Summer started when Poodus and Dan arrived. We composed and recorded music, soon to be released? We spent a week on the south coast before adventuring back to North Dakota. We took our time in the bus, making sure to hit all the sweet spots, specifically the Redwoods, the Rocky Mountains, and the North Dakota Badlands.

We made it home for the family reunion; dry ice kept the rock fish and ling cod just long enough. So I double saluted my grill-master elders and relished the Pacific in Hebron, ND. The Reetz Ranch was the next stop, forever my favorite spot; the homeland.

I went back to Napoleon, ND and Grandpa Hunkler’s farm for the first time in 13 years. The years reflected in the decaying front yard swing. Mom appeared as a child again at her favorite duck pond. Hiking the section lines gave me a new sense of how hard the Midwest farming life once was.

Brother summer wasn’t over yet, I had to get Dan back to academia. For the first time, I enjoyed Fargo, the real big sky country. We spent a week making music, shooting guns, and eating Bratwurst, staying true to NoDak style. Spent some time staying out of trouble with Moom and Doz, we had such a good time Doz decided to accompany my adventure back to Oregon. The Public Market and Joe were up for making music when I returned to Bismarck. Look for recordings in an upcoming post. Back at the Reetz Ranch we tore off a couple roofs, sang around the bonfire, sampled the garden, and thoroughly enjoyed life.

Brother Summer was still not over, Dan and I couldn’t resist taking on the National Guard in a paintball war… on our turf. We won.

Doz jumped in the bus and we headed west on the Oregon Trail. We spent many days in the bus catching up on years past, captivated by the constantly changing landscape. I spent the last few weeks of summer back in Gold Beach, where I realized this was the best summer thus far.