Having Fun on Route 101

The Waterfront at Seattle

The Journey starts on 101

I can think of no finer way to leave a city than the ferry from Seattle across Puget Sound to Bainbridge Island. None of the usual terror of negotiating an American urban freeway system, just a short drive to the terminal and a mini-cruise to boot! The Seattle rain held off and the sun shone as the city disappeared into the mist. 

Almost "Ferry Cross the Mersey"

The ferry takes you onto quiet roads more reminiscent of New England; beautiful fall colours and a relaxed pace of life. The parallels with New England were even more apparent when we visited the small town of Port Gamble. Saltbox houses line the small main street leading down to the deserted harbour. The town’s past prosperity came from the lumber trade and the now abandoned ferry terminal. The magnificent general store has been turned into a restaurant and gift shop. What must have been a three story “emporium of everything” has lost its soul and its purpose. A reflection of the fate of this sad but attractive little town.

The main street of Port Gamble with the general store on left

The old physicians house at Port Gamble: Shades of New England

The guidebooks identify Port Townsend as the start of Route 101 despite the fact that the road starts way down the state. This is one of the oldest towns in Washington. Its prosperity is reflected in magnificent commercial architecture and fine Victorian villas up on the hill overlooking the main street.  The railways sadly focused on Seattle and the town’s importance dwindled. Jack London spent a night in jail here on his way to the Klondike Goldfields in 1897. He reputedly got into a brawl when he changed steamers. The town has obviously seen a revival, with galleries, restaurants, B&Bs and gift shops. A clear contrast from the depressing empty high streets at home in recession hit UK.

Jack London

One of the grand buildings of Port Townsend

The star attraction for us was an Ice Cream Parlour called “Nifty Fifties”. The shop is not original but everything in it is and the owner has collected items from across the US. Its like walking back 60 years into an “American Graffiti”  fantasy, complete with a great selection of records on the juke box. I don’t know how the other customers tolerated our rendition of songs such as “Crazy” to the dulcet tones of Patsy Cline, but we had a great time, topped off by Liz’s ice cream soda.

The highlight of the visit was undoubtedly the cashier at the Bank of America who thought that Martin’s Yorkshire accent was sexy. We were delighted for him but at the same time somewhat perplexed.

The "Nifty Fifties" Ice Cream Parlour

A great selection on the Juke Box

Cream Soda at the parlour

Port Angeles looked rather grim and industrial, so we drove into the heart of the Olympic National Park on 101.  The park covers over a million square miles and has a diverse and unique flora and fauna. It was the threat to this magnificent landscape from logging and human encroachment that led conservationists to persuade Teddy Roosevelt to declare in a National park in 1938. The great man visited the Park and stayed at Crescent Lake Lodge where we spent the night in one of the cabins overlooking this beautiful lake. This is a great setting and the Lodge and cabins have a unique position. One can describe the accommodation as quaint rather than luxurious. The last make over must have been many decades ago. Americans tend to be more critical of accommodation than we do and I am surprised that it has survived as it is. It seems to have been living off the Roosevelt legacy for too long!

Lake Crescent Lodge

Lake Crescent 

The surrounding mountains are majestic, often lost in the clouds. The moist atmosphere has led to a wonderful temperate rainforest with gigantic ancient trees set in a primeval forest, with lichen and moss giving the lower branches a ghostly appearance. Thank goodness that the logging was stopped soon enough to save them.

The ghostly Rain Forest trees

Shrouded in moss

Off tomorrow to the coast and our first view of the Pacific Ocean which will be our close companion for the rest of our trip.

We Start in Seattle

Me, Jacqui, Liz and Martin.

Some cool girls!

Among the many US travel/road books that I have read, two stand out. Firstly the mad crazy brilliant “On the road” by Jack Kerouac (which I have read many times and am reading again as we travel), and the more measured thoughtful “Travels with Charley” by John Steinbeck. This was written during the later part of his life and reflects on the America he knew and wrote about decades earlier. Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California and knew the West Coast well.

In 1960 he travelled around the USA with his giant poodle, Charley and drove into Seattle, then a small but growing successful city. This was long before the Microsoft revolution and the growth of Boeing and many other household names. It is difficult to think that in Steinbeck’s youth, this was just a small fishing port.

