Audio for Clawhammer Banjo Tunes Book

As you probably remember I finished up a couple of Tab Books back in June. I've finally scratched together some sound files for the Clawhammer book. I apologize for the delay. However, for those that have already purchased the book I hope by now you've worked through the tabs and your getting your fingers around some of the licks and tunes. If you've not purchased a book yet feel free to download these tunes - if you would like a tab of any of them, they're in the book. I've a limited number left, so don't put it off too long if you want one.

I hope these audio files serve as a reference for you. Remember what I said in class. "It's easier to make one alike than two alike." That still applies. I tried to play the tunes exactly as I have them tabbed in the book - and I realize you expect that. However, I know from my own experience that each time I play something I take a different path - no matter how hard I try. I think that I got "close enough" on most of these to give you an idea of the feel and tune of the song. After all it's the song that matters - not just playing what I have in the book. I sincerely hope that none of you are spending your time memorizing these things note for note.

Here's a couple more disclaimers before I post links. These files were created sitting here in front of my computer using an inexpensive computer mic and Audacity. Audacity is great, the mic isn't. It does, however, serve the purpose of getting the tunes in a format that I can easily share. The tunes may also vary a bit in tuning. Sorry about that. I discovered that after everything was recorded. I suppose I could have gone back and fixed those errant tracks, but they're not that far off, and I'm guessing you may drop these files into some sort of software that allows you to slow things down. (Audacity does this, as does Best Practice - both are free.) I played some of the tunes at a slower pace than normal, and others I just played them at a regular speed.

So, without further excuses or stalling here are the tunes:

Zip File of the Tunes

Thanks again for buying my book!

-=Jim

Learning from DVDs

Jack Baker posed a question on the Banjo Hangout recently. He asked. "Can you learn from DVDs?" It's a good question. Is an instructional DVD or Youtube video instruction enough, or does one, at some point, really need to seek out an instructor?

I pondered a bit. Here's my response:

Thinking back to the way I learned...

In some respect I learned without any teachers - at least ones I paid. My parents got me the Earl Scruggs Instruction Record - no book, just the record - and I learned Cripple Creek and everything else I could put to quick use off that record. Then I daily spent hours on end with LPs trying to figure out what the banjo player was doing. I picked up some of it... made up what I couldn't figure out by using the things I learned off the Earl Scruggs Record. I also had a book by Lee Elliot that was very helpful in mapping out how to put things together.

I spent about 8 months or so playing along with records before I ever encountered any real players. However, by that time the woodshedding really paid off and I could actually participate in some jams. I was able to finally watch other players and get new ideas. Seeing the lick wasn't as important to me as hearing the idea in context. I knew at that point that playing with others was a great way to get new tunes, licks and ideas.

So, as I consider how I learned, in many ways I envy those starting today. The volume material available is almost unfathomable. DVD's should be incredibly helpful. I've encouraged my students to play along with records and not worry about messing up because those guys on the recording really don't care; they'll play that song again and gladly stop for you in the middle and let you take your break over and over until you get it right. :) Same applies with the DVD instructor. True, he/she can't tell you what you're doing wrong, but they can show you the right way as many times as you need it - and they never tire of doing it.

I realize the DVD or even Book methods of learning aren't for everyone, but for the observant and non-self-delusional student they can be a suitable substitute for a live teacher.

So, do I think I'd have progressed more quickly with an instructor? Maybe. I'd have perhaps learned more tunes, techniques and licks in a shorter amount of time, but would I have gained the sort of confidence to just go ahead and figure stuff out without having to be shown? Not sure. I'm pretty stubborn, and I like to figure out things my own way... so maybe so. But I also know that I'm pretty lazy, and if I can find a shortcut I'll often take it - and that lack of virtue on my part might have held me back.

Regrets? None. I still think the way I learned was the most beneficial in the long run - at least for me.

Can I learn from DVD's? Yes, but it probably took getting to where I am now first.

So, how do you feel about the current state of instruction material available?

-=Jim

Steve Kaufman's Acoustic Kamp

Wow... did I say wow? Yeah, well, wow.

Acoustic Kamp was an incredible experience. Teaching banjo is something I enjoy, but teaching banjo to players that have enough interest to travel across the country and pay for a week long session is incredible!

I had 2 classes - beginner and intermediate/advanced. I spent 2 hours a day with each group, and we covered everything from the very basic stroke to the ever elusive cluck. And while I covered a lot of material I think I learned as much or more than my students. There's probably nothing better for me than to have a student or students that ask tough questions that make me think.

