Yup, that's quite a grand Canyon all right.

I went on a 3 mile hike below the rim (Bright Angel trail, for you canyon connoisseurs) and had a great time. The hostel I was staying at didn't have lockers so I ended up bringing the fiddle with me, and I'm really glad I did. I took several music breaks along the trail - there's some fine acoustics down there - which led to some kind words from other hikers and requests to play again, and I even made some money without putting my case out. I met a woman who said she studied voice in college but never sang anymore, and talked her into singing Ave Maria into the canyon. Cool stuff. I'm so lucky to play a fiddle.

Busked and meandered my way east - in Flagstaff I was playing Ashokan Farewell and someone came and told me that he was Jay Ungar's cousin. I stopped again in Albuquerque but had just a couple of hours, so I went and played at the Kimo theatre. The bus ride from Oklahoma City to Dulles Airport, Virginia took me through three Springfields.

So... I ignored Greg Stephens' warnings and have come to visit Bobert and his wife whose name is not really The P-Vine. Yesterday Bob took me to see the famous Harper's Ferry (where the Potomac and Shenandoah meet). Today we did some gardening and jaming, with me trying to pretend that I can do blues.

I'm becoming very conscious of the time left on my American bus pass ticking away...and I have a number of real-life friends to see here in the northeastern quadrant of the country. I have a date with Big Mick, and I'm going to try to work out a quick visit to meet M.Ted, but I think that'll probably be it for Mudcat meetings on this trip.
I'm soon on my way to Champaign, Illinois for Easter.

And as for that judge in Dallas, I like his conclusions, but his rationale is way off. Busking is most certainly an income-producing enterprise. He's just saying that because nobody would tip him to stand on the sidewalk and make rulings...

Happy Easter, Marion (Blue Ridge mountain, Almost Heaven)