Why I went to Auburn, CA

Ok, so it had been seven (7) years since I'd seen Matthew and Gunnar perform live (back on the Styx/Frampton tour) and I was having aserious withdrawals. Once I heard they were to be performing a Ricky Nelson Remembered show in Auburn, CA I was ready to do some travel research (and let's face it - some traveling).

Cindy and I did some preliminary research, then as we got excited about the prospect, some serious planning. I'd already had the time off requested for the following week, we had been contemplating a trip to Disneyland, then we reconsidered due to finances. I had decided to keep my week off (what, with over a month of accrued vacation time, I could well afford it) and when we discovered the date of the show and did some drive-time math I decided to bump the time off forward by a couple of days.

This past Wednesday, September 7th, the technicalities were out of the way and finally travel time had arrived. I was fully ready for some younger-days-adventure so I decided we really should leave in the night on Wednesday. I wanted to squeeze some beach time in so we drove through the night, and got to Santa Cruz by lunchtime.

In my previous post, you can see that we had a terrific time. The next day was the day of the show. I was SO READY for this! After all, I'd been preening and primping mentally for a couple of months, with my weight loss, my innate need to dress up for these encounters, and my compulsive nature you should expect nothing less!!

"Cute" clothes... Check.

Mani/Pedi... Check.

New hairstyle... Check.

Hair drama.... Check.

Of course there was hair drama! I had to wash it in the day and a half after having it styled... so now it had the fuzzies! Oh Dear! but fret not... I found a miracle cure in Ric Pipino's Style My Cut line... Oh Hell Yeah! I was ready to go.

I find it inspiring that the show we ended up choosing to go to (you see, we could have been going to the show in Cheyenne THIS WEEKEND) was the scaled-down, intimate version of the Rick Nelson Remembered show that we'd seen when they had started entertaining the idea of such a show. The usual deal is Multimedia entertainment and sounds so cool... but we chose Auburn and were NOT disappointed with the Old-School style of the fair show.

We got to the fairgrounds with no idea where the stage was [why, it was right around the corner] and just in time for sound check we discovered the location. I think, even though these guys are meticulous about their show, the presentation of it and the polish they've been able to apply to their shows - that I enjoy sound check better than the shows because they're in their own world, working on getting everything to reflect that polish. Voyeuristic? Sure-but who isn't? I enjoy it because they're comfortable in their skin, can put it all together and answer the endless barrage of questions and requests that self-absorbed (innocent) bystanders lob at them with poise and dignity. Yes - sound check ran long, but you made quite a beautiful impression boys!

The show was quite fun... they rock, after all!

I would have enjoyed the full-out presentation, but in the end, I met these boys in an intimate environment and most of the shows I've seen them perform have been more intimate. This suits me just fine... of course, 7 years was way too long and THAT will NOT happen again, so I'm pretty sure I'll be seeing some different shows in the very near future.

I advise you see them when they're in a town near you, and just like in a Pixar movie, stay after - sorry no credits and the outtakes were during sound check - but you CAN meet and greet these sweet (sorry guys, you did it to yourselves) guys.

Can't commit to seeing them live? Watch this video... you might be swayed...

Video: Ricky Nelson's twin sons honor late father's career at Orpheum show | The Argus Leader | argusleader.com:
OR - if you don't have 30 minutes to spare right away...
Follow Nelson on twitter... http://twitter.com/#!/NelsonRockBand
Follow Ricky Nelson Remembered on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/RickyNelsonRemb

(I am not affiliated with Nelson/Ricky Nelson Remembered - I'm just a long-term supporter... and I approve this message... Duh)

@NelsonRockBand press

Gunnar Nelson-Nelson press

Back to Reality

Today's my last vacation day. Last Wednesday, I had the day off for road-trip preparations and we then drove through the night to get across Nevada. By sunrise we were at Donner Lake in California. This was good... it went just according to my plans! We stopped, I changed from my driving clothes and into my "Thursday" clothes (beach gear).

We stopped at our motel and were able to get an early check-in. I would recommend the Auburn Motel 6 to anyone... the room was cozy and clean, the service was friendly and prompt and like I mentioned above, we got an early check-in (all I had hoped to do was pay for the room, since I was doing this trip in cash).

As soon as our stuff was stashed in the room we continued west. I had a day at the beach that I didn't want to miss ANY of!

I simply adore Santa Cruz and though the Boardwalk was closed (except for the shops) found that the perfect place to wind down. Wandering the beach, getting soaked, taking endless photos... what more could I want?

Nothing.

Since Cindy and I have been walking and getting into shape for much of the year, we surprised ourselves this time around by discovering just how close we had been on our last trip through here (8 years ago) to the Walton Lighthouse. 

We walked along the shoreline, skirting around a carved out rock, saw a young musician on the cliff and continued forward amid playful children, thieving birds, and stick-chasing dogs towards the light tower.

I could so move to-and-live-in Santa Cruz, CA... if only money weren't an issue!

This was just the first of our trip, more to come on the actual purpose of the trip. Right now, it's back to reality. I'm playing nursemaid to my middle pup, Mickey. He didn't bounce back as well as the other two dogs from his vet and dental visit from Monday, so today I'm catering to his needs.