Remember, I'm that guy that just plays. I've never really analyzed everything that I do; I just do it. So this Kamp was not just motivation for me to take a closer look at how I approach the banjo, but it forced me to look at how to explain those things that I "just do." There's a silly little quote that came to mind while I was teaching: "It is easier to make one alike than two alike." Meaning that I often find it difficult to do things exactly the same way twice.

I met a lot of great folks - students and teachers alike. I made some friends, reunited with old friends and I look forward to seeing them/you all again. Laura Boosinger was my other teammate for Clawhammer banjo, and it was a real treat working with her.

Evening concerts...

Each night instructors at the Kamp provided entertainment. I was not excluded. I call Roy Curry and pleaded with him to come and accompany me for my section. Roy, being the champion he is, showed up and we ran through my setlist and all was ready. Our set went without any significant problems - at least nothing that couldn't be handled with humor. We had a good time, and I think everyone enjoyed that show. No one threw anything at us, so we count that as a positive.

One afternoon a few of us were standing around and someone asks if I had a yo-yo handy. I happened to have one in my banjo case, so I did the obligatory couple of tricks when Barbara Lamb spotted me. She had just been in Chico and bought a yo-yo at the museum, so she was excited to meet someone that she could mooch a yo-yo lesson off of. We talked a bit and I helped her get her started with just the basics.

(In bluegrass & old-time music the fiddle and the banjo represent a very common duet. It wasn't uncommon for just the pair to perform without other instruments.)

So, she gets the huge grin and tells me that I'd be yo-yoing on her portion of the concert. Her portion wasn't until Thursday of that week, so each time we saw each other we chuckled about the concept of a Fiddle/Yo-Yo duet. Yeah, it's one of those things where you'd have had to be there, but we chuckled. We did. Really.

There were a couple of evenings that I got to participate in the "Open Mic." One time I just soloed alone with my "Early Banjo". The next evening I got to play with "Just Us" as a guest along with Gary Davis. It was a blast!

The pictures you're seeing here (with the exception of the group photos) were taken by R. Brian Porter. His shots are great. Makes me wish I had a better camera, but I'm not so silly to think that a camera will make the difference for me. He's spent as much time behind the lens as I have behind a banjo. It's obvious from his shots that he's spent a lifetime honing his craft. I'm glad he was so willing to share these photos with me - and allowing me to share them with you.

There are a couple of folks I really look forward to seeing again. Hopefully sooner than later. Tony McManus - you know what you did - I'll always remember it. Mark McCluney - not only did you touch my heart, I saw you do the same with others.

-=Jim

New TAB Books from Wild Jimbo!

Clawhammer Banjo Tunes

18 Tunes and Chord Charts for G Modal, Double C, and F Tuning.

Includes the following tunes: Barlow Knife, Buttons and Bows, Cluck Old Hen, Cripple Creek, Last Chance, Leather Britches, Mississippi Sawyer, Old Molly Hare, Old Joe Clark, Rock the Cradle Joe (2 variations), Sally Ann, Shortening Bread, Sleepy Eyed John, Soldiers Joy, Sandy River Belle ( 2 Variations), Sugar Hill, Wave the Ocean, and Way Lazy Hop.

46 Pages Coil Binding

PDF copy for $8.99


Three Finger Banjo Tunes
Thirty Two tunes in TAB for 3 finger Banjo. Tunes include: Ain't Gonna Work Tomorrow, Banjo Lounge Theme, Banjo Lounge, Breakdown, Banjo Signal, Barlow Knife, Bob the Builder, Bonanza Theme, Buffalo Brain, Can't Help Falling in Love, Coo Coo's Nest, Cora is Gone, Cotton Eyed Joe, Cripple Creek, El Cumbenchero, Footprints in the Snow, Frosty the Snowman , Heffalumps and Woozles, I Have Decided to Follow Jesus, I'll Fly Away, Jerusalem Ridge, Last Chance, Life's Railway to Heaven, Little Sadie, Okie Dokie #5, Rabbit in a Log (Key of G), Rabbit in a Log (Key of D), Red Haired Boy, Rose Connely, Sunny Side of the Mountain, Up On the Housetop, Watching Scotty Grow, You Win Again, and The Zipper

Currently only available as a PDF

PDF copy for $8.99

Please visit my Sellfy Store to purchase these and others.

Thanks!

-=Jim

I Bike to Work

I ride a bike. No, I'm not a Lance Armstrong wannabe, but I do enjoy pedaling to work. It's relaxing, it's a bit of exercise, and it's a good stress relief on the way home. I'm generally in my work clothes (business casual), so I'm not doing anything to get really hot or sweaty in the mornings, but in the afternoon I make it a point to sprint home as quickly as possible.

