Petaluma, CA
Today's post is short on pictures and long on thank yous. There is something that feels very Midwest about the people in Northern California. The hospitality was all world and the gifts were a plenty. So we'd just like to take a moment to thank a few folks who were so generous to all in the UM camp.
Ryan, Joel, & I had a great interview yesterday afternoon with Leo Laporte (aka the President of the Internet) on his TWiT netcast. This journalist and all around good guy is covering a wide variety of media and tech related subjects that has a little something interesting for everybody. He is all over the inter web and certainly worth checking out on the social networking site of your choice.
Naturally, one of the greatest things about Norcal is the delicious grapes and more than a few great producers (and friends) were kind enough to bring us some crushed fruit. Our good friend DK (who is always hooking it up) introduced us to Pax Mahle and the other guys at Wind Gap who are doing something special with cool climate grapes and brought us a boxful of goodies. Napa stud Bob Egelhoff came out to enjoy the show and carried along some of his elegant but hearty cabernet. Front of house never tasted so good. Thanks to Patrick McNeil from Michael Austin Wines for the "Bad Habit". And an additional shot out to our good friends Jughead and Hal for contributing to the bus stock.
I also had the honor of spending a couple of hours with Dan Healy, a true legend in the audio community. Dan mixed the Grateful Dead for the lion's share of their existence and has been instrumental in pioneering a whole slew of audio, microphone, and speaker technology. It was a trip to pick the brain of a man who I have long admired as one of the best engineers of all time. (No shortage of great Garcia stories) His warmth and passion for people and music makes it clear why he has been so successful all these years. Check out this picture of one of his hair brained schemes known as the Wall of Sound. Jake has been toying with taking out the wall as his guitar amp but can't figure out how to fit it into the overhead bin.
Mystic Theater, Petaluma, CA
(Blogging will likely be impossible in the great valley that is Yosemite so look for the final tour recap next Monday)