Mountain Jam

It has been 6 years since I have been to a music festival where you camp on a mountain, live out of a cooler, and use disgusting port a potties all weekend. How did that happen? Wasn't All Good just a few years ago? Apparently not.

I had to go to Mountain Jam. What if I never did it again? What if I turned 30 and life just ends there? I mean, it won't, obviously. Life just keeps getting better. But what if I didn't want to ever go again? 

Well, the Avett Brothers, Edward Sharpe, Grace Potter, and My Morning Jacket were all playing and it was held at Hunter Mountain, a quick ride upstate, so we went. And it was an awesome weekend. 

Home base.

"Either chug it or toss it, but you can't bring it into the venue"
Easy decision.

'ello sun!
This was during Mavis Staples' set.

Top a tha mountain mornin to you!

<3

Dirty

Group shot!

Avett Brothers, I love you. 

Kids at festivals, maybe. Babies? No. 

Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros 

matchy matchy

6.5 ft tall justin beiber lookalike + every jam band backpack =
our landmark for the weekend

"Will you just hold my rock and put your energy into it?"
I wish I could say I didn't. 

Fun seats for Avett Bros encore

So over it. 

My Morning Jacket.  Zach took this one (and some other awesome that I use on the blog). It needs to be big.

Turns out, going to music festivals isn't something that I stopped doing because I'm growing up, it is just a hobby that I forgot to do :) I lived outside, laughed lots and listened to so many instruments and voices.  

HOWEVER, I don't think I need to go if I'm not into the headliner. I saw WAY too much Warren Haynes. 

Unexpected highlights:

• Mavis Staples. "I'll take you there!". Perfect in the sun.
• Lotus' late night set was dancy and funky and way better than expected. 
• The people spinning fire at the top of the mountain after the sun went down absolutely mesmerizing. Like a rebel circus act, sticking flaming rods in their black from gasoline mouths, twirling blazing hula hoops and torching the grass. I spent most of Gov't Mule's set up top watching the fire people. Plus, the port a pots were cleaner up there.
• The people watching was hilarious. I suggest making the pictures bigger and looking at people in the backgrounds. Can you find the patriotic pants and pot belly?
• Hook Herrera, the super tall, hot pink and lime green poncho wearing Native American Indian guy who played the harmonica with Gov't Mule. 
• No traffic or waiting. Anywhere. All weekend. 

Final note:

Dedicated to Liza Moody, of Friends Dress Alike. Sometimes friends dance alike. 

Kava and the Moon

You really need a car to go on adventures around here. Friday evening, a bunch of people went into Kona to go to the Kanaka Kava bar (below) and a party, so I took the opportunity to get off the farm (in Honoka'a), threw my sleeping bag and sweatshirt in my backpack and hopped in a truck. The plan was to camp on the beach since the people we went with were not coming back until Saturday.

Hanging out at a Kava bar is an interesting experience. They don't serve alcohol and most people that I've met around here don't drink. You just drink Kava. Kava is a traditional Hawiian drink that used to be reserved for special ceremonies. The Kava man, or person serving the Kava, serves the Kava in coconut shells. Everyone being served drinks the first shell together. I forget why :) It tastes like a cold tea sort of drink that has a relaxing effect. The Kava plants that we grow here at the farm are made into the drink Kava and served at Kanaka Kava bar. So are purple sweet potatoes, which were delicious. (Thank you butter, thank you salt)



After the Kava bar closed, Zach (the owner of the farm and Kava bar) drove a few of us out to a small beach called 69s (named after it's mile marker). We grabbed our backpacks and water and quietly slipped out onto the beach to set up camp.


The beach was significantly warmer than Kona was, even though it was very close. Warm enough to stand in the water and watch the sky without getting chilled. I watched the stars, thick clouds and almost full moon for about an hour before I decided to burrow into the sand and call it a night.

I missed the sunrise in the AM, but enjoyed a morning swim in totally calm water when I did wake up.