There are a couple of small hills, and I try each day to get up and over them quicker than the day before. This means I'm probably moving quicker than you might guess. No, I'm not setting any speed records, but 25 mph isn't out of the question, and hey, that's the speed limit on these city streets anyway.

Between work and home I have 3 stops signs that I deal with. The rest of the trip I have a clear shot on one street with no stop signs, but there are total of 11 cross streets for my trip. I'm leery of the cross streets - in the years I've lived in this neighborhood I'm very aware that people in cars just don't stop at the cross streets. Even before I was riding my bike to work there were many instances where some knucklehead would run the stop signs and almost hit me.

It's a bigger issue now on a bike. At least in the car I felt I had some protection, but on a bike my only protection from these irresponsible drivers is my own awareness and common sense.

This past week there were two instances where I encountered someone that didn't feel it necessary to yield any sort of right of way or obey the stop signs. In both cases I made eye contact with these individuals before they decided to cross directly in front of me. Each time they recognized me, and I assumed they were going to allow me to go by. Each time I was partially in the intersection when these licensed drivers decided to go. Both times required me to stop way more quickly than I like. Fortunately, both times I was expecting such behavior from the drivers, but gee whiz -- it's one thing to just be unaware that I'm on the road, it's another to look me directly in the eyes, and then decide that since you're in a car that I will just have to stop where I'm not required to allow you to give in to your impatience and self-importance.

Look, I'm moving pretty quickly. Frankly, I'm going just as fast as I would be even if I were in a car. You would have waited for me if I were in a car. You can wait on me if I'm on my bike. For that matter, you're supposed to wait. I'm following the traffic rules -- and not just because I'm just being a goody-two-shoes, but I follow the rules for my own safety. If I can make the effort to follow the rules, you should too.

It's a shame that there are drivers out there that just don't care about bicyclists. It makes it tough to encourage other people to ride their bikes to work. They know that these idiots are out there and they're just too afraid of getting run down by people that don't care or just aren't paying attention.

Share the road.

-=Jim

I'm Allergic to Cats

As far as I know, I've always been allergic to cats. I sneeze. I cough. My nose runs. My eyes water, itch and turn a beautiful color of pink. It's a miserable thing. That said, I've always been fascinated with kittens and cats. They're bright, funny, amusing and , for the most part, self reliant.

A few weeks ago a cute, pink nosed, female, stray cat showed up. She acted hungry, so Tina fed her thereby making her ours. She's a good cat for the most part - jumps too much, but she's nice. I keep my distance and I don't handle her much. If I do, I wash my hands immediately before I goof up and touch my face. So far I've kept the allergy under control without any medication. We've been calling her Miss Kitty. Clever, eh?

Fast forward to this past Saturday. I needed a 10mm wrench, so we stopped at Sears at Walnut Square Mall in Dalton, Georgia. Found a wrench, paid for it, and we decided to walk through the mall. We usually just cruise from one end to the other and look at the people and occasionally stop in the stores.

First store we spotted was the Pet Store. We usually stop there and check out the puppies, fish, reptiles and the assortment of rodents. There's the occasional ferret, chinchillas, guinea pigs and sometimes rabbits. This day they had a cage with kittens. They were a cute lot too. $25 later we're the proud owner of a kitten.

Meet Phantom... he's a cute one. He's a bundle of kitten ready to pounce, run, climb, jump, play, and sleep. He's a good kitten, doesn't scratch too hard, doesn't bite too hard, and is more content with a paper wad than a store bought cat toy.

The first morning (that was Sunday) he woke me up wanting to play "paper wad". He was beside the bed meowing. I called him, and he climbed up on the bed with his paper wad - cute.

Today may have been a bit stressful for him; Tina spotted a couple fleas. So he got a very gentle flea treatment (according to instructions from the vet), and two baths. I'm sure he was stressed out for the better part of the afternoon, but as of this moment, he's quite rambunctious, playing with Samuel and a ping pong ball -- the afternoon is ancient history.

One positive for him today was his encounter with Miss Kitty. So far they're not friends. I think sworn enemies may be the current state, but today they both got a good sniff of each other before the hissing started. After the confrontation he went back to playing with Samuel, and she ate quickly and immediately went back outside. Though that may sound fairly serious it's an improvement in the diplomatic relations.

Technically Phantom is my first cat. Tina and I had a cat when we were first married, but she was our cat. Phantom is all mine. Of course, Samuel and Tina like him too. But when it's time to sleep or just crash, he tracks me down.

My allergies? Well, honestly I've not had it so bad. I have taken a couple of loratadine tablets, but for the most part I've endured without the itchy watery eyes.

