Old Fort Mountain Music

Flying solo this time, I left town again last night and headed for Old Fort, North Carolina. Old Fort is about a 45 minute drive northeast of Hendersonville. I chose to stick with the Interstates this time rather than taking the winding roads of the previous evening. Even on the Interstates, though, I still had some really nice scenery; distant mountain ranges with the sun setting behind them. My destination was Old Fort Mountain Music.

Old Fort Mountain Music is a weekly event that takes place every Friday from 7pm until 10 or 11pm. It's been going on since 1986, and they claim to have never missed a night, even during the great blizzard when they came in to open the doors, even though no one could even get on the roads. If you're interested in the city of Old Fort check out www.oldfort.org. For more info on Old Fort Mountain Music go to www.oldfort.org/music.

When I arrived outside the venue I recognized one of the old men from the Bluegrass Music Jam practice room. I approached him and struck up conversation. He said he would have said something sooner the other night about the main concert being next door, but he assumed Systemic and I were musicians and that we knew what we were doing. He said a lot of times musicians will just pop in unannounced. I chatted with him a bit more then entered a small foyer of the building where a group was practicing.

Several older people sat around the edges of the limited space listening, so I squeezed into the only remaining space in a corner and listened some myself. It was an all male group ranging from a young fiddle player with a long ponytail to several gentlemen with white hair. Some of their other instrumentation included banjo, guitar, bass, mandolin and I can't quite remember what else. They sounded really good and they were fun to watch. After several minutes I excused myself between one of their sets and entered the main building.

It was a larger room than the Bluegrass Music Jam, and it was pretty full. The majority of the crowd was once again elderly, but there were more children, high-schoolers, and middle-agers than the night before. It was overall a good mix of all ages. Once again it was a BYOC (bring your own clogs) affair. The dance floor stayed lively with that clog-hybrid style that I've come to find as unique to these settings. I was tempted to ask a cute girl in attendance to teach me how to do it, but I'm terrible with age, and I wasn't sure where she fell in the 16-26 range. The last thing I wanted was to be pegged as the out of town predator within this tight-knit group. Not tonight Chris Hansen.

Early in the evening I bought a good-sized piece of fresh cake from the concession stand for just 50 cents. It was pound cake with a pineapple/coconut icing. I realize now that I should have gone back up and gotten a slice of coconut pie, but I got so into the music and the atmosphere that I forgot all about it. I sat next to an 80 year old man named Luther who was there with two of his siblings. Luther is the oldest of 12 kids. He said he's been attending the event for awhile. He knew and had played with several of the people who were framed in pictures on the wall. Throughout the night, previous musicians and patrons would come and speak to him and clearly had an affection for him. Luther use to pluck guitar, but due to a bad hand he now plays keyboard. He also owns a 1915 fiddle that's 5 years shy of being 100 years old. Luther and I treated each other to 25 cent coffees and exchanged comments about the bands throughout the evening.

Old Fort Mountain Music is a lot of fun for free. If you do get hungry or thirsty, fresh cake and pie is just 50 cents and soda and coffee are only 25 cents. You get to hear multiple bands ranging from the very novice to the very advanced. You can spend the entire evening comfortably sitting in a chair watching or dancing away on a dance floor in the corner that's always full. (Clogs not required.) Best of all, you can meet some really neat people, like Luther, and make some new friends in the process.

Bluegrass Music Jam

Last night my buddy Systemic and I attended the Bluegrass Music Jam in Marion, North Carolina. This is a weekly event that takes place every Thursday and runs all year long. Marion is about an hour's drive northeast of our starting point in Hendersonville. Mapquest.com gave me two options for getting to Marion. One was to take an out and back route that was primarily Interstate and was suppose to be slightly quicker, and the other was a direct shot that avoided the Interstates as much as possible and shot through the mountains. Since we still had a little daylight left at the start of our trip I opted for the mountain route in order to enjoy the scenery and experience the drive.

Initially, I wasn't disappointed at all. It was beautiful driving with wonderfully "local" scenery. As we continued the road became more and more curvy while simultaneously becoming more and more up and down. I realized this might not be easy on a passenger so I asked Systemic if he ever gets car sick. He gave me a short reply of, "yes" and I felt bad for even planting the seed of car sickness in his head in the first place. I soon noticed that he was becoming quieter and quieter and that his breathing was a little more labored and sporadic. As someone who suffers from occasional motion sickness myself I immediately knew the signs. I felt really bad for him and tried to smooth my driving as much as possible.

