Friday, September 26, 2008

Holy Found

We did it! It all went pretty smooth. The most difficult parts were finding the Pizza place the night before and, locating the grate on the river bank. It had been nearly 6 months since I had seen it and things changed - mostly in my mind but partly on the bank. Everyone played a vital role. Thanks to NJ for his incredible navigational skills in getting the truck to the Pizza place, Will and Lawson were expert co-pilots on the barge keeping it in the current and riding it through the rapids in the 48 degree water. The middle tube popped as soon as we loaded the grate on - Tate's enthusiastic and persistent energy were of importance as he took charge of pumping the leaky tube as he was riding the grate barge.
Friendship, family, the Milky Way and spawning salmon - holy found.
Thanks to all those that lent support in the forms of energy, moral support and creative interest. This would include:
Laurie, Jackie, W.M.'Bear' Vogel, Tate, Will, NJ and that guy on the bank that wanted to know what the hell we were doing.



1. The location
2. Breakfast at base camp3. Ready up


4. The Trek






5.False Grate found





6. True Grate Revealed




7. The Doctor's Disclaimer8. Launch!9. Yeahooooo


10. Loaded !!!!













To see map of the trail we followed view complete Blog @ "Travels with Vanny" go to :
http://fishemail.blogspot.com/

Friday, September 19, 2008

In Search of the Holy Grate





Lawson, Tate, Will, N.J.:
Here are some maps and pictures of the upcoming riparian adventure. On the map shown here, the red dot indicates base camp,green dot is where the unclaimed masterpiece lays and blue line is our proposed route (see pic).
We will meet Friday night 9/12 at the Pizza place in Browns Valley on E21 of off Hwy 20 between Grass Valley and Marysville. That night we will camp along the river ( see red dot). You will need pretty good hiking shows that you don't mind getting wet.
The objective is to hike up the river Saturday and float down ( barge like) the big piece of metal shown in the picture to my vehicle. My vehicle will be parked somewhere near the red dot. I have some inner tubes and rope I think will work. I think I have thought of most everything but something unexpected is bound to happen. Ideas and 'comments from the peanut gallery' are always taken into consideration. Your help and enthusiasm are essential and greatly appreciated.






To view complete Blog or subscribe to "Travels with Vanny" go to :
http://fishemail.blogspot.com/

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Art Q correction

Date is 9/19. I just put in 9/12 to throw off the feds and the papparazzi

Art Quest 2





Lawson, Tate, Will, N.J.:
Here are some maps and pictures of the upcoming riparian adventure. On the map shown here, the red dot indicates base camp,green dot is where the unclaimed masterpiece lays and blue line is our proposed route (see pic).
We will meet Friday night 9/12 at the Pizza place in Browns Valley on E21 of off Hwy 20 between Grass Valley and Marysville. That night we will camp along the river ( see red dot). You will need pretty good hiking shows that you don't mind getting wet.
The objective is to hike up the river Saturday and float down ( barge like) the big piece of metal shown in the picture to my vehicle. My vehicle will be parked somewhere near the red dot. I have some inner tubes and rope I think will work. I think I have thought of most everything but something unexpected is bound to happen. Ideas and 'comments from the peanut gallery' are always taken into consideration. Your help and enthusiasm are essential and greatly appreciated.






To view complete Blog or subscribe to "Travels with Vanny" go to :
http://fishemail.blogspot.com/

Monday, September 8, 2008

Art Quest 1





The Yuba River, like all of the rivers that flow into the Sacramento ( except the McCloud ) has been torn up by the mining companies. Originally these companies sought gold but more lately the the gravel is mined for the production of cement. With the operating criteria of "production" and "cost effectiveness" much of the equipment is left in the river when it is no longer serviceable. This industrial material gets washed and beaten over the years as the river integrates it into the riparian habitat. Big 3" steel cables buried menacingly in gravel bars and huge spikes driven into great granite boulders attest to the ferocity of mankind. Likewise the degraded condition of these artifacts leaves no doubt to the superior power of time and nature. I have long been fascinated by these pieces of metal for the stories they hinted at. Recently I have begun to see them as more than just snags and stumbling blocks. The pictures in this post illustrate my first retrieval of one of these contextually rich and physically interesting pieces of metal. The one shown in these pictures has been twisted by a great force, whether it be man or nature, is the stuff of speculation. As an artist I see the form as an expression of violent power and the challenge for me is in the presentation. There is another, more intact, with just the sign of many years of oxidation; I plans to collect in September.
see Art Quest 2

To view complete Blog or subscribe to "Travels with Vanny" go to :
http://fishemail.blogspot.com/