6-11 Thur. A good day for Rod Skelton and Andy.

Started out kinda slo and lazy. Packed it up and left KOA @ 0800. I lifted thru the park and out the south gate and there were several miles of heavy duty road construction. It was drizzly parts of the time. As we were waiting in one spot do to construction, a small brown bear crossed the highway about two cars in front of us. Of course everyone was going wild about that. We did get several stills and some movie shots ourselves. We stopped at coulter bay visitor center and they had a very nice Indian Museum. Two Indian ladies form Fort Hall Rez. Were working in a small area. They told us that about every two weeks they have different tribal members in and they show and sell their goods. They also work on their pieces for the tourists. Lela Teton and Josie Broncho visited with us for some time and Josie said that she would get my blog to her daughter as her grandkids were doing a travel documentary for school. I thought that would be a great project

We booked on into Jackson Hole and it was sure a surprise for ea. of us. I passed thru there in 1966 with Judy on our way north after the pear season in Lake Co. Sandra was a baby and Mare was on the way. Gail passed thru there in 1976. There are at least 10,000 bodies running amuck now and most drive like them Californians. It was raining heavy but we did a quick pass thru and found some stacks of horns, the only cool thing that I saw. The elk refuge was empty but we have seen many buffalo. We drove north on the Teton loop rd which took us just under the mighty mts. Too bad they were pretty much clouded over but we were able to see parts of them. We crossed the mighty Snake River several times as it starts out of Jackson Lake. It is rolling pretty good now because of the amount of rain. Several people stated that this is the heaviest and longest rain system that they have seen. We started east on highway 26 at the Moran Junction north of Jackson Hole. After leaving the Teton National Park, we found a wide spot along Buffalo Creek and there we bedded down for the nite. I called and talked to Rod Skelton for some time and mentioned that we had met one of Randy’s students. Rod was happy about that and we talked for several minutes. He and his wife, Andy, are going to be in Weiser, Idaho in a couple of weeks at the Fiddle Gathering. Sorry I will miss them as I am going to be farther east. Skywalker, Skywalker, Love you Buddy and Miss you, over and out.

Rod Skelton lived next door to my Dad away back when. I got to know him at that time but just barely. He was a teacher in Kelseyville for many years and He started the 5th graders on their way into the musical world. I had, and still have, a baritone ukulele that Sandra played in the group. I braided a strap for it and now the uke hangs on the wall in my music room. Beau gets it down every now and then and strums on it. As the years eased along, I played music at Rod’s gatherings and for awhile we had a round robin type of gathering where we met every Thursday and each week would be at one of our homes. I really enjoyed that. Rod had a Christmas tree farm and had a lot ea. Year to sell them trees. After the New Year, he would have a party and many of his musical friends would gather for dinner, music, gift exchange. His son, Randy, is a professor at the U. Of Montana. Rod’s wife, Andy, is a long standing member of the Lake Co. Symphony and teaches violin. She and Rod also play a lot of fiddle music and hoedowns. Rod has many interests and has made some violins also. Rods wife, Joyce, passed away several years ago. It has and is a great honor and pleasure to have a friend like Rod, Andy and Randy. Bless all of you for letting us be a part of your great circle.


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