Tue 9/5 to Sun 9/10/17 - Bluegrass, Rallies and more Rallies, Our Trip South

It was an easy trip to get to Delaware from New Jersey, but we took it easy on Tuesday and did a bit of shopping. We had to go back into Camden to find a grocery store and Tractor Supply. We did see some wildlife on our travels today ... at Tractor Supply … but who does not love little chicks!

We also took a tour of the Delaware State Fairgrounds to try and figure out where the rally will be. It is a good sized fairgrounds with a full service Ice Skating Rink and a Casino. The Harrington Raceway and Casino. This venue sports a racetrack, table games, live music, slot machines, restaurants, dancing, and more! 

We enjoyed a late afternoon campfire. We started it with our homemade fire starters and wood we found around other campsites, as we are the only ones in this loop and A loop right next to us! Wednesday was a rainy inside day, we never even got out of our pajamas … sometimes you really need a relaxing day like that!

Thursday, found out that the Delaware Good Sam Rally had been cancelled in mid-August. No wonder we never saw any RVs at the fairgrounds! The only way we found out it was cancelled, was we asked a worker on the grounds! Since we had nowhere to go on Friday night, we extended our stay at Killens Pond until Sunday.

It became, Tourist Thursday and we made a trip to Dover Downs for the $7 Tour. Our tour started with a bus ride with the track historian, George Keller. We learned a bit about George and his obsession with this track! Ever since Richard Petty won Dover’s first race, the “Mason-Dixon 300” on July 6, 1969, George has been a mainstay at the track. He’s never missed a race at the Monster Mile. He also can recreate all of the Speedway’s most memorable moments through the almost 50 years of racing action. The stories he told us as we took our tour, gave us a glimpse into what the early days at the track were like and how they have changed through the years!

I am not a NASCAR fan, but thought the tour would be interesting and at seven bucks a head, it was cheaper than a movie and much more entertaining! The one-mile, high banked oval hosts two NASCAR tripleheader weekends each year, featuring all three national touring series – the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series – as well as the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, one of the sport’s top developmental series.

Our tour began with a stop at the Monster Bridge, also known as the most exciting seats in sports. This mostly glass bridge is over the track, just before turn one. These seats are “purchased” for an allotted time period during the race or given to awesome sponsors like AAA.

The view is spectacular! Charlie even got to unlock this area for us!

He took us to the high end RV camping area, $1,900 for the weekend, but you get a picnic table fire ring and a mail box! We saw the grassy RV parking area, $700 for the weekend! They are on the way to the Smithfield Monster Monument in Victory Plaza. We learned that the Monster was erected in one day. Yes, the Smithfield car is real, it is just missing the engine.

To say we had an up-close view of the track is an understatement … we raced around the track in a mini-bus! George even pulled us into a pit stop and stayed, just as long as the race cars do … we barely stopped, before he took off again! Naturally, we were not going as fast as a NASCAR … but it was pretty intense!

We stopped at Victory Lane, where you can see George at every race! For a die-hard NASCAR fan, that must be an awesome place to be every year!

The garages are the original garages, but still very serviceable … just not real fancy! It was surprising to see considering how much renovation and how modern many of the other parts of the track are.

We ended the tour at the Infield Media Center where hundreds of media partners are, from all over the world, during the race.

On Friday, we had to move over two sites, because our site was taken for the weekend when we extended our reservation. We toured more of the park today, including the water park which is closed for the season. It is amazing that a state park has such an awesome feature for its residents to enjoy!

Killens Pond State Park is located just north of the quaint town of Harrington!  Harrington is a small town that boasts an assortment of different things to do and places to eat! It is known as the "hub" of Delaware because it was! In 1780, Benjamin Clark built a home and tavern on a corner. The tavern became a stop for stagecoaches; farmers came to exchange news and barter their goods. It was a logical place for a railroad stop when the Delaware Railroad put a junction there in 1856, allowing easy access to Philadelphia and Wilmington. The following year, a post office was established and in 1862. In 1869, the City of Harrington was incorporated. Fourteen years later, the Harrington Library was chartered and the first town newspaper “The Harrington Enterprise” was formed. By 1900 there were 4 canning factories in town to process farm products and clothing manufacturers had discovered Harrington. By the mid 1930’s there were a dozen small manufacturers turning out shirts, pants, dresses and underwear for major clothing suppliers around the country. Textile mills in the south and New England shipped pre-cut cloth to Harrington where it was assembled into shirts and pants and then sent by rail to major brand name companies. 

