It has been said that into every life a little rain must fall. If this adage has its merit, then our crew definitely experienced the monsoon season of travel adventures.

     The culmination of events that led to the “perfect storm” began before we even left H.Q. and headed west across the state to Caledonia, MI to enjoy a weekend of blues at The Cow Pie Blues Festival. Mary Jane (our VW Westphalia) had been feeling a little under the weather ever since her face lift earlier this spring. Although we had done every home remedy known by Volkswagen owners to help cure what ailed her, it was time to see the specialist.
     Traveling in a Volkswagen that pre-dates 1980 is not for the mentally or physically weak. It is quite rare to find a VW owner that can’t account, in great detail, the many times in which their ‘old horse’ has needed a bit of a nudge to keep moving. By ‘nudge’,  I mean pushing the damn thing up a hill, so as to get to the top, and pop the clutch –and sometimes an ankle- on the way down. While The Blue Water Travelers' Westphalia, Mary Jane, had yet to fail me, it should be mentioned that she had been showing signs of distress since spring.
     The miracle workers (auto mechanics, at their finest that make dreams come true for VW owners) at MTD Repair in Port Huron worked out a good deal of the bugs in Mary Jane’s vital organs. I believe that in the event that the issues really had been ‘a couple of bugs’ ailing MJ, as opposed to a bit of an infestation, that we would have a different story to tell. Be that as it may, we chose for Mary Jane to have a standing date with Mark Thomas, the owner of MTD Repair, to complete the repairs after the trip.
     Pulling away at 2:15 PM August 12, 2011, with Port Huron in my review mirror, we were on schedule, and we were going to Cow Pie Festival. That was the important part. We could not know that soon we  would become all too familiar with singing the blues; the makings of our own songs not far up the road. Arriving in Lapeer, I met the rest of the entourage that would be climbing aboard, or following in the car, to the festival. This year we had a total of seven (up from just Tim and I last year). Jenienne, Bruce, JR, Don, and Taylor were all excited about the trip. Tim and I had been looking forward to this since covering the event last year. When we had posted our intention to attend the Cow Pie Festival in Caldonia Michigan, they had quickly enlisted themselves without hesitation on this expedition with The Blue Water Travelers.
     The much anticipated departure time was upon us and we headed west for Caldonia towards the soon to be setting sun. Usually we never take the interstate. We like to take the back roads and two tracks that lead us from place to place setting the wide open stage for adventure in a way that the highway can’t compete with. However, with the day fading fast and the need to be at Shagbark Farms by sunset, I heeded the advice of my cohorts. I slapped through the gears and merged Mary Jane onto the I-69 West (0-50 mph…. if you’re lucky!).
     The ride was nearly cathartic after a week of hurdles and hard work preparing for the trip. Everyone had done their part: the new business cards had been finished, the lettering from Craig’s Signs was on Mary Jane, and the tent had been repaired within budget, courtesy of Ken’s Upholstery in Lapeer. Don road shotgun and strummed the guitar as Taylor sang along. The hum of the tires seemed to harmonize with the chords of the songs they were playing. Before long we were approaching our destination.
     We were about 45 miles out on I-96 when Mary Jane began to lose power on the inclines of the rolling terrain that decorates the highway in this part of the state. Losing power is not unusual for a Volkswagen, but this time I noticed something slightly different. Nothing noteworthy to a passenger, but being that I have sat behind the wheel for over 100,000 miles, in all kinds of weather conditions, it was obvious to me that we had a problem.
     I turned to Don and said, “We have one shot at this.” “One shot at what?” Don asked. “She’s running a little hot,” I said, “I can make it to the festival, but if we shut her down, there is no restarting it until tomorrow.” I was definitely losing power, not to mention, developing a chug when I pressed on the accelerator.
     With only 18 miles to go and the sun 45 minutes off the horizon, there was no time to stop. I made a quick call to Tim and told him what was going on. I also told him to keep his phone on and we took exit 52 hoping we could make the final stretch to the Shagbark Farm. That’s when the unthinkable occurred.