Oh, almost forgot - his name came by a suggestion by a Banjo Lounge regular and friend - Karyn. Thanks Karyn. It's a great name, has multiple meanings, and it just suits him.

I think it's time to go play with the kitten.

Awana Grand Prix

Our church's Awana program had their first Awana Grand Prix today. It's a Pinewood Derby race, much like the Cub Scouts.

Samuel, Tina and I had been preparing some cars for the race, and today was the day we found out how they would run. We've been sanding, painting, adjusting... our living room has been looking like a wood shop for the past month. I know Tina is glad to have her living room back.

For this pinewood event we had each decided to build a car. We actually wound up building four cars (they're just fun to build). So that gave us an extra car to experiment with. When we found out that we'd have access to the track the day before we gave Samuel the option of choosing the fastest of the four we had built.

One thing we did discover during the time we had access to the track was that one lane (the red lane / lane #1) had a tendency to allow the car to jump track. It was also consistently producing slower times than the other three lanes. Lane two (the blue lane) was also proving to be the fastest lane.

Lanes are assigned at registration, and being "lucky" Samuel was assigned the Red lane! Grrr... not a happy moment, but we knew his car was fast - hopefully fast enough to overcome a lane disadvantage. But my bigger fear was that if it did come off the track it might be damaged.

Races were run four cars at a time, and the best four times from each division raced for their final placings - the winner advancing to the final event where they race the cars from the other divisions.

On to the first race!

First time down the track... Samuel's car derails! Rats!!!! Sure, if a car derails they re-run the race, but it's hard on the nerves. Second time down the track Samuel's car turns a 2.66 second run and wins that race qualifying for the finals. My heartrate slows, Samuel is stoked.

Race 2

This time we've got lane 3 (green lane). It's not a bad lane, but up to this point we hadn't seen anyone jump track there. Samuel's car easily wins this race guaranteeing him a spot in the Final Event.

Final Race

Samuel gets the green lane again. The other two cars he's up against have been quick, both getting times in the high 2.6s. The cars come down at blinding speeds and it's close - really close. Times posted: 2.664, 2.675, and 2.683 - just hundredths of seconds between them. Samuel wins! He's excited, we all were - parents, grandparents, friends.

Samuel also got 3rd place in design, so he brought home three trophies!

The part you've been waiting for...

So I know, you're wondering. What happened with your car and Tina's car? Remember we had access to the track so we had opportunity to see how it was all going to turn out. Her car was faster every time we ran it. Oh, it wasn't a lot faster - just faster. I think if I'd have been able to run in the blue lane I might have had a better chance, but she beat me. I'll have to live with that for the rest of the year.

It was a fun day. Samuel's win helped, but honestly, there's just something fun about building these little cars and letting the run down the track that makes for a lot of good feelings. If you have a child that's 3 years old through the 5th grade and you and there's an Awana program near you - get involved, regardless of if they do the Grand Prix or not.

Timara String Drops

Thanks to Tim Wallis over at the Timara Custom Shop I'm sporting a couple of his String Drops on the Phantom today. Now, mind you I'm still getting used to them, but so far I'm happy with the results.

I saw a video of Tim a couple months back, and was excited about his device. It looked simple enough, but most importantly it looked like it would be just the trick for the Phantom. Installation was a breeze, and I had them up and running in minutes.

Check out this video:



So, do you have a banjo with a different peghead shape that just wouldn't work right or look right with the other tuners on the market? If so, think about these. Be sure to check them out at www.stringdrop.com. Oh, and tell Tim I sent you!

Steve Kaufman's Acoustic Kamp

I'll be teaching Old-Time Banjo this year at Steve Kaufman's Acoustic Kamp. This is my first time teaching at the Kamp, and I'm really looking forward to working with everyone that signs up.

I do admit some apprehension about it, but I'm sure it's just "pre-camp jitters." I have some ideas and concepts I hope to share, but I admit that many of the things I do I just do... does that even make sense? I'm sure after you see some of these things first hand it will make more sense. Anyway, I think you'll find my teaching style more hands-on and less paper work, and I hope to give everyone plenty of opportunity to test drive some tunes and techniques.

Oh yeah, I'll be there June 8-15. Hope to see you there!

-=Jim

Pinewood Derby 2008

Pinewood Derby has come and gone in a flash. Samuel picked a pirate theme this year, and the car was a blast to make, and race.

This year we didn't have the benefit of computer timing, so we ran eliminations. That allowed everyone to race a lot more than before. Because of that this years event was a lot more fun. I'm getting ahead of myself...