John Steinbeck

He wrote:

"I remembered Seattle as a town sitting on hills beside a matchless harborage -- a little city of space and trees and gardens, its houses matched to such a background. It is no longer so. The tops of hills are shaved off to make level warrens for the rabbits of the present. The highways eight lanes wide cut like glaciers through the uneasy land. This Seattle had no relation to the one I remembered. The traffic rushed with murderous intensity. On the outskirts of this place I once knew well I could not find my way. Along what had been country lanes rich with berries, high wire fences and mile-long factories stretched, and the yellow smoke of progress hung over all, fighting the sea winds' efforts to drive them off. "

Pike Market

A fishy tale at Pike Market

He goes on to describe the port area and its cobbled streets, which have now been turned into trendy bourgeois districts such as Pike Place.

"The old port with narrow streets and cobbled surfaces, smoke-grimed, goes into a period of desolation inhabited at night by the vague ruins of men, the lotus eaters who struggle daily toward unconsciousness by way of raw alcohol. Nearly every city I know has such a dying mother of violence and despair where at night the brightness of the street lamps is sucked away and policemen walk in pairs. And then one day perhaps the city returns and rips out the sore and builds a monument to the past."

Steinbeck went on to win the Nobel Prize for literature in 1962 and died in 1968

The wharfs have been transformed but they don’t seem to have the vibrancy and charm that similar areas of San Francisco have achieved. One climbs up from the water’s edge to the Pike Market, which has become one of Seattle’s major tourist attractions. The old market now buzzes with restaurants, grumpy tea shirt sellers and the ubiquitous Seattle coffee house. Seattle is the world capital of coffee.

Pike Place entertainment

This city was responsible for the invasion of coffee chains into nearly every city in the world. And it all started in the Pike Market. Two teachers and a writer started a store on Western Avenue, which was swiftly relocated to Pike Place. Starbucks is the world’s biggest coffee chain with19,972 stores in 60 countries, including 12,937 in the United States and 790 in Great Britain. Seattle literally has a coffee house on every corner and I am told that over 80% of Americans live within 20 minutes driving time of a Starbucks. Not bad for the small store that we visited today.

The original Starbucks at Pike Place

Despite the success of the Aerospace industry, computers and coffee, Seattle will be remembered also for its contribution to popular music. Younger music buffs will champion Nirvana and the birth of Grunge but to my generation, the city stands out as the birthplace of Johnny Allen Hendrix

The Seattle Music Experience

Jimi Hendrix was born in Seattle on November 27, 1942. To many he was one of the greatest electric guitarists of all time. I still remember that first time that he appeared on Top of the Pops, playing Purple Haze as one of the defining moments of my musical upbringing. We simply had never seen or heard anything like him before!

After a hesitant start to his career he was spotted in 1966 by Keith Richard’s girlfriend playing in a club in New York. He was persuaded by Chas Chandler (former bassist for the Animals) to move to London. Following a series of auditions, Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell joined him to form the Jimi Hendrix Experience. 

 Jimi's colourful jumpsuit

Hendrix’s famous white Stratocaster

Hendrix’s famous white Stratocaster on which he played his rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner” at the Woodstock Music and Art Fair in the early morning of August 18^th 1969 is on display in a disappointingly small Jimi Hendrix museum (part of the Seattle Music Experience Project). He bought the guitar in 1968 and played it at many concerts including the 1969 Newport Festival and his final concert at The Isle of Fehmarn (Germany) on September 6^th 1970. Twelve days later he died of a fatal overdose. Other memorabilia include a series of his guitars (whole and smashed), some of his clothes, personal effects, writings and an excellent timeline wall with a musical history played through headphones.

My mental image of the man is a larger than life character, filling the space that he inhabited. The museum has one of his colorful jump suits that he often performed in. What a surprise to see how small and diminutive he really was.

It was great to visit one of my favorite cities again One of the most relaxed and comfortable places in the world to live. Tomorrow we leave on the ferry across Puget Sound and our journey begins for real.

P.S. I forgot another great travel book: Woody Guthrie’s “Bound for Glory”

Jimi Hendrix: Purple Haze

Jimi Hendrix: Star Spangled Banner: Live at Woodstock

The Road Not Taken: Changing Roads

TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Robert Frost 1920

Kakabeka Falls, Thunder Bay

 

It has been over 2 years since I last drove along Highway 61. I have been attending a conference in Thunder Bay on the North Shore of Lake Superior. Our hotel was 10 minutes walk across a busy road intersection from the main conference venue. The cold biting wind of an early Canadian winter tore at us as we waited for the traffic lights to change and distinguished the many international delegates pathetically trying protect themselves from the inevitable march of an arctic winter from those warm hardy locals.