Killens Pond was created in the late 1700s when the Murderkill River was dammed to form a mill pond. The mill pond provided power for a grist mill used by local farmers. Speaking of farmers, on the road to the State Park there was a farmer's field. It had a very interesting plant. It looked like short corn with a funny head on top. Turns out it is Sorghum. Sorghum has been around for thousands of years and over this time period it has evolved from a crop with a single purpose to a multi-faceted grain famous for its gluten-free attributes and future in the ethanol world. Sorghum was introduced to America in 1757. Sorghum ranks fifth among the most important cereal crops of the world, after wheat, rice, corn, and barley in both total area planted and production. Sorghum grain is higher in protein and lower in fat content than corn, but does not contain carotene as corn does. In the U.S. there are three main types of sorghum—grain, forage and sweet. Grain sorghum grows to about 5 feet and is used for livestock feed, bio-fuels, pet food and human consumption. Forage sorghum grows 6 to 12 feet tall and produces more dry matter tonnage than grain sorghum. Because of its coarse stem, it’s primarily used for silage. Sweet sorghum is harvested for its juice before the mature plant forms clusters of grain. The stalks are pressed, and the juice is fermented and distilled for the production of biofuels. I would say that we saw grain sorghum. Grain sorghum is grown in over 66 countries, and the US is the largest producer in the world. 

Nearly all ponds in Delaware were formed this way as almost all ponds in Delaware are man-made. There is a trail that follows the outline of the pond. Our campsite loop was near stop 9 on the trail. This overlook shows some of what thrives in this pond. This pond has a good mix of game fish such as large-mouth bass, crappie and white perch. It is also rich in vegetation. Spatterdock, a large plant common to lakes and ponds, is present along most of the shore line of this pond. When blue-green algae blooms occur they may periodically give the pond a green appearance.

At stop 10 on the trail, offers more history. Prior to the 1700s, when the Murderkill River was dammed to create Killens Pond, the river and surrounding hardwood forest was the site of several Native American homes and hunting camps. In the 1960s, the State of Delaware purchased the land and in 1965, Killens Pond became the first state park in Kent County. The park’s 1,400-plus acres offer diverse recreational and educational opportunities.

Between these two stops on the trail is the Nature Center. It houses interactive displays and even a few exhibits of live reptiles and amphibians. I am really glad they were behind glass!

Stop 1 has the history of the pond. Stop 2 is at an overlook for Beaver chews. Beavers chew trees for food, to keep their teeth sharp and to build lodges and dams. Although beavers may be a nuisance to some, their dams help create wetlands. The many beaver chews in this spot show how industrious these mammals are. A beaver can chew through a small tree in as few as fifteen minutes.

Stop 3 is at a stand of Tulip Poplars. Although, it is not actually a poplar tree, but a member of the magnolia family. Its name comes from the tulip shaped flower it produces. Native Americans favored the tulip poplar because its straight trunk was perfect for fashioning canoes. The tulip poplar is one of the largest trees native to the eastern US.

Stop 4 offers a bridge over the Murderkill River. One local story attributes the river’s name to the Dutch word for “mother” (moeder) and “creek” (kil). Legend tells us that the river got its name when an expedition of Dutchmen were murdered by a group of Native  Americans. The Murderkill flows through Killens Pond on to Courseys Pond and eventually into the Delaware Bay. Stop 5 is the location of the first foot bridge. The ground seeps are driven by ground water and generally stay wet year-round giving them the ability to maintain temperatures. Because of this, ground seep often support unique plant communities and provide habitat for insects and amphibians. Stop 6 is the fourth foot bridge over a tributary. Small streams called tributaries, fed from surface water run-off and ground water, often converge to form larger streams and rivers. Here you can see one of several seeps that converge together to create a small stream which flows into Killens Pond and the Murderkill River. Ultimately, this water flows into the Atlantic Ocean.

Stop 7 is dedicated to the Native Americans that once roamed this land. Archaeological evidence shows that this area was often occupied by Native Americans for extended periods of time. The upper part of the slope provides a clear view of the Murderkill River and the land surrounding it, making it a good vantage point for a hunting camp. This area was also rich in food, water and other raw materials to support settlements.

Stop 8 is full of American Beech Trees. This particular tree is identified by its smooth, silvery bark. Unfortunately, the smoothness of the bark entices people to leave carvings in it, not realizing that by doing so they are letting bacteria and insects inside the bark. Tree carvings can lead to infection and can ultimately kill the tree. That brings us back around to where out campsite is, camping loop B.

We watched the squirrels eat their dinner on our picnic table at our dinner time.

Over the weekend we continued to watch the path of hurricane Irma, as so many residents and snowbirds from Florida did.

Monday 9/4/17 - Bluegrass, Rallies and more Rallies, Our Trip South

Happy Labor Day Everyone!

We departed Salem County Fairgrounds on Route 40 and back tracked toward the Delaware Memorial Bridge. It is free to get into New Jersey, but they charge you to get out of the state … a $20 toll for the motor home and jeep! One other time, we left Jersey and paid the toll. Later we got a bill for the jeep, they said the jeep drove through without paying ... so, this time I am keeping our receipt!

Just after the bridge, there is a large statue of Jesus watching over you. At this point we are back into Delaware. We are almost back tracking on the same route we took from Lancaster to the Delaware valley Blue Grass Festival.

We turned off Route 40 onto Route 13 and crossed the St Georges Bridge. It is a steel truss bridge with an arch span that carries US 13 across the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal. Built by the US Army Corps of Engineers and opened in 1942 as a high-level crossing, the bridge was the first four-lane, high-level crossing to span the canal. It replaced a previous vertical lift bridge which was damaged when a German merchant ship collided with it. On January 10, 1939, the SS Waukegan struck and destroyed the original St Georges Bridge, killing the bridge tender. 

As you cross this bridge, you can see the toll bridge on US 1, less than a mile away! Why would you pay to cross that bridge?

We saw a historical marker for Commodore Thomas McDonough and thought of our friends, Bob & Marie McDonough. I wonder if it is any relation of theirs. We passed Blackbird Creek Preserve. It is an almost 1,200 acres bordering the tidal Blackbird Creek. It includes several miles of walking trails, and excellent places to launch a canoe or kayak. The Blackbird Creek Reserve is one part of the larger Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve. Group activities often take place here, like the annual Blackbird Creek Fall Festival.

Garrison's Lake near Smyrna, Delaware is a very small impoundment between Smyrna and Dover, known mostly for its shallow water - depths are less than 4 feet. It is one of the top five most-fished lakes in Delaware, with sunfish, largemouth bass and black crappie among the popular fish species anglers can hook there. In 2012, there was a new aluminum footbridge in place connecting the north and south sides of the lake, making Garrisons Lake a safer and more accessible place to fish.

In Dover, Delaware we saw glimpses of the bleachers at the speedway. We are taking a tour later, so I will blog more about the “Monster Mile” later.

Dover is where you can visit the Delaware Agricultural Museum & Village. In today’s new age world, agriculture seems to be something of the past especially to children. As children start believing milk comes from the store instead of from a cow, you can see how the technological advances take the farmer for granted. The Delaware Agriculture Museum and Village offers us a chance to experience history from real life experiences. By providing a memorable and educational experience, and preserving the rapidly fading agricultural heritage, the museum stands as an important historic landmark for the children of the future. The Delaware Agricultural Museum Association was formed by a group of people dedicated to preserving the agricultural heritage of Delaware and the Delmarva Peninsula. The Museum opened its doors to the public in August 1980. 

A main exhibit building and fifteen historic structures associated with a nineteenth century farming community bring the fascinating story of agriculture to life. More than 4,000 artifacts are displayed in the main exhibit building - from butter churns to threshers, from an eighteenth century log house to the first broiler chicken house. The historic village buildings include Carney Farmhouse, Johnson Blacksmith & Wheelwright Shop, Mill Lane School House, Reed's General Store, Gourley Barbershop, St. Thomas Church, and Loockerman Landing Train Station. Temporary exhibits offer insights into other facets of rural life. In addition, the Museum hosts a number of annual special events which highlight the activities of nineteenth century farmers.

Also in Dover, you can attend Delaware State University. DSU enjoys a long history as one of America’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The Delaware College for Colored Students, now known as Delaware State University, was established May 15, 1891, by the Delaware General Assembly under the provisions of the Morrill Act of 1890 by which land-grant colleges for Blacks came into existence in states maintaining separate educational facilities. Because there was already a private Delaware College (now the University of Delaware) located in Newark, to avoid confusion new state legislation was passed and enacted in early 1893 to change the black school’s name to the State College for Colored Students. That would be the institution’s name for the next 54 years. In 1947, the name of the institution was changed to “Delaware State College” by legislative action. On July 1, 1993, Delaware State College turned another chapter in its history when Gov. Thomas Carper signed a name change into law, thus renaming the College to Delaware State University.

Dover is also home to Dover Air Force Base. Construction of Municipal Airport, Dover Airdrome began in March 1941 and the facility was opened on December 17, 1941. It was converted to a US Army Air Corps airfield just weeks after the December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor. Once the airport came under military control an immediate construction program began to turn the civil airport into a military airfield. Initially under USAAC, the name of the facility was Municipal Airport, Dover Airdrome and the airfield opened on 17 December 1941. 

The airfield was assigned to First Air Force. On 8 April 1943, the name of the airfield was changed to Dover Army Air Base. On 1 September 1946 as a result of the draw down of United States forces after World War II, Dover Army Airfield, was placed on temporary inactive status. Dover Airfield was reactivated on 1 August 1950 as a result of the Korean War and the expansion of the United States Air Force in response to the Soviet threat in the Cold War. On February 1, 1951, the 148th Fighter Interceptor Squadron of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard arrived with P-51 Mustangs. During the Vietnam War, more than 20,000 dead American soldiers were brought back to the United States via Dover. The Vietnam War dead comprise over 90% of all the remains processed at Dover before 1988.

Some of the more memorable flights during the post-war period included the airdrop and test firing of a Minuteman I intercontinental ballistic missile and the delivery of a 40-ton superconducting magnet to Moscow during the Cold War, for which the crew received the Mackay Trophy. After the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, the remains of the seven astronauts were transferred to Dover AFB. It is one of only seven airports in the country that served as launch abort facilities for the Space Shuttle. In March 1989, C-5s from Dover delivered special equipment used to clean up the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound. On June 7, 1989, a 436 MAW C-5 set a world record when it airdropped 190,346 pounds and 73 paratroopers. In October 1983, the wing flew 24 missions in support of Operation Urgent Fury and later flew 16 missions to support Operation Just Cause in August 1989. During Desert Shield, they flew approximately 17,000 flying hours and airlifted a total of 131,275 tons of cargo in support of combat operations. Following the attacks of September 11, 2001, the 436 AW and 512 AW became major participants in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. An aircrew from Dover's 3rd Airlift Squadron landed the first C-5 in Iraq in late 2003 when they landed at Baghdad International Airport.  Also following September 11, 2001, Army mortuary specialists organized support for Pentagon recovery efforts out of the Base. On April 3, 2006, a C-5 Galaxy crashed short of a runway, skidding into a farm field. No one was killed in the incident. By 2008, the air traffic tower serving the airfield, built in 1955, was the oldest such tower in use in the United States Air Force. In 2009 the base received a new 128-foot tall tower, overlapping the original 103-foot one which was donated to the Air Mobility Command museum on the base for visitors to enter.

We came into Camden, Delaware where the history of this community can be traced to the 1780s, when members of the Mifflin family began dividing their lands into lots. Much of this land was originally a part of the tract known as Brecknock, which was granted to Alexander Humphreys in 1680. It is located at the intersection of two important thoroughfares, a number of homes and businesses were soon constructed here. First known at Mifflin’s Crossroads, and also Piccadilly, the village of Camden was established by the 1790s. The town became a commercial center, sending most of its products to market by way of Port of Lebanon, and later by rail with the coming of the railroad in the 1850s. Camden was first incorporated in 1852, and again in 1969.

The town of Felton was laid out in 1856 when the Delaware Railroad reached this area. Located between Berrytown to the west and Johnny Cake Landing (Frederica) to the east, the town became a “whistle” stop on the new railroad line. Owing its existence to the railroad, Felton was named in honor of Samuel M. Felton, President of the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad and a major force in bringing railroad service to central and southern Delaware. Incorporated on February 2, 1861, Felton’s boundaries formed a one-half mile square with the railroad line running north-south through the middle of town. Passenger rail service to Felton ended in the early 1950’s. Just outside of the village of Felton is Killens Pond State Park, our home for the next 4 nights.

Thu 8/31 – Sun 9/3/17 - Bluegrass, Rallies and more Rallies, Our Trip South

We arrived on Wednesday, found a site with electric and just relaxed! Thursday, more people arrived and the place started to fill up. More of the group that Molly & Mike camp with arrived and did a little jamming!

By Thursday, all the chairs were set up in front of the stage. They have a "chair sharing" policy ... so, if a chair is vacant, feel free to sit in it and enjoy the show. Just relinquish the seat once the owner of the chair arrives!

On Friday, the program for the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival kicked off! The opening act is one of our favorites, we have seen them perform at Sertoma Youth Ranch in Brooksville, Florida, Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice. Junior is widely recognized as one of today’s top bluegrass vocalists and is a constant reminder that traditional bluegrass is still alive and well. A longtime resident of the Virginia Blue Ridge, his bluegrass pedigree runs deep. Influenced by his father, who wrote songs and played guitar and a mother who sang. He first learned to play around age 14. His early influence included The Stanley Brothers, Larry Sparks, and Dave Evans, but he often credits the Johnson Mountain Boys with inspiring him to pursue bluegrass professionally.

The April Verch Band played next. April is a fiddler, singer and step dancer, she knows how relevant an old tune can be. She was raised surrounded by living, breathing roots music – her father’s country band rehearsing; the lively music at church and at community dances; the tunes she rocked out to win fiddle competitions. She knew nothing else and decided early on that she wanted to be a professional musician. She took that leap, and for over two decades has been recording and captivating audiences worldwide, exploring new and nuanced places each step of the way.

There was a little bit of hometown music at the festival, the Gibson Brothers. They were raised on a dairy farm in Upstate New York, close to the Canadian border. It is there, that the brothers Eric and Leigh, discovered their sibling harmonies at an early age. They honed them by emulating the records they were hearing from the likes of Buck Owens, Mac Wiseman, Jim & Jesse and many more. Drawing frequent comparisons to the Louvins and Everlys in particular, the Gibsons have carried the “brother duet” sound into the 21^st century. Winning IBMA awards along the way that include Entertainers of the Year, Vocal Group of the Year and Album of the Year.

On Friday night we were entertained by Asleep At The Wheel. For almost five decades, this Austin-based band has been the standard bearer for “big band” Western Swing music that caused the fans of predecessors Bob Wills, Milton Brown and others to pack the dance halls of the Southwest throughout the 1930’s, 40’s and 50’s. Led by Philadelphia native, Ray Benson, the band has garnered nine Grammies over the course of almost two dozen albums, including collaborations with artists ranging from original Texas Playboy Leon Rausch to Willie Nelson and more. I never realized how tall Ray Benson was!

Saturday had a couple of the same bands as Friday, but also added 4 different groups! The on again off again rain, could not dampen the mood of the festival goers! Becky Buller and her Band played first. In 2016 Becky was chosen to make Bluegrass music history becoming the first person ever to win in both instrumental and vocal categories at the IBMA awards. As usual, her overnight success story was almost 20 years in the making. Her songs, on the lips of the industry’s best, preceded this fiery-haired fiddling St James Minnesota native to prominence in the acoustic music world. Now we are connecting with her to the tune of five IBMA awards in the last two years, including the 2016 Fiddler and Female Vocalist and the 2015 Songwriter of the Year awards.

Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass has played in Sertoma Youth Ranch before and The Delaware Bluegrass Festival has heavily relied on the music of Ted Lundy, Bob Paisley and their band, the Southern Mountain Boys to deliver hard-driving, Blue Ridge-style bluegrass annually here. The family tradition continues into the present day, not only with Danny (reigning IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year) leading the band, but with his son Ryan Paisley on mandolin and TJ Lundy (Ted’s son) on fiddle. For more than three decades this group has been the “house band” at this festival.

Charm City Junction added some dance-inducing Old Tyme rhythms and foot stomping Irish melodies and their own style of hard-driving Bluegrass. This Baltimore-based acoustic roots quartet have created a fresh sound that keeps listeners on the edge of their seats wondering what song style will come next. The band is comprised of four of the most talented and promising young musicians in the country, Patrick McAvinue, Sean McComiskey, Brad Kolodner and Alex Lacquement.

Great musicians will always find a way to make good music and The Grascals are those musicians. These great musicians make great music, because they formed a bond. For the Grascals, that bond has been forged at the intersection of personal friendships, shared professional resumes and an appreciation for the innovative mingling of bluegrass and country music that has been a hallmark of the Nashville scene for more than forty years. Timely yet timeless. The Grascals make music that is entirely relevant to the here and now, yet immersed in traditional values of soul and musicianship.

The next group was formed in 2009, and Tuba Skinny has steadily evolved from a loose collection of street musicians into a solid ensemble dedicated to bringing the traditional New Orleans sound to audiences around the world. Drawing on a wide range of musical influences, from spirituals to depression-era blues, from ragtime to traditional jazz, their sound evokes the rich musical heritage of their New Orleans home. The band has gained a loyal following through their distinctive sound, their commitment to reviving long-lost songs and their barnstorming live performances.

Saturday night’s headliner was the Del McCoury Band. Whether Del is with his current long-running band or his former band the Dixie Pals, Del McCoury has a long musical history at the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival. A native of York, PA, he cut his professional teeth in the Baltimore and Washington bluegrass scenes and played in Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys before setting out with his own band. His set had the crowd on their feet!

Sunday morning brought the sunshine and the Cab Calloway School of the Arts Performance and the Kid’s Academy. It is always a pleasure to see the future of bluegrass playing at such young ages!

After a few year hiatus, these South Jersey favorites returned to the stage. The Tuesday Mountain Boys, brought their finest sound from the Pine Barrens to the farmlands surrounding this fairgrounds.

A Delaware native came to the stage next, Bob Amos & Catamount Crossing. Bob Amos became an internationally recognized and acclaimed bluegrass musician and songwriter as the leader of the popular award winning band Front Range. With the release of his newest CDs Borrowed Time and Sunrise Blues which have received wonderful reviews and airplay on bluegrass radio shows all across the country, Bob is once again in the bluegrass spotlight with a whole new batch of stellar original songs, and a terrific new band, Catamount Crossing.

Up next was Big Country Bluegrass. Tommy & Teresa Sells formed Big Country Bluegrass in the late 1980s and the group’s name comes from the instrumental “Big Country” that the late Jimmy Martin recorded many years ago. All band members live in and around the Virginia-Carolina Blue Ridge and their music reflects much of the deep musical heritage found in this region which is at the heart of the Crooked Road Music Trail.

Up next was Foghorn Stringband and they are the gold standard for genuine old time American string band music. With eight albums, thousands of shows, over 15 years of touring under their belts and an entirely new generation of musicians following their lead. American roots music is a diverse and never ending well of inspiration, and Foghorn Stringband continually and obsessively draws from old-time, bluegrass, classic country, and Cajun music traditions in an ongoing quest to present a broad span of American historical music with an unparalleled youthful energy, joy and virtuosity.

On stage, Flatt Lonesome offered their brand of original Bluegrass. It is some of the freshest the genre has seen in a while. The stellar picking and heartfelt songs centered around beautiful sibling harmony have made Flatt Lonesome a hot act among Bluegrass fans, young and old. Their vibrant, youthful spirit with careful respect towards tradition has earned the praise of peers twice their age.

Blue Highway was the last group on stage. They had a heck of a time getting to the festival! Several flat tires on the road to us from Maine! In the mid-1990s, veteran bluegrass pickers Tim Stafford and Wayne Taylor put Blue Highway together as almost a “part-time” band to fill in the time between their other projects. Almost a quarter-century later they continue to be among the most in-demand bands on the circuit, renowned for their blend of traditional sensibilities, outstanding songwriting and top-notch instrumental ability.

We enjoyed a quiet evening at the fairgrounds, listening to jam sessions. Many people pulled out after the last act on the stage. We are spending the night and will head out in the morning to make our trek to Delaware.