After deciding on his design Samuel traced out a "sloop" pattern and we cut out the car. He picked out black for the color, and we added all the other details in white. Everything was hand painted, so it's not "perfect," but we thought it looked really neat!

We also decorated the bottom for a nice touch too. No one really got to see that bit, but we knew it was there. I wound up adding the flag the day before.

Race day... we weighed in at 4.9 oz, and could have added .1 oz, but opted not to. We figured it was "close enough." We didn't place this year in the show, but there were some really nice looking cars this year. We did have the best looking boat though. :)

Samuel won all but two of his races - pretty good I think. Though we both wish we'd have won, we'll try not to complain much about getting 3rd.

I think I could have perhaps made some better wheel adjustments, but everything at this point is mere conjecture. It would sure be nice to have a track that we could practice with, so if anyone out there has one they'd like to unload, I'd be glad to talk to you about it!

I think everyone had a good time. I learned some stuff, and got ideas for next year. I also got some ideas for the upcoming Awana Grand Prix. I'll keep you posted on that too!

-=Jim

Pictures with the Banjo

Most folks when they take off on the journey of learning to play the banjo they want a picture with it. I'm no different. There are probably hundreds of snapshots of me with various bands that have been taken by all sort of folks. Some of those good, some of those bad. None of them were "professional" enough to include with a resume though.

Over the years I've had a couple of opportunities to drag my banjo to the local photography studio and get some pictures made. Yeah, they're goofy, but hey, it's a good way to keep records of the banjos I've had, and how I used to look.

This first picture was done in oh... 1979 I think. I'm in my best late 70's attire with matching vest. Yes, I know, the strap is a a guitar strap, and yes, it's on backwards. I liked it that way, and frankly didn't know any better. The banjo is an Alvarez Silver Belle. I think it cost $425, and I got it from a local music shop (Bigham's Music in Dalton, Georgia). I installed the sliding 5th string buzzer, er, I mean capo, and I changed out the head to the frosted one in the picture (It came with a clear head originally). This Alvarez was a really good banjo - at least for me at the time. Come to think of it, it's probably still a good banjo - 3 ply rim, decent sound, and easy to play. It was a huge step up from the Kay that I started on.

This next picture is from 1984, not that you couldn't tell from the clothes. You'd probably not be surprised, but I do still have that coat. The pin on my lapel is the Banjo Man from Banjo Newsletter.

The banjo is a 1978 Stelling Gospel. It is one of three that Geoff built for Ralph Stanley. You can see Ralph holding it in the book Masters of the 5-String Banjo. I have more pictures of it here - Stelling Gospel. I got this banjo from Blaylock Music in Hixson, Tennessee.

I still have this banjo, and play it from time to time. It's a great sounding archtop, and although I don't play it very often it still feels like home.

So, I got to thinking, it's been since 1984 since I had a "nice" photograph taken with my banjo. I knew I needed to do it, and even made a couple of attempts on my own, but never really succeeded at capturing anything I liked. Then Steve Kaufman requested a photo for the Acoustic Kamp advertising information. That sealed it. I called Brenda's Photography and scheduled a sitting.

So without further ado here's the photos. I'm more casually dressed (obviously), and much older. It's amazing what 23 years will do!

The first one here is the picture I submitted for the Kamp. That's my Ramsey Woody. The next one is my Nechville Phantom.

I do have other banjos, but these are the ones I play most. If you have some time check out Ramsey Banjos and Nechville Banjos. No, I'm not a paid endorser, but I think they're great!

So, now that I have these really spiffy photos, I should put them to work (no not in the yard to scare birds... well yes, I agree that would probably work.)

-=Jim

Tina's photo-work featured on Schmap

I sometimes fantasize about being a photographer in my next career move. However, it'll probably be Tina that makes it big as a freelance photographer. She has a good eye, and can push the button on the camera.

Seems that the folks at Schmap liked one of the pictures in my Flickr gallery, but it happened to be a photo that Tina had taken. They used the picture in their Chattanooga Neighborhood Guide.

But while you're poking around on Flickr, feel free to check out some of the other pictures I have there. If you'd like, you can find more in my Picasa Web Album.

Tina Bought a Road Bike

I'm sure I had a lot to do with this purchase. She enjoys her mountain bike, but I've been riding more and more road miles lately and we like to ride together. We looked at and test rode a couple of road bikes for her (Specialized, Trek and Giant). She was very impressed with how easy they all were to ride. The local bike shop - Bear Creek Cycles (formerly Dalton Bicycles) - had a 2007 model Giant OCR3 that she liked the best, so she put it in lay-away.

