Four Of My Favorite Things Redux

We went to Monterey as planned--and Monterey is one of my favorite places. It was cold and cloudy, but it did not rain. For the first time, we stayed in a B&B in Pebble Beach, behind the guardhouses, near the 17-Mile Drive. The beach walk, while not long, was pretty, albeit windy. The room was comfortable, the breakfast delightful.

I got to spend the weekend with Vicki, my wife and one of my favorite people. After 30 years of marriage, we really know how to enjoy each other's company, playing, exercising, relaxing, or eating together. We bask. That is a good thing.

One of the things we enjoy doing together is bike riding. After several years of gazing at a trail on a bike map, we finally got around to riding the Monterey to Watsonville bike trail. The Pacific Grove to Monterey section is a delight--separated grade, few crossings, lots of trees, wide, well-maintained path, level right of way. Alas, there is a large section of street riding in downtown Monterey (or sidewalk riding, on narrow sidewalks). When the path resumes, it is MUCH hillier--in essence, too hilly for us. We're told it goes all the way to Watsonville, but we didn't find out on this trip and probably won't find out in the future either. Still, we know the limits of the nice ride now--and they are, at our average pace of 9 miles an hour, about two hours. Unlike the American River trail in Sacramento, we can't heartily recommend it.

Since the moment I first heard "Waiting For The Electrician Or Someone Like Him" by the Firesign Theater in 1967, I have been a hopeless fanatic. Firesign is another of my favorite things. I still remember the thrill I got the first time I heard "You can sit here in the waiting room, or wait here in the sitting room" through huge, 1960s-style headphones. I own everything they have ever released on vinyl, and I have seen them once before on stage, during their 25th anniversary tour. I was also at the April 1, 2004 concert celebrating the Firesign Theater, held at UCLA. Here's how I described it at the time:

[I saw] Firesign Live at UCLA, a celebration of the Firesign Theater featuring readings from their albums performed by a large cast with a live orchestra. John Goodman, George Wendt and Howard Hessman were the big names. It was the second (and second best) Firesign event I have ever attended. Mostly, like most people I knew the group from their albums and CDs. Since they were attending, rather than performing, they were out in the audience, and I walked past all of them (except Phil Austin) at a distance of less than three feet. I did not gawk, stare or otherwise make a fool of myself, but it was, without a doubt, one of the coolest evenings of my life. Three hours of Firesign in performance. Like wow man. There were actually lots of suits in the audience--unlike the 25th anniversary concert I dragged Marlow to at the Berkeley Community Theater in 1994. At that time, she said, "I've never seen so many bald guys with pony tails dressed in tie die," then asked me what the funny smell was. No funny smell at UCLA last week, I must say. It was sublime. I am so glad I went.

The main reason for our trip was to attend the sold-out Friday night Firesign "Forward Into The Past" concert at the Golden State Theater. The theater, by the way, is a spectacular renovated vaudeville/movie palace. The live concert, which I thoroughly enjoyed, was a beautifully performed, minimally staged walk through some of their well known material and some of their seldom-heard material (frequently updated with topical references), delivered with aplomb and flair. The four members looked great, and were in tip-top form and voice. I read or heard somewhere it might be their last live performance. I hope not, but it was the 40th anniversary of Nick Danger, and the "boys" are all getting on. Like Python, I doubt they'll perform again after any one of them is gone (and like Python, their reunions are and will likely remain rare because they now lead such separate lives--and because one member isn't too enthusiastic about rehashing the old material).