Juxtaposin’ Sweet Child of Mine

Sat, 9 Jun 2018 21:10:38 -0700

I had such fun assembling the Lakes of Pontchartrain post, that I decided I’d do another to share. This one is for John. He loves a good GnR cover.

(PS: whatever you do, stay with this post to the end.)

To start off, here’s a couple really impressive Brazilian kids. The young man on instruments is a ringer for the studio recording if you ask me. Of course, what makes an interesting cover is bringing something to the song that is unique from the original. For that we have the girl on vocals.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8Yc13fZTpr0" frameborder="0" allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Next up is Post Modern Jukebox. If you haven’t heard of them, they’ve been making viral covers of rock n roll hits in various pre-rock n roll musical styles for 10 years. This isn’t my favorite cover of their’s, but they are my favorite cover-band so they get the nod here.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kJ3BAF_15yQ" frameborder="0" allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Actually PMJ has two covers of Sweet Child of Mine. This second one, at times the guy singing comes across a little too try-hard on the raspy voice thing, but the tap dance interlude steals the show and represents about everything I love about PMJ.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bZpdXgsI6C0" frameborder="0" allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Here’s one about as far from GnR as you could imagine. A male Blue-grass quartet. Unfortunately, there are no visuals to go with it.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MlsevSpfpYI" frameborder="0" allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Staying with the Blue-grass theme, this one is easily my favorite. The woman singing is an absolute ringer for Alison Krause.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6cIxF4Ex7a4" frameborder="0" allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

For the last Sweet Child cover, I like this one for perfectly capturing of the style ‘acoustic, ephemeral female-vocals.’
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D1dkch8-MOQ" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Ok, before finishing, I have one more that I can’t not share. Iron Horse, the Blue Grass male-quartet, has a Rocket Man cover that is absolutely awesome. If their Sweet Child is a 7.5, this is an 11. The harmonizing and picking is on-spot. If this is the same cut that’s on their CD, I’m sold.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/forqmom3YuY" frameborder="0" allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Juxtaposin’ Lakes of Ponchartrain

Sat, 28 Apr 2018 20:21:35 -0700

Shuttle availability this summer is, generally speaking, M-F after 3:00 PM. I’m leading a scout troop of 11-17 yo’s in the BPSA-US (inclusive co-ed scouting); so that takes up about half my weekends. The other half are ostensibly free, but typically ya’ gotta figure I’ll be doing the things I didn’t get to the previous weekend. But maybe not. So, if you need a weekend shuttle, especially not on the first or third weekends, feel free to shoot me an e-mail. Doesn’t hurt to ask... pixels are cheap.

Grant Petersen, the nicest, most humble, most unassuming guy you could meet in a market (bicycling) which naturally draws in nice, humble, unassuming types was in town today. He’s a Bob Dylan super-fan. A super-fan, among super-fans. And I had the -- at risk of coming across as not nice, humble, and unassuming, which, really, I am -- immense pleasure of pointing out a cover tune of Bob Dylan’s that Grant had never heard before. So, for Grant, and John, and all Riv super-fans everywhere, I submit for your pleasure, “Juxtaposin’ the Lakes of Ponchartrain.”

Fetch your headphones, put your phone on DND, and settle in for some critical listening time.

First off, a neat little interview with the guy that turned-on Bob Dylan to the tune:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/n5_5WMH8qMQ?rel=0" frameborder="0" allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Bob Dylan covering it:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6I1kP3aJAVw?rel=0" frameborder="0" allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The Be Good Tanyas, which is where I heard it first and is still my favorite:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/I5p0PPnivig?rel=0" frameborder="0" allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Back to Paul Brady, the guy that turned Dylan on to it:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1Un0qh62KvE?rel=0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Planxty -- if the Be Good Tanyas were men:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/a2As4LRkZa0?rel=0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Hot House Flowers -- two words, Sax Bridge:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GKq0odvgtmc?rel=0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Tangerine Dream -- if that’s not Celtic, I’ll kiss yer arse:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O8S0mU2GVaA?rel=0" frameborder="0" allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Aoife O’Donovan -- LoP unplugged:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QN9X17hIzUY?rel=0" frameborder="0" allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Best wishes and love to everyone.

Shuttle Planning 2016

Sat, 27 Feb 2016 20:20:01 -0800

Last Summer we took a long, circuitous road trip through Eastern Oregon and the back-way into Washington and Idaho. And by back-way, I’m talking about a dirt jeep trail where I was chopping down tree limbs and moving soccer-ball sized rocks out of the way on more than one occasion. We also spotted a couple deer, a herd of elk, wild turkeys, and a black bear with three cubs. As you might imagine, it was a pretty awesome time, and one for which we were all long overdue. If you have been contemplating a ride out to the Wallowas, I could not recommend it enough. Cycle Oregon was out there last year, and I can totally understand why. It’s a drive from Portland to be sure, but definitely worth it.

As for 2016, I’m now accepting reservations. Feel free to drop me a line if you have any questions about whether I could be a fit for your situation. Until then, have fun and keep the rubber side down.

Tour Planning 2015

Sun, 1 Feb 2015 20:15:22 -0800

I am open for business this summer. If you are considering a ride around Oregon or Southwest Washington and need some help getting to your starting point or returning from your destination, please drop me a line. Beyond that, I am always happy to offer free advice and local route suggestions.

Best wishes for a fun and eventful 2015.

McKenzie -- Sisters -- Smith Rock

Sat, 14 Jun 2014 18:29:56 -0700

Last month I had the great pleasure to ride a pair of central Oregon’s Scenic Bikeway gems. A buddy planned the route and I wanted to share it, along with a few ideas ideas of my own for options to extend from a day ride into a full tour.

For our ride, we chained McKenzie Pass to a modified Sisters to Smith Rock route. Our modification for Sisters to Smith Rock was to take McKenzie Canyon Road instead of staying with Holmes Road. McKenzie Canyon is a washboard sand, dirt, and gravel grinder through a remote high desert environ. Being in the canyon makes it feel considerably more remote and isolated even though it’s more or less paralleling a main highway and the scenic bikeway route.

Logistics were we drove down from Portland, leaving a little after 6:00AM. I dropped off half the group at Belknap Hot Springs, then back-tracked OR126 north into Sisters. The pass itself was still closed to motor vehicles for the winter, which is what makes this ride spectacular. Myself and the reminder of the group parked the van in Sisters and began riding out in the westbound direction. We met at the look-out tower, amazingly within just 15 minutes of the eastbound group. After resting for a spell and enjoying a robust snack everyone rode together back to Sisters. At Sisters we had lunch then set out for Smith Rock.

In the interest of time, we cut out Camp Polk road and Cloverdale road, taking the McKenzie Hwy directly to Goodrich road. While Camp Polk is very nice, as I’ve ridden it previously, we unfortunately had to cut it out, since we let time get away from us at lunch. I drove the van to Smith Rock, while the rest of the group rode on to Terrebone. I parked the van then rode, myself, the few miles back to Terrebone where everyone regrouped for dinner.

We all camped at Smith Rock then rode the Crooked River canyon trail up and over Smith Rock itself. The canyon trail was the highlight for me. I visited there about 10 years ago with my wife on our tandem. Ostensibly it is a mountain bike tandem, but the long wheel base makes it unsuited to making the sharp turns that are required for switchbacks and also it is prone to getting high centered on rocky and bumpy trails. This visit I was able to ride the whole way around. By the way, my recommendation is to begin the ride following the river and descend Burma Road. We rode the trail starting around 8:00 or 9:00-ish, made plenty of site-seeing stops along the way, and were back on the road to Portland before noon. That’s a pretty nice morning cap before returning to home life if you ask me.

As for my thoughts on alternate ride ideas, I’m thinking one could take Amtrak from Portland to Eugene then ride from Eugene to McKenzie Pass, camping somewhere suitable along the way. The second day would have the actual summit and get into Sisters for lunch. After lunch, ride Sisters to Smith Rock and camp at Smith Rock. Day three would be the trail ride around Smith Rock SP and then on to Madras for the Mountain Views Scenic Bikeway and camping in Cove Palisades SP. Day four and five can be for the ride back to Portland, or if time doesn’t allow, schedule a shuttle for your return. Yet another idea is to connect from Smith Rock SP to the Oregon Outback route via Oneil Hwy and Prineville, then ride to The Dalles. From The Dalles, one can ride into Portland, or again, schedule a shuttle. Either option would make for a really grand bike tour.

I wouldn’t recommend that tour for high summer, but late spring when McKenzie pass is still open only to bikes, or in October when the tourist season is over and traffic is much lighter would be great choices.

If you are able to do it, please let me know. I’ve love to hear how it went.