The Hills are alive with… “Ride Sally, Ride!”

The band was slated to play at a private party in the rolling country hills southeast of La Crosse.  Just past the little town of St. Joseph, about where Highway 33 meets the skyline.  It was an incredibly hot and humid day and there was a mad chance of severe thunderstorms in the area.  As I quoted to Cory at Baraboo Music, “Hey, we’re in the country, on a hill, in a metal pole shed with threating lightening…. What could possibly go wrong?”

Fortunately for us, the storms stayed away and though it was muggy and hot… we had an amazing time with the good people that put on the “Cardboard Canoe Races.”  Just a great gathering of friends and neighbors enjoying the music, food, and festivities of the day.  It was put on by the St. Joseph Ridge Lions club. From their pages, the Lions Club is a very busy bunch of folks that are busy doing really good things for their area. 

From their FB page.. this is what was going on…

10:30 Registration at the Gerke’s Shed (HWY 33)
11:00 Canoe Assembly Starts
12:30 Race Begins at Lake Neshonoc in West Salem
(Swarthout Park – HWY 16)

Pig Roast, Tap Beer and live music to follow at the Gerke’s Shed (HWY 33)

Cost: $25.00 per Canoer (t-shirt, food, beer and door prize entry)
$15.00 per non-Canoer (food, beer and door prize entry)

All proceeds will be donated to charity.

Canoers will need to provide paddles and a life jacket.
Cash Prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place along with a traveling trophy!

Deadline for Canoe Race Registration is August 1, 2014

Cardboard canoe race rules:
1. Have fun!!!
2. Canoe must have minimum of 6" sides
3. Canoe paddles only, kayak paddles not allowed
4. You may only tape seams and exposed edges
5. No intentional contact or destruction of other canoes
6. Anyone under the age of 12 must wear a life jacket
7. one person per canoe
8. Have fun and be safe!!!

We set up inside the metal shed (Gerke’s shed, that is), and everyone but me brought their own fan.   I, on the other hand, brought my own (other) “Fan”… my good friend and CP fan, Ms. Carol.  We were also joined by our fans, Dianne and Steve to help liven the party as well. 

My heartfelt thanks to Carol for really helping out with everything… especially dropping the ice on my head for the ALS Ice bucket Challenge.  (My son nomimated me… ).   I’m sure there have been many times over the years she wanted to drop a bucket of ice on my head…. Or maybe like large rocks.  Nevertheless, it was really rather refreshing, given the weather.

The show started promptly at 5pm…  and we managed to spin out the usual set of songs with much bravado (if not a little bit of sweat)..  There was a bit of panic when I produced the setlists in which it appeared there was no “2^nd set”… but upon closer scrutiny, it was my mis-numbering the lists.  Panic averted, and we began the show.

Dang words: Again!! Again, I missed the words to Jenny, Jenny!! ARRRG!  Well, it was only one have a verse…

I got a couple of strange looks when I intentionally changed the words in the Johnny Cash song to: “I’ll  bet they’re smokin’ coffee, and drinkin’ big cigars..” 

I did get the words to the 3^rd verse on Radar Love, and I think (In my humble opinion ) that I knocked that Foo Fighters song (Learn to Fly) right out of the park.  

Mike held his usual court of “Mustang Sally” by wowing the ladies and having them sing right along: 

:

Clinton “Clintonium” (As we scientist all know is a new complex element found in atoms which combine Heavy Metal – and Noble Gasses) played an excellent keyboard solo in LA Woman, and provided much needed support on the last song: “Smoke on the Water”… 

Well, see the Periodic Chart of Elements: 

The show wound down just after 9pm… as the sun had finally set and twilight set upon the party.  It was a great night of music and amazing “Hurricane” mixed drinks…  Lots of great dancers enjoyed the show.  Brian and Chelsea were great at helping out rolling up the awful, dirty, yucky cords…   Carol looked great… so did Dianne and Steve. 

Another rockin’ night provided by Checkered Past.  I heard one of the audience guys say that he loved us.. and might be willing to buy one of the old CD’s and play it for his cows while he’s milking.  I slyly replied… “It wouldn’t be the first time our music was used to produce milk…”   

Well, onto the next show...  We're hoping to find something for September yet. If you have a good sticky spot  you think that Checkered Past would fit..  Please let us know, so we can book it! Next show is early October...