We left Tennessee at 5:00 a.m. on the 31st of July and drove 750 miles to Cobleskill, NY. The next morning, we drove to Keene Valley to see family and friends. It's just under 1,000 miles from Tennessee to the Adirondacks where we're from.
The following night I was a guest banjo picker at Mad River Pizza where Don Perkins was playing fiddle and Earl Southmayd was accompanying him on guitar.
We stayed quite a few nights with Don and Pat at their home in Chazy. One of those days, Don and Pat threw a music party for us and invited several of their close friends who play music. It was great to pick with Dick "Cookie" Cook and see his wife, Pauline, again. I also got to pick with Curt Phaneuf and meet his wife. I also played with Earl Southmayd again which is always a treat. Donnie played his fiddle just like he always has, beautifully!
The 9th of August, I played at a music party hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Don La Barge of Norfolk, NY. I played banjo for about 1 hour before heading over to Canton for a surprise birthday party for Mary's mother who turned 90 years of age. Much of her family was present for the event and thousands of pictures were taken; many by a professional photographer hired to record the special occasion.
After a few more days of visiting my family members and members of Mary's family and having wonderful meals prepared by Rosy and Ricky (Mary's brother and his wife), it was time to head home to the Unaka mountain wilderness area of Tennessee to rejoin our many musician and other friends and resume my performing dates here in the South.
What a wonderful trip north. Be sure to check out the photos (soon to be posted) on the "2014 Trip to the Adirondacks" page.