
Here, for anyone interested, are a few links. Hope some of you enjoy them. Apart from the music, the videos are also great:
1) four famous neapolitans singing about their love of Naples
Gigi D’Alessio, Lucio Dalla, Sal Da Vinci, Gigi Finizio – Napule
2) Lucio Dalla, a famous Italian singer in a strange but funny Fellini like video, singing about the big bad wolf (il lupo)
3) Pavarotti and friends singing Verdi and having fun
1992 Pavarotti, Luciano and Sting, Zucchero and Lucio Dalla – La donna e’mobile
Tunesday: Roger McGuinn – “Shenandoah”
A sample of some obscure – and maybe not obscure – tunes from my strange and off-the-wall collection.
Today’s selection: Roger McGuinn – “Shenandoah” 2003
“Away, we’re bound away, cross the wide Missouri“
I sometimes wonder if songs such as this, “Mr Tambourine Man“, “The Wayward Wind“, and a few others led to my itchy feet taking me west.
“Shenandoah” is known as a sea chantey but more likely originates among the river men of the Ohio, Mississippi, and Missouri rivers of the early 1800s. Shenandoah was an Indian chief living along the Missouri River … or was it upper New York? There are many versions of the song – it became internationally famous as the song propagated down the rivers to the clipper ships travelling around the world.
Roger McGuinn – sometimes known as Jim McGuinn – was born in 1942 and is best known as the lead guitarist and singer for The Byrds. He began as a folksinger in the late 50s/early 60s. He co-founded The Byrds with Gene Clark in 1964. The Byrds began breaking up by 1967; McGuinn finally finished the name in 1973. He then went on to a solo career, returning to his folk music roots.
He recorded this in 2003 – one of my favorite versions.