Turning Lemons into Lemonade

 

Last year, as we were planning this trip we decided that one of the highlights would be our trip to the Santa Fe opera.  We knew that we would not be able to order tickets, but figured we could get standing room or scalped tickets or something.  What we did not figure was that the opera season would start on June 27, long after we left New Mexico.  We found that out as I did internet research on the opera on the way to Sante Fe.  However, only a few hours after our disappointing find, we heard an ad for the Telluride Blue grass Festival starting on June 19 and going to the 22.  Since handy, dandy David can read a map so well and figured that a detour to Colorado was not out of the question, I spent about 2 hours on the internet and finally successfully  ordered tickets for all four days.  (Later we found out that we got the last of the available tickets.)  We were disappointed to find that there was no camping anywhere and had to camp at a state park about an hour away.  (Actually as the crow would fly, Telluride was  about  5 minutes from our campgrounds, but a few mountains got in the way.)

Campgrounds was quite nice, but one drawback was the pay showers,  4 minutes for $1,00.  I think I got robbed on the first try because ib arely got my hair washed and rinsed when the water turned off!  Grr!  Next time I got the hang of it…and I think the timer was more accurate.

The festival was organized in such a great fashion.  We parked for free and then took three free gondolas up over the mountain into Telluride and then walked through the town to the festival.  What a site.  A stage, large grassy sitting area (enough to accommodate the crowd of 10,000) and mountains topped with snow all around.  Not to mention the waterfalls in full view tumbling down one of the cliffs.

Tarp space as at a premium and on the second day we squooshed in behind the tarp of two other couples.  Next to us, poaching on an unoccupied tarp (a festival tradition) were three college aged eagle scouts who were working at Philmont for the summer.  They were so much fun to talk to.  And luckily, the couples whose tarp we crowded were so kind and invited us onto their tarp for the next two days.  Coincidentall, one of the couples was from the philadelphia area, and the other was from Salt Lake City, where we plan to be in a week or so. Luckily, because they were camping and could get to the grounds early enough to put their tarp out in a good place.  Apparently folks line up before the end of the last act on the night before, sleep in line and then run like crazy when the gates open at 9 am to get a good space.  Our new friends got in line about 5 am, got a number at 6:30 am and then went back at 9 am when the gates opened and threw down their tarp.  Then, they were nice enough to call us and let us know the location.  Their company really added to the 4 days and we ended up sharing food, stories, chairs, and the good times.

The weather was searing…95 degrees and blazing sun.  This has been the only time that I have heard a crowd cheer when even a little cloud passed by.  The festival organizers provided freezing cold running water, easily accessible for everyone who had a container, and were adamant about recycling, even going so far as to have huge trash bins with volunteers stationed on top to show us where to throw our trash, compost and recyclables.  On Sunday, we were lucky to have a partially cloudy sky.  As we watched the clouds got darker and darker…then lightening began to flash…AND THEN HUGE SNOW FLAKES BEGAN TO PLOP DOWN FROM THE SKY.  It was like hail that melted before it hit the ground.  We all went nuts, and between the snow plops, the wild music going on and the crowd dancing around, I felt quite drunk.  10 minutes later the sun  came and 10 minutes after that there was no evidence of snow.

Later that night, on some kind of cue that we were not privy to, the place exploded in marshmallows.  Thousands of marshmallows erupted from the crowd and, again, it looked like it was snowing.  Thousands and thousands of marshmallows thrown back and forth.  What a jolly time.

And through it all, the music…Bela Fleck, Sam Bush. Tony Thile, Uncle Earl, Cadillac Sky, Solomon Burke, etc. etc.  We were even able to get tickets to a wonderful film, Throw Down Your Heart, produced by Bela Fleck’s brother, about Bela’s trip to bring the banjo back to Africa.

For my banjo buddies, here is a shot of Unlce Earl.

Of course, we expected a 4 day rest, but since we had to get up at 6:30 am every day and did not get back to the camp until almost midnight every night, and we were dancing in the sun all day, we are now exhausted.