Mountain to Coast

Did I just do these to myself again? I remember exactly 10 years ago, I signed ourselves up for the 9 days "Big Ride" in Australia, out of ego/ ignorant/ curiosity/ challenge/ restless (in this order). It turned out to be one of the toughest adventure because of the unexpected cold front. I was sleeping inside some big black plastic garbage bags with all the clothes I got. There was ice on top of the tent in the morning. So, as we got a little older, what motivate us to give up the warm bed again? After some deep thought, it's still the challenge/ curiosity/ ignorant/ ego (in that order) and we're just born restless. However, this time we will have 5 months to prepare for the 400 miles in North Carolina this fall.

Do what you have to.

Ceramic artists are special group of people, but wood firing potter is the most unique in my mind. Went to Justin Lambert's kiln opening down in Jupiter this morning. It's not a very big kiln, but he has a big heart to let other people to participate and share his hard work. Firing a wood kiln these days is kind of like insist on riding a horse, when everyone is driving a car. You not only go slower, it costs a lot more to feed, clean and keep up with it. For most untrained eyes, those are just boring brown pots with black spots. For people like Justin, they will spend a life time, enjoying chopping woods, staying up days and nights to keep the fire going, playing with flames and ashes, seeing pots born and die, beautiful or not so beautiful...... and spending days to clean up and making more pots........ Just because, there's no other ways. They just have to do what they have to.

Who needs words?

Last night was the last section of the "Jazz in the Sanctuary". They got two Brazilian guest, excellent guitar by Phill Fest (Manfredo's son) and beautiful voice from Terezinha Valois on top of the usual Jim's trio. Of course, they played the well known bossa "The Girl from Ipanema", in its original whispering Portuguese. Even I could not understand a word, it's still carefree, love in the air........   Also, the last part of "Clearwater Sunset", jammed between the keyboard and the guitar was breath taking. With such talents, you don't need words. 

PASAP

Potters As Sculptors As Potters (PASAP) was a pre-NECEA conference workshop held by NAU. The sign up paper showed 59 people. Not a bad turn out.
Brad Schweiger uses his wire like a samurai uses his sword.
Christa Assad is an iron girl.
6 presenters doing simultaneous demonstrations is a bit overload after 2 days.

Moon rise at sunset at 7000ft

I had no idea aspen is 楊樹, something only exist in cold region and high altitudes, not exactly my temperament.
Moon rise in Sunset Crater National Volcanic Monument.
Flagstaff as a small town has a lot to offer.
More dead tree.

Tiddly Pom

It was a surprise to have snow in Grand Canyon this time of the year. It was also a challenge to hike down the steepest trail with cold toes (Tiddly Pom as Pooh Bear would say).
Other than the Grand View, dead trees in the area amaze me the most. I got more pics of them than anything else.
Thanks for Ed's Gitzo, better sunset Canyon.
Very soon, I learned to operate my camera with glove on.

North of the border

After a good night sleep in Phoenix, got to Arcosanti just before the sun rose. Lunch in Sedona.
By the time we got up to the Grand Canyon, it was total white out and blowing 30 knots. Even the mules had a day off.

Houston, you've a problem!

Houston airport and I have some sort of bad karma. Twice in a row, my plane got diverted to some dinky airport because of some storms, sat on runway for hours with no food/water/AC, missed the connected flight..... and the airline was not apologetic, since it was the weather. No confirmed seat for the rest of the day. And they kept changing gates for whatever reasons. Last time, end up in the worst motel at mid-night, this time I got lucky, got on the 3nd flight after walking miles between gates and hours of standing in line. Avoid Houston at all costs!