If you’re a fan of bluegrass music, a lot of people assume you like any bluegrass music. That’s no more the case with bluegrass fans than fans of any other type of music. Do rock fans enjoy every single song played on a radio rock station?
I tend to enjoy traditional style bluegrass more than music from newgrass groups. I enjoy some artists more than others and do not even like every song by my favorite artists.
If you’re interested in learning more about traditional bluegrass, I highly recommend Bill Monroe’s Bean Blossom album. The album was recorded live in Bean Blossom, Indiana and listening to it makes you feel like you’re at a bluegrass festival with the cheering crowd.
The Bean Blossom album features a lot more great artists besides Bill Monroe, the father of bluegrass. Also included are excellent sets by Jim & Jesse McReynolds, James Monroe, Jimmy Martin, and Lester Flatt. This is one of my favorite albums and I highly recommend it.
Click the Amazon.com ad below to order or explore this album on iTunes .
Union Pacific’s Steam Shop houses 4-8-4 #844 which is a steam locomotive that Union Pacific never retired. They also own, maintain, and operate Challenger #3985.
Here are a couple of great videos of the locomotives in action. Union Pacific Railroad’s steam operations program almost makes me wish I lived out west.
Last year, my wife and I attended our friends Jon and Beth’s wedding in Alexandria, Virginia. We met a friend of the bride named Ellen Stanley also known as Mother Banjo.
Later I checked out her music online and was impressed. With a name like Mother Banjo, you might expect a showy banjo album. Instead, you will find folk songs featuring modest banjo parts and showcasing her excellent voice.
My favorite Mother Banjo tracks include (click iTunes buttons to preview and/or order):
The snowy winter we’re having in Virginia prompted me to buy some Iverson Cross Country Snowshoes I found on eBay. There are some great advantages of Iverson Snowshoes:
* Our wood snowshoes provide nearly twice the flotation of metal shoes of the same weight.
* Our open lacing doesn’t accumulate snow or ice like the solid decks of the metal shoes.
* Iverson wood snowshoes provide superior traction with no “sled” effect. Metal snowshoes & ice are not good friends.
* Wood frames are rugged and flexible, plus they don’t freeze, become brittle nor bend when bridged.
* Quality, we regularly re-lace our shoes that have been used hard for decades.
* You’ll wear out before they do, then it’s time to pass them down to the next generation.
* Iverson snowshoes are beautiful to display when not being used.
* We make our snowshoes in the USA – please support American workers.
* Our wood snowshoes are very quiet, our snowshoes are used by many top outfitters for this reason alone.
Snowshoe Magazine calls them the Porsche of snowshoes and explains how they are made:
The same processes used since Iversons was founded in the 1960’s, originally derived from teachings handed down by Native Americans, continue to be used to build snowshoes, one by one, to this day. White ash logs are cut to a size called sticks, the basic foundation of the snowshoe. The sticks are cooked in a steamer which allows them to be bent and molded to the proper shape required for the style of snowshoe being made.
Snowshoeing Video
Buy Snowshoes
You don’t have to find used snowshoes on eBay since Iverson is still making their quality snowshoes today. Click the links to preview/purchase Cross Country Snow Shoes (boot bindings sold separately) and Snowcraft Youth Snow Shoes (boot bindings included):
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