     Mary Jane gave up her last breath. Shaking with a dying quiver she let us coast into a gas station parking lot where she slowly came to a halt under the fluorescent BP sign. After letting her cool down, we began to perform a series of tests and checks, in hopes of getting her fired up one last time. All to no avail, her heart, now tired and worn, had finally given out.
     We had come too far to turn back now. We had put too much into getting here and the rest of the group was looking forward to a good time. It was time to punt and run and make a new plan. After a short deliberation with Tim and Don, we began to shuttle the essential gear to camp about 12 miles away. Four trips later, at 12:30 a.m., we finally hauled in our last load and began to set up camp. This is my job. Tim is the I.T. guy, Don's the artist and I am the bus driver/camp grunt, who keeps the mechanical end going.
     You may ask why I brought so much gear.  Well, Cow Pie is a three-day festival held in the middle of a field. Primitive camping requires some thought, and certain utilities, to make it manageable. Remember, there were no dishwashers, sinks, showers, no firing up the lights when it gets dark and, to top it off, no fire period at Cow Pie. That’s ok. We like to boast that we have the gear and experience to camp in under any conditions. However, because of the fact that we are confident that we can handle it, doesn’t necessarily mean that we want to be tested. Mother Nature must have heard our banter and Cow Pie weekend decided to call our bluff. Without Mary Jane the odds were slightly against us. Understand that over the years I have altered my gear to be less ‘survival’ and more ‘splendor’. 
     The most important of the camp supplies is your tent. At that point we did not have a tent “she” is back at a gas station broken down. What we did have was a screen room with three solid clip-on sides. Unwilling to face defeat, we decided that we would use the screen room as our tent. After all, what else would I have packed it for?
     Now a three-sided tent is a lot like a three-legged dog--good to have, but not the best to bet on. So using some knowledge from past experiences, I decided on a plan of action in an attempt to keep us dry. I set the screen side (open side) toward the southeast. Seldom does wind or rain come out of the southeast. Also the morning sun and early afternoon sun (which is two thirds of the skyline) warms your shelter, but still protects you from the afternoon heat. 
     The second most important of the camp supplies is DRY SUPPLIES.  When tents get wet, they flood. They become covered pools or sweat lodges from the humidity that is trapped in their water proof shell. The best way to fight water log is to keep all the gear suspended, that way air can circulate around your essentials and reduce moisture. For this I suspended a twenty-foot extension cord, originally brought for rope lighting. You should always have a back pack with you. I never leave home without my army pack. Using the straps to fasten the backpack to the side of the tent, I was satisfied with our waterproof storage for the cameras, laptop, Ipods, etc. As I said, primitive is only as primitive as your gear.
     With everything in place and the night winding down, I followed suit, and found my place in the party as well. I joined the group that had assembled at our site (now 15 people or so), and jumped in on my harmonica to the free style blues that were already in progress. There is a unique breed of exhaustion that comes with camping complications and before long, we were all affected with fatigue. As we retired to the improvised shelter, Mary Jane was sorely missed by all. Around 5:30 a.m. I awoke to the crash of thunder that rattled the ground under me.
     As I stumbled around our sleeping quarters half-awake, allowing my eyes to adjust to the light, or lack thereof, I became aware that our set up was going to work. From what I could surmise in the brief flashes of lightning, provided by Mother Nature herself, we were dry and so was our gear. The wind and rain howled hard out of the west, but was blowing by our exposed side on the southeast; allowing in the first rays of sunlight from the approaching day. We win, Ms. Nature, or perhaps just ‘Mutha’ would be more fitting at this point.
     Not long after the storm died down, the memory of Mary Jane having done the same thing last night came back into focus. I think that stepping out of story mode here, and giving a shout out to our emergency crew is in order. While he wasn’t wearing a cape, my brother Brad, a key sponser for the Blue Water Traveler certainly did play the hero role to Mary Jane and the rest of us as well that weekend.
     Brad pulled enough strings to macramé a hammock, and not only came to rush MJ to urgent care, but also delivered Unit 93: our all purpose utility Suburban, which sufficed nicely in a pinch. With the knowledge that -knock on wood- Murphy’s Law seemed to have played itself out, and that there would be no lasting damage, we were finally able to continue with our agenda: enjoying the festival and taking in the music.
     Once again I was amazed at the line up of musicians. What I continue to enjoy most about Cow Pie is the close proximity of the campground to the main stage. Our day was spent by our tents (improvised and otherwise), feasting and relaxing with friends. We were well within earshot of the live performances on the Cow Pie stage. Throughout the day performers such as: The Broken Arrow Blues Band, Rusty Wright, Damon Fowler, and Bryan Lee, kept us entertained with their own unique blues sounds.
     As the sun fell I headed to the main stage that stretches across Cow Pie’s natural amphitheater. This place is just awesome in every aspect. From the rolling pastures blanketed with campsites, sheltered beneath giant shade trees, to the natural hillside that creates an amazing, natural amphitheater… Cow Pie is always worth the drive.  
    My first entertainer was Bryan Lee as he rocked the stage Saturday night, and had the whole crowd swinging to the rhythm. This Wisconsin- born blues player has the style of the timeless classics. Reminiscent of B.B. King, and Muddy Waters, his music embodies the point of a blues festival. Bryan, known as “The Braille Blues Daddy” started picking the blues at the age of 13, after listening to the aforementioned greats tunes through an AM radio. Now based in New Orleans, Lee performs with the likes of Buddy Guy, and has been nominated for multiple blues awards honoring his song Katrina Was Her Name. 
     Following Bryan Lee was Motor City Josh. A Cow Pie regular, that is so popular at the festival, that he brings in a crowd all of his own. Motor City Josh brings to the stage “funky blues you can’t refuse.” This Detroit native, who travels across the United States, Scotland, and England, performed his seventh appearance at Cow Pie this year, with the crowd pleasing energy that is inarguably contagious. At 35, he is thought to be one of the most skilled, energetic blues performers of our time.
     Between sets JR and I hustled over to the Miller tent to catch performances by Delilah DeWylde and The Lost Boys. There is just something about a beautiful woman dressed to the nines, playing a stand up bass, that does this ol’ country boy in. Their music was fantastic and engaged the whole crowd. People of all ages filled the dance floor. This Michigan band began in 2004 and has had great success with their rockabilly country style. I love the fact that they record their sounds on vinyl (did I mention she’s beautiful?). With a collection of over 2000 LPs, I had to add this group to the music library. After all, there is nothing better than a little time in the warehouse with the boys, working on our projects, and drinking a cold beer, with the classics playing on the turn table. 
     At 12:00 a.m. as the music ended and we found ourselves amongst the masses, wandering back to our campsite, but not to go to sleep. With the many blues lovers, fully charged from listening to an onslaught of great musicians, a musical after-party was to be expected. The sound of bongos, harmonicas, guitars and laughter echoed through the fields of Cow Pie until the wee hours of the morning.
     Sunday felt as though it came a bit earlier than normal. With the final cup of camp coffee in us, and the last campfire breakfast weighing heavy in our stomachs, we began to pack up camp. Packing up at Cow Pie is a little different than packing up at some state park or KOA. In the course of two and a half days we had met interesting people from around the country, learned new things about people from our own neighborhood and found a new way to look at a long standing tradition: whatever it takes. We have shared food, music, beer, ideologies, stories, and a good many laughs. Time takes a backseat in May Jane, or whatever your ‘old horse’ may be when you trade in your hotel keycard for a tent. Food tastes better outside and all the senses sharpen.
     The taxing, menial chores, that make up so many of our daily lives, are left behind. Forgotten almost, in favor of the here and now. I am reminded of what Annie Dillard said, “How you spend your days is, of course, how you spend your life.” At The Blue Water Traveler, our aim is to spend it happy. It is bitter sweet as people you are already looking forward to seeing again next year, pack up their site, alongside you. Still others request cards, and swear on as new members of The Blue Water Travelers. We welcome them even as we thank John, and all our friends that help  make these events possible. As the great Cow Pie slogan reads , “If I don’t see you in the future, I’ll see you in the pasture.”


Josh Johnson Bus Driver