The little walking figure replaced the red hand, I started to cross the road and there it was. It was unmistakable, a small familiar heart shaped road sign (this time with a crown over the top of it). Highway 61 and I was walking across the “Blues Road”, across the road the bluesmen took to escape the poverty of the Delta, across the road that Dylan took to escape his Minnesotan boredom and across the road that those intrepid travellers took in April 2010 to follow the music to the heart of America. I was crossing the “Mother Road” of American music, in Canada!

The Mother Road of American Music. (In Canada!)

All roads have to stop somewhere; they just can’t go on forever! I had not thought that our road crossed the border, gained a crown and became a royal route. Surely most of our music heroes stopped in Chicago, some like his “Bobness” escaped south from the bitter cold northern winters but I asked myself whether any ventured this far north. What a contrast the icy cold wind blowing across the intersection is from the hot southern sultry primordial musical soup that became blues, jazz and eventually rock and roll. Robert Johnson would not have had time to stop and barter with the devil on these frozen crossroads!

No bartering on this crossroads

Time to start travelling once more. Time to try and learn something about the nature of all things Americana, at a crucial time in its history. Is it going to remain the great power that it has been and will it continue to be the global creative force that it was in the 20^th Century? We travel during the last 3 weeks of one of the most important elections in the country’s recent history. We are flying to Seattle with the intention of following Route 101 along the spectacular West Coast of America.

Martin Green and I have been attending the World Rural Health Conference in Northern Ontario. Conferenced out and exhausted, we move on to Seattle to meet our wives (Jacqui and Liz) who will be joining us there.

Martin Green at Thunder Bay

Me: Some hard conferencing

The sight of Highway 61 and the prospect of travelling the length of Route 101 has inspired me once again to log on and restart the Blog. The “Blues Road” will sing out once more and I hope that you will join us on our journey.  Feel free to connect either through the blog or by email (johnwj@irh.ac.uk)

To finish with Robert Frost, I would have loved to go back to the the Mother Road but 101 beckons us!

Brooks Williams

Brooks Williams



"How soulful a solo guitarist can be when he has 
talent, taste and astonishing technique."
(Blues Revue)

"Darkness" Playing with his colleague Boo Hewerdine State of the Union)

Brooks'  journey takes him all the way from his home in Statesboro (Georgia) via Boston (New England)  to Cambridge (UK). He is the quintessential "Journeyman" musician who has mastered musical styles on his way and made them his own. He has spent the last 23 years on the road, giging with the likes of  Taj Mahal, Paul Jones, John Hammond and many more. He has performed extensively across the North America & Europe and was one of the headline acts at this years' Shrewsbury Folk Festival. His prodigious talent and musical knowledge reflects his dedication to his art and his skill in captivating the audience and his large fan base. He was recently named one of the top 100 Acoustic Guitarists (Acustic Magazine) and has over 17 recordings to his name.

Brooks at Glastonbury 2012

He is not only a blues man but the blues remains an integral part of his musical persona reflecting his roots in Georgia. He is a virtuoso on bottleneck slide as well as his effortless fingerpicking and flat picking styles. He plays a mixture of traditional roots music interspersed with his own original material.

Blind Willie McTell's original recording

Brooks Williams (hometown) Statesboro Blues

I first heard the "Statesboro Blues" on Taj Mahal's electrifying debut album in 1968. The songs goes back much further and Brooks' version reflects Blind Willie McTell original recording. Many believed that Blind Willie was also a native of Statesboro, but he was born in Thomson (Georgia) referring to Staesboro as his "real home". Not a bad legacy to hail from!

Sadly we missed Brook's performance at Glastonbury this year, despite the fact that our stall is close to the Burbon Stage where he played. It is often the acts that you sadly miss at Glastonbury that makes you want to back again the following year!

We hope to see you in Montgomery on 25th February to join us at this unique gig. Numbers are limited, so get hold of your tickets as soon as possible!