Tina had some travel money owed her, so when she got her travel check she brought the bike home. She's going to be a formidable road biker. We went riding yesterday (her second road ride) and she did great. It was a 12 mile out and back. I didn't tell her how far, because I knew she'd never agree that she could make it. I knew differently, and I was right.

She was proud of herself, I was too. I think it really boosted her confidence. I just wonder how long it will be before I'm struggling to keep up.

-=Jim

Two Cars in Two Weeks

Car #1

Anyone that's seen me on the road has probably scratched their head in wonder. Why does he continue to drive that ugly, and beat up 1988 Ford Crown Victoria? Well, it was cheap. Heck, I got the car in a trade. I traded a guitar for that car, so the price was right, and it was super dependable for almost 10 years. The maintenance was negligible, and the gas mileage was probably a lot better than you'd have guessed. But nothing lasts forever, and there were a couple of issues that it had which caused me to not really want to drive it much anymore.

Last Christmas (2006) I was out shopping for gifts and I got a call from work. They needed me at one of the branches and it didn't matter that I was an hour away. So, I hurried to the branch and discovered that they had fixed their own problem about five minutes after they had initially called me and then didn't bother to call me back - saving me the trip. As I left the branch I noticed that the transmission slipped a little and by the time I got home it was slipping a lot. It was still driveable, and I drove it this way up until last week, but I certainly didn't want to strike out on a long trip with it. Yes, I could have fixed it, but as long as it got me back and forth to work I didn't see replacing or repairing the transmission on a car that was really soon to be replaced especially after this past Easter morning when Tina backed into the driver's side rear fender and left an enormous dent (her car was fine - not a scratch). So with the enormous dent, and flakey transmission I decided that it would be nice to have a car by winter.

My dad has been working for the local Ford dealership (Chatsworth Ford) as a driver (picks up and delivers cars) for about a year now, and has a good opportunity to find some great deals. He told me about a 2007 Ford Taurus SEL that he had driven and how impressed he was with it. Leather seats, sunroof, "Gold Ash" paint and all sorts of other niceties were probably enough to get me to think about it, but the 29MPG he reported getting with it on a trip he made in it was all I really needed to get me into the car.

Now knowing that I was willing to drive the 1988 Crown "Vic Jordan" (as my bandmates called it) for so long, you know I just don't like spending money on a car. It just seems like a bad place to put hard earned money. However, it does seem that there is a time that one must make this sort of expenditure. So, I did.

Car #2

About a week after buying the Taurus dad stops by the bank to show me another car. He asks, "Do you think Tina would like this car?" It's a Titanium Green Metallic 2006 Ford Fusion SEL. I think to myself, "How could she not?" I tell him I'll talk to her about it and we'll swing by the dealership after work to check it out and let her drive it.

We got to the Ford place just in time to see someone driving it off the lot for a test drive. Slight disappointment, but not a big deal if these other folks buy the car. There'll be more cars, and it's not like either Tina or I were set on buying it. A few minutes later the car comes back from it's test drive and we get to run it around the block.

Tina drove it, and really liked it. It had more than enough power, handled well, and had a smooth ride. I drove it back to the lot and we decided to buy it. It seemed like a simple decision. Her car was several years old and it was time to trade it in anyway, and now was a good time.

Tricks of the Trade?

We had bought a 2001 Ford Focus SE for her about 3 years ago. It was used, had very low miles, and was just what we needed at the time. She liked her Focus. We figured we would get about $4,000 in trade since it was still fairly low mileage and in good shape. What we didn't figure on was the question that was asked next. "When did you wreck your Focus?" Okay, we really didn't expect that question at all. Yeah, she put a dent in the Crown Vic at Easter, but remember there was no damage to the Focus at all. We quiz the buyer for the dealership a bit and he takes us out and shows us a couple of things. He had spotted a place on the drivers side fender that had been sanded and painted - it was obvious, and we wondered how we had missed it. It didn't seem like a big deal, but it was a clue that cause him to look elsewhere. Opening the hood he showed us where the whole front-end of the car had been painted. Not only painted, but the fenders had been removed, the front bracket had been removed, the hood had been removed, and the doors had been removed. We weren't quite sure how to feel - angry, sickened, and irritated came to mind. We are angry that this wasn't disclosed to us. We don't plan on visiting or recommending the dealer we purchased it from. I'd post a link, I'd say their name, but it's probably best left alone.

Neither Tina nor I knew anything about "Carfax" at the time - we do now. It's tempting to pull a Carfax report on the Focus, but honestly, I'm not sure I want to know what happened. I'm also not really interested in spending the $25 to find out about a car I don't have. I'm just glad the car gave us no problems and we didn't have an accident to find out if the repairs were done properly. Needless to say, this dropped the trade value a bit, but not horribly, because it was a 2001.

Tina really likes her new Fusion. She looks good in it. It's a little smaller than the Taurus, and a lot roomier than her Focus was. It's a very nice car, with a lot of comfort features that I know she'll enjoy. It has a 6 disc changer, climate control, 4 wheel disc brakes, 24V DOHC V6, and a 6 speed automatic transmission (very smooth). It seems to get really good gas mileage too. No, it doesn't get the same mileage the Focus did, but we both work less than a mile from home, so we're not buying a lot of gas anyway. I'm happy for her too, and it's probably best that she's driving the Fusion; with that much under the hood I'd get in trouble before the week was out.

So, there's the story, two cars in two weeks. I guess we can now be counted among those that have car payments, and I'm slowly coming to terms with that... at least until the payments start coming due. My main comfort is we allowed someone else to be the first owners, thus absorbing the new car price.

Oh, and by the way, both cars checked out clean on Carfax.

-=Jim

Good Thing My Head is Attached...

So, I have a stupid bike story. Well, not really a bike story. It's bike related, but it's more of a stupid Jim story. There's a moral at the end, and it's not too long, so bear with me.

Since the weather was nice I took off from work today a little early to ride my bike. I came home, got lunch and headed out.

Just out of courtesy to Tina I stopped by the store where she works to let her know I was going for a ride. While I was standing there talking to her I spotted an el cheapo bike lock & chain. I figured it would be fine for when I stop in town and have to leave my bike out of view. It's nothing major, but it would be at least a deterrent if I do happen to leave it somewhere. We're officially a small town USA kinda place, so bike theft isn't really high on the crime list, so it'll do.

Proud of my el cheapo purchase I head out and toss the chain in my handlebar bag. Saddle up, and I'm off.

A little over ten miles later I'm back home.

During the last couple miles of the trip i noticed a clicking noise from the front wheel. I figured it was either a loose spoke, maybe something on the tire. It was no biggie but irritating none the less, but this story isn't about that.

When I get home I decided stop at the drive way and see if I could determine what the clicking noise was. So I toss my glasses in my handlebar bag, take off my helmet... wait... where's my helmet? Hey! I'm missing a helmet here...

I lost my helmet.

How in blue blazes do you lose a helmet????

I don't recall it falling off anywhere. Let's face it, the helmet is strapped to my head.

So looked at the mailbox thinking that maybe I had already took it off and sat it there. Nope... it's not there.

Shoot!

I looked in the yard. Nope, it's not in the yard. I didn't go as far as the yard.

I decided to retrace my steps mentally.

I stopped at a church parking lot. Got a drink. I don't remember taking off a helmet.

I stopped again about a mile from the house to figure out how to navigate a gnarly intersection at 5 o'clock -- and took another drink. There was no reason to take off a helmet there either.

Dang!

I bet I left it at the store!!!

So I called Tina.

Of course she laughs at me.

"How can you lose a helmet? It's attached to your head," she chirps.

"Yeah yeah.. leave me alone." I mutter.

"Just go see if anyone turned in a helmet."

"Yes, there's the helmet - lucky you," she reports.

You know, as I write this I remember exactly where I left it. I left it at the U-Scan when I paid for the chain.

The stupid chain!

So the moral of the story that I promised: Just leave the helmet on. No matter if you're at a wedding, or having supper with the family - just wear it. That way you'll be safe, and won't have to replace it.

I amaze me.

-=Jim

I'm a Water Color!

At a couple of recent Lone Mountain Band shows Marie Spaeder Haas, an artist, sat on the fron row and made sketches of us. I'm quite flattered, honored and humbled to have been the inspiration of a sketch.

I think her sketch captures me in a very "me like" stance, and it's genuinely an ego booster!

I posted the other sketches of the Lone Mountain Band on the band's news site. You can check them out here, or you can follow the following links to Marie's page for the pictures.

Bobby - Mandolin
Diana - Bass
Roy - Guitar
Jim - Banjo

Be sure to check out Marie's web page and galleries. She has some great artwork there and most of it is for sale.

-=Jim

Rain Gutter Regatta

The Cub Scout Raingutter Regatta came about quickly. Almost true to form we didn't have the boat kit until the day before the race. Not only that, Samuel and I had an engagement that evening, and we didn't get home until 10:PM. Fortunately Tina had done all the shaping and had painted a primer coat on the boat, so all we had to do was paint , sail decoration, and final assembly. Samuel helped with the color choice and the sail decorations, and I got busy painting.

The finished boat turned out okay. I would have liked more time, but it did what it was supposed to -- float. And float it did, but more on that later. Samuel christened it "The Remphibian" since it had a Frog on the sail and Snake on the sterm.

Race Day

The setup is simple - two rain gutters on sawhorses filled with water. The boats are placed in the gutter and blown gently toward the other end. Simple? Perhaps, but there's obviously some finesse to piloting one of these boats without capsizing it, or burying the bow in the water.

Samuel was undefeated in his races and brought home the 1st Place ribbon! He puffed gently to the finish line each time. After the last race he commented, "I think I'm getting dizzy!"

I was very proud of him. His sportsmanship was at its best and he made sure to commend the other competitors on their effort.

Although we had a lot of fun previously with the Pinewood Derby, the Rain Gutter Regatta was just as much fun -- maybe more. Blowing the boat down the course allowed for the boys to take an active part in the race. That added to the excitement.

So, get out there. Make some boats!

Jim Bought a Road Bike

I'm not quite sure what came over me, but I decided to buy a road bike. It seemed like the right thing to do. I'm not exactly sure if I'll ever make any long rides, but it's nice having a good bike. I figure if I do no more than commute to work as many days a week as I can it will be worth what I paid for it.

I visited the folks are Dalton Bicycles again and wound up purchasing a Specialized Allez Triple. It's a beautiful bike - and speedy. I've only put 10 miles on it, but it was a fun 10. I'm still a little shaky on it, and I'm slowly getting the hang of getting in and out of the toeclips. I figure in a few more days I'll be comfortable with that.

Enough of that for now, but I just had to share! See you on the road or trail, or if not there, in the Banjo Lounge!

Samuel Pankey - Baptism

Title speaks for itself, but first a little background...

It was April of last year. We (Samuel, Tina and I) had gone to Marietta for no particular reason, but wound up shopping. Tina was in one store and Samuel and I decided to walk across the parking lot to the Guitar Center.

A car zipped by us pretty quickly. I said, "Wow, you better stay close; your mom will shoot me if you get squished!" He chuckled. I told him I thought that would just be a mess as we'd probably both wind up dead and asked him what he thought.

His comment was sobering; he said, "You would go to heaven, but I wouldn't."

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because I'm not saved," he replied.

"We need to talk," I said.

We talked and walked to the store. He understood, but I wanted to make sure he really understood. That week the topic came up a couple of times, and we were clear that it had to be his decision alone. Then, here at home Sunday evening (April 9, 2006), after church, he asked Jesus into his heart. He knew he was saved!

Today he was Baptized. He was excited, but you can also tell from the video that he was a bit nervous. This was at the First Baptist Church of Chatsworth; the pastor is Bobby McGraw.

So, without boring you any more, here's the video.

Thanks for letting me share.

-=Jim

Pulled the Trigger on the Mountain Bike

I know you just can't wait to know what I bought. I should let you all take bets. I bet some of you already have bets going. So, what did I get?

Did I buy the Jamis? Maybe I got the Trek? Maybe I got the Ironhorse that I didn't tell you about? Maybe it was the Motobecane that Richard showed me on eBay. I really liked the looks of the Gary Fisher - maybe it was that one? Okay, okay... enough teasing.

I bought a bike! Heck, I bought two bikes! I bought a bike for me, and one for Tina too. We've already put a few miles on them today and I can hardly wait to ride again.

Tina isn't nearly as picky as I am. She just wanted a bike. She saw one, it fit her, she rode it - liked it - done! Gee, why can't I be like that. She wound up with a Giant Rincon. She liked the blue color. It fit her quite well, but she did opt for a better seat. I figure it's her butt, she should know what feels right, and I honestly don't want anything to discourage her from riding. I suppose it's her Mother's Day gift, and Birthday, and Christmas -- just kidding.

I bought the Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc. Yes, I know, I had looked a all kinds of bikes. Test rode higher end stuff, cheaper stuff, and had worried and stressed about the varying quality of components, but I took the advice of Bob and Richard and went with the bike that just felt the best. Nothing else I rode really felt as right as the Hardrock. I'm happy, and oddly, I'm not feeling any of the buyers remorse that I usually feel when I make a big purchase. I did my homework. I annoyed my friends. I carted my family to nearly every bike shop I could think of. I tried several bikes. I followed my gut on this one. I'm glad I did!

I'd also like to thank Dalton Bicycles for their patience throughout this whole process. I had been going in there for probably 6 months just looking at bikes trying to decide exactly what I want. In the end I got treated right, and Jason and Ross were very helpful and made us feel welcome. I believe in supporting the local stores and they made it easy to do that.

So, without further ado, here we are with our new bikes.