About a mile down the road I suddenly realized that I was feeling a bit nauseous as well. A bit nauseous soon turned into super nauseous. It's the first time in my life I've actually made myself car sick while driving. Before last night I would have said it wasn't possible. "Shit man. I'm feeling sick now too," I told Systemic. We both commented that we started the trip with really empty stomachs. The conversation died down considerably and I kept wondering if I would have to pull the car over for one or both of us to throw up. Fortunately we made it to Marion without having to do so, but we both still felt really ill (especially Systemic) as we tried to put some food in our stomachs.

After a quick dinner we went to the Historic Marion Depot where the event was taking place. The depot is an old train station that's been converted to a small community center. There was a sign outside letting us know we were in the right place, but we didn't see any other people besides a handful inside the building. It looked like the office of a community center with three people playing instruments in the corner and three guys sitting around a conference table watching. I could see through the window that there was an older guy playing guitar, a guy about my age playing banjo, and girl around my age playing violin. It was super casual and looked like something that just came together on the spot. Systemic and I entered the room and one of the older men observing the apparently impromptu gathering of musicians turned and sized me up..."Hey boy." I smiled, quietly said hello, and Systemic and I helped ourselves to two conference chairs.

It initially felt really awkward after our entrance. I really had to fight hard not to start laughing because of the awkwardness of the situation and I couldn't look Systemic in the face. You could tell that the three older men observing the musicians were a little uncomfortable both with our presence and the confidence with which we assumed that presence. The musicians carried on in what seemed like a casual practice rather than a performance, but they still sounded really good and I was enjoying being exposed to the Bluegrass in such a "local" setting. No one spoke to Systemic and I between songs and I didn't feel it was our place to interject into their "jam session" not knowing whether viewers were meant to stay silent or not.

About 30 minutes in the guitar and banjo started playing "Dueling Banjos". I turned to Systemic and whispered over the music that it would have been funny if this was the song they were playing when we first walked in. One of the old guys heard me and asked, "Do you boys play?" Suddenly no one was playing and all eyes were on us. We told them that we don't play and that we came over from Hendersonville. "Oh...okay...You realize the big band is next door?" I told them we had no idea, made some comment about how good they sounded and after an exchange of laughter from both sides I excused myself. Systemic decided to stay at this random thrown together practice session, but I wanted to see the main event that I had come for.

I went next door and entered a long room that was full of people with a band down front playing and singing into microphones. The crowd seemed entirely local and was composed of mostly older people with two younger males. One looked like a high school Tiger Woods and the other had down syndrome. Several of the older men had ponytails. There was a small dance floor in front of the band where people danced in a style that was unique to the gathering. I would be comfortable joining them, but my "club" dancing would stand out just a little. It was like a combination of club dancing with very low-key clogging. Several of the women and a couple of the men had clogs on their shoes and you could hear the random "clicking" and "clacking" all around you as people walked about. I didn't see any open chairs so I had to stand in the back.

Eventually a chair opened up and I went and sat next to an elderly couple. "I haven't seen you here before," the lady commented. I told her it was my first time and asked about the band. She said they were called Common Ground. From my seat in the crowd I sat tapping my foot, thoroughly enjoying the atmosphere and realizing I was experiencing something special. The locals probably just think of it as a good time and a staple of the area, but this event was "local" and "cultural". I felt blessed to be a part of it.

After awhile I returned next door to join Systemic at the practice session. We stayed until everyone had left next door and the musicians from the Bluegrass Music Jam came in to pack up their instruments. One of the guitar players joined the three that had been practicing. Turns out he can play a little fiddle too.

After a while longer Systemic and I excused ourselves and bumped into one of Common Ground's guitar players / singers outside. I asked him how often they play the venue and he told us they were the house band and play every week unless another band shows up in which case they split time with them. Band member Mike Ennis went on to tell us about the band and some of the venues they play. He told us there's also a Common Ground that plays out of South Carolina so there's Common Ground: North Carolina and Common Ground: South Carolina.

For the drive home we decided to go the same way we had come in hopes that our stomachs would fare a little better with some food in them. I even stopped and got a chocolate shake from McDonalds just to fill mine up a little more. We both got sick again on the drive home and I almost ran over someone's Collie. The car sickness was totally worth it though. The Bluegrass Music Jam was an awesome experience and I hope to go back again sometime and introduce some of my friends and family to it.

World Hum

World Hum is an online magazine of sorts that describes itself as "the best travel stories on the Internet". I tend to think of it as an online travel writing hub. If you're interested in checking it out click on the following link:


World Hum - http://worldhum.com


It's such a good source of stories and info, though, I hope you won't forget your ol' boy Mateo back here at The Mateo Chronicles. I'm going to have a lot more to share as I continue vagabonding North Carolina and elsewhere. Hell...as far as I see it, we haven't even started yet.

Sites for Guidebooks

I'd like to share several websites where one can find the entire catalog of available titles from respected guidebook publishers. I've chosen to list them alphabetically rather than in order of personal preference. I'm not actually sure that I could put them in preferential order as that would change circumstantially each time based on my intended destination. This list should serve, though, as a great starting place and an excellent grab bag to choose from when you're trying to find a guidebook that will work for you.


Bradt Travel Guides: www.bradt-travelguides.com
Footprint Handbooks: www.footprintbooks.com
Let's Go Publications: www.letsgo.com
Lonely Planet Publications: www.lonelyplanet.com
Moon Handbooks: www.moon.com
Not For Tourists: www.notfortourists.com
Rick Steves: www.ricksteves.com
Rough Guides Travel: travel.roughguides.com
Travelers' Tales: www.travelerstales.com


More often than not, you can find these books at Amazon.com, and in many cases you'll have the option to "Look Inside". Purchasing through Amazon also means you can generally find your title at reduced prices. The nice thing about going to the above websites, though, is that you can see the entire catalog of a particular company's books, all in one place. Once you find a title that you're interested in you can go to Amazon to "Look Inside" and compare prices.

My most recent purchase (at a local bookstore) was Moon Handbooks: North Carolina. This purchase is only several days old.

If you have a favorite guidebook from the list above, or from a company that I failed to mention, drop a comment and let us know about it. How about a great traveling story or debacle involving a particular guidebook?

Happy reading and happy traveling!

The traveling bigot?

Is there such a thing as a traveling bigot? One of my favorite authors, Mark Twain, doesn't think so.

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, narrow-mindedness, all foes of real understanding. Likewise tolerance, or broad wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime. -Mark Twain

I would offer, though, that there are a few exceptions:


BIG BUCKS BUSINESS MAN
This traveler arrives in style and immediately travels that way to his 5-star hotel. He can tell you the best hotels of every country along with the intricate customs of their boardrooms. His idea of experiencing a culture is to see what's on TV and order a local prostitute. His trip is all about business, money, and luxury. He gets in, achieves his goal, and gets out. He's been to many places throughout the world, but the only thing that's changed about him is his portfolio. Like a man who eats only cotton candy, he feels full and well-fed from his travels, but has missed all his nutrients. "I," he will tell you, "know how to travel".

Exception: The business person who loves travel and sees business trips as a way to experience new places. While the main purpose of the trip is business, this person takes every opportunity they get to truly explore their destination. Lets call this person the "vagabonder with a briefcase".


BRING THE PAIN SOLDIER
This traveler takes all his prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness into battle, and on the road, with him. The horrors of war feed these negative aspects of his personality and they grow worse. He believes his country to be the only one with any redeeming value. Everyone else is just a camel jockey, gook, infidel, etc. He returns home damaged and more bigoted than before he left. He traveled not to discover the world, but to confront and defeat it.

Exception: All the wonderful men and women who serve their countries out of patriotism and loyalty. Their motivation is to protect freedom and their fellow citizens. They serve because it's necessary and honorable, but they still consider themselves world citizens.


THE CLOSED-MINDED CRUSADER
This traveler seeks to save (or destroy) all the wretched, vile, non-believers of the world. He looks down on everyone, everywhere he goes. He believes the locals have so much to learn from him, while he has nothing to learn from them. He is there to espouse doctrine and for no other reason. He's willing to rough it and get hands-on with the locals, but he in no way respects them as equals. No amount of contact will ever change this. He's traveling like the best, but learning nothing in the process.

Exception: All the wonderful missionaries sharing their Truth in peace and love. They learn and teach in a healthy cultural exchange. Lets call them "spiritual vagabonders".


THE INTERNATIONAL FRAT BOY
This traveler thinks the world is a giant frat party. The main purpose of the trip is drinking, drugs, and sex. Everything else is just periphery. Often times a student, or of student age, they can blend in well with other travelers. The difference? They aren't learning or growing. They might have left with that intention, but they're overcome by the urge to join the party and never stop. They can tell some great stories and relay a little cultural information, but they come home the same person who left.

Exception: Serious students studying abroad or traveling for the right reasons. Lets call them "university vagabonders". Also, those vagabonders who keep their drinking and sex in moderation and enjoy it responsibly on the periphery.


BUBBLE BOY