His latest Album in partnership with fellow member of "The State of the Union" Boo Hewerdine

"A beautiful album, full of classy playing and great songs" (Acoustic Magazine) State of the Union is a masterclass in song writing, showing off the talents of bluesy American stalwart Brooks Williams and cult British singer-songwriter Boo Hewerdine to full effect. Whether it's authentic Americana, delicate ballads, re-imagining modern pop or a new take on the classic standard "Peg And Awl" the union of Williams and Hewerdine is in a wildly creative state, producing one of the year's must-have albums

Brooks Williams "Weeping Willow Blues"

The Gig

• 25th February 2012: Brooks Williams
• Montgomery Youth Centre: 7.30 p.m.
• £12 per person
• Bring your own drinks and glasses
• "Savoury nibbles" provided
• Tickets from "Bunners" or hmdjones@btinternet.com

Discography
Baby O! (Red Guitar Blue Music, 2010)
The Time I Spend With You (Red Guitar Blue Music, 2008)
Blues and Ballads (Red Guitar Blue Music, 2006)
Guitar Player (Solid Air Records, 2005)
Live Solo (Red Guitar Blue Music, 2004)
Nectar (Signature Sounds, 2003)
Acoustic Beginnings 1990-1991: A Best Of (Red Guitar Blue Music, )2002
Skiffle-Bop (Signature Sounds, 2001)
Dead Sea Café 1992-1997: A Best Of (Silent Planet Records, 2000)
Little Lion (Signature Sounds, 2000)
Hundred Year Shadow (Signature Sounds, 1999)
Seven Sisters (Green Linnet Records, 1997)
Knife Edge (Green Linnet Records, 1996)
Ring Some Changes: Guitar Duets with Jim Henry (Signature Sounds, 1995)
Inland Sailor (Green Linnet Records, 1994)
Back To Mercy (Green Linnet Records, 1992)
How The Night-time Sings (Red Guitar Blue Music, 1991)
North From Statesboro (Red Guitar Blue Music, 1990)


Links
Brooks Williams:      http://brookswilliams.com/
My Space:                 http://www.myspace.com/redguitarbluemusic
No Bones Jones:       http://www.nobonesjones.co.uk/

Back On The Road! The Journey Continues

Resting on my journey!

A Happy New Year to you all our loyal followers who may have been wondering whether the three intrepid travellers and echo champions had taken the wrong turning and strayed away from the Blues Road for ever. To quote that well known philosopher from Yellowstone Park, Yogi Bear, "If you come to a fork in the road, take it." We took it and we have had a great time but the Blues bekons us back on our journey.

Tucker and Win Bones

We don't have a route and we don't have a destination but we are going to listen, promote and enjoy some great music in the meantime. No Bones and I are planning to run a series of Blues and Jazz evenings in Montgomery over the next 12 months. Even Tucker, buried in the wilds of Yorkshire, has been tempted out of hibernation. I am told that the thought of joining his old traveling mates has driven him out of his state of suspended animation and he now has a recordable metabolic rate!

Mississippi John Hurt's Grave

Those experiences that we had along the Great Mississippi helped us understand the origins and the nature of the music and we want to share them with our friends and our fellow "Blog Travellers". When I listen to those Mississippi John Hurt blues and ballads now, I feel that I have a tangible link with the Delta and his forgotten grave in a wood on the edge of the flat delta plain. We can't provide you with the same experience but we can share our passion for the music and give you the opportunity to see some fantastic musicians in our own Mid Wales backyard.

No Bones and Mrs No Bones winning Gold at Glasto

No Bones has had a great year which culminated in him winning the Gold Medal for the Greenest Trader at Glastonbury. He and Gill are still cooking great food and providing a warm hospitable welcome for all those who visit us in Montgomery.

Tucker with that silly shirt!

Tucker is still writing his book and playing music whenever he can and I am enjoying retirement, building coracles and living and working in our new home and garden overlooking my beloved Welsh Hills.

Coracle man (Not very steady!)

Our first gig will be on February 25th in Montgomery at the Youth Centre at 7.30pm. We have hit the jackpot by securing one of the finest Blues and Acoustic performers resident in the UK. Come and join us and listen to legendary Brooks Williams. I will be posting more information on Brooks in the next few days. So watch this space and join us for what promises to be a great evening

The Great Brooks Williams: Montgomery 25th February