Remember Those Boots Made For Hikin'?!

Over two weeks since I last laced up the hiking boots? I had to check that 'cause I couldn't even freakin' remember! Two weeks?! Two weeks! I'm not happy with that. There's nothing about a gap of that length of time that is right. Perhaps if I was off backpacking through Russia or working in a clinic in Ecuador... but no, I don't have the luxury at the moment of such an excuse. I suppose on the plus side -- i have been running. But from now on there mustn't be so many days that go by without a hike. It's got to happen at least once a week. My feets be achin' a little bit, yo. They're so used to my running shoes but they've forgotten what it's like to be in my boots. If I'm out there at least once a week, that'll help me stay adjusted to both running shoes and hiking boots.

Short Hike:
1 hour & 32 minutes

music...

Maria Muldaur
Classic Live!
(recorded in 1973 and '75)

If You Haven't Any Hay
Three Dollar Bill
Richland Woman Blues
Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)
My Tennessee Mountain Home
Work Song
Don't You Feel My Leg (Don't You Get Me High)
Walking One and Only
Sweetheart (Waitress in a Donut Shop)
Midnight at the Oasis
Searchin'
An Eagle Stirreth in Her Nest
Travelin' Shoes

~

Grateful Dead

3-12-66
Danish Hall, Los Angeles
Pico Acid Test

On The Road Again

Next Time You See Me
I Know You Rider
Hey Little One
Cold Rain & Snow
King Bee -> Caution
Stealin'

Great recordings! The Maria Muldaur release Classic Live captures this wonderful singer, very early in her solo career, right at its height of greatness. The crowd loved every second of these songs as did I. Even the two shows that comprise this album were played and broadcast on the radio in San Francisco, it kinda made me feel like I was back in a small, dark & smoky club on Bleecker Street in the Village. How many acts like this, but not as great and well known, have I seen? A bunch but nothing like Ms. Muldaur. She could go from a jazzy sound to a bit of blues and a bit of country through a heart-felt ballad and right back into a jazzy bluesy sound in an hour flat and have the audience nothing less than captivated. Can any of her studio albums possibly have such an overall great sound? Maybe someday I'll find out but right now I'm quite happy to have started with this one!

Following that up was a short set of ancient Dead. There's been a whole lotta confusion of whether the recording that has been around and labeled with this date was actually this date or another... or maybe a recording with another date was actually for this date. In any case, early this year the setlist for 3/12/66 finally surfaced and the issue was, we, the people concerned with recordings of the Dead, believed to finally be a Case Closed. Unfortunately, these eight songs only represent less than half the show, or half what was played that night... this might not have really been a "show" as we know concerts to be. It's believed this was the date of the Pico Acid Test so the boys might not have set up and played a show straight through but rather they may have played sporadically whenever they felt like it... or maybe they did play all these songs right through. Whatever the case may be, it's a sweet recording!! WOW!!!! Such tight and interesting versions of these songs. Hey Little One had me wondering why they never revived this one in later years... Drums-> Space-> Hey Little One-> Attic-> Lovelight. Oh, baby.... oh well. Still it's great to have it here sounding so amazing after 41 years. 41 years? WOW!!!!! Didn't really realize until just right now how old this is but it's old alright. Old & so sweet.