To Richmond

And Back

Trusty Buick. 6/26/10

Wednesday afternoon I drove down to Marian's house in Richmond. The drive from Redding was a breeze. It's interstate all the way so, with the exception of occasional clots of traffic, one needs only to set the cruise control and enjoy the ride.

The plan was to visit, and while I was there, record some songs for our 17th CD.

Phil, Marian, and Leona. 6/25/10

We recorded 36 songs during my stay. I have started editing them, and so far, they sound really good.

I used a different method of mixing, (of course), and the results are an improved dynamic spectrum with no clipping. This means I only have to fix a couple of notes here and there. I get to use the effects patches just as enhancements, instead of using them to repair technical shortcomings in the recordings.

After dinner scrabble was entertaining. 6/23/10

It's always a pleasure to play with Leona and Marian. The LMP Trio is very different from the blues band, but at the core it's the same wonderful world of playing music.

Chard, pork chops, mashed potatoes, and gravy. Yum.

In between the music and scrabble games, I enjoyed the home cooked meals that Marian and Leona prepared at breakfast, lunch and dinner time.

It was a warm, comfortable visit and recording session.

Back Here In Redding

The road back to Redding was the same 200 miles as the road to Richmond. It was a pleasant drive and the Buick ran smooth and true.

I went out today, (Saturday), to get some pictures of the volcanoes and Shasta Bally.

Shasta from the carwash on Hilltop Drive. 6/26/10

Shasta Bally from the carwash on Hilltop Drive. 6/26/10

The temperature was about 101 when I first started my photo excursion, and it wasn't until the top of my head felt hot that I realized I had forgotten to wear a hat. Since I was at the top of Hilltop taking pictures, I drove on down to the bottom of Hilltop to Big 5 Sporting Goods to see if they had a hat on sale.

New Hat

My new hat with a string for windy days. 6/26/10

Now that I had a new hat, I decided to head out to Whiskeytown Lake to get some closer pictures of Shasta Bally before the snow all melts away. I took the back roads looking for photo opportunities. When I got on 299 and started up the hill, the transmission could not find 2nd, 3rd or Drive. It would stay in 1st until it was time to shift to 2nd and then the engine would just start spinning. Luckily I was 'up' on 299 so I could get up some speed coasting downhill to get back home.

Lassen from 299 west of Redding. 6/26/10

I used my slow speed as an opportunity to stop and take a picture of Lassen from one of my favorite Lassen picture spots on highway 299.

There was a shady parking spot at Sunset Marketplace, so I pulled in there to check the transmission fluid. It was a litlle low, so I went in the market to see if they had they right kind of fluid. I didn't find Transmission fluid there, but they had my favorite mini cream puffs at the bakery, and some delicious organic Mexican medium roasted coffee beans, so it was a pleasant stop. When I got ready to leave, (remember, first gear was working), I discovered that I didn't have reverse gear either.

Some young guys who had pulled in next to me were kind enough to give me a push backward out of the shady parking space.

I made it back home by coasting when I could and not exceeding 33mph when I went uphill. I even stopped at Ace Hardware and got some fluid, but it didn't help. The dipstick read normal operating range after about a half pint.

I got back to the Treehouse and used the slight incline of the parking lot to roll backward into my usual space. Maybe it's something simple like a loose part that needs to be refastened. I will look it over in the morning.

Today's Relatively Appropriate Song;
Drive Drive Drive - Pat Cusick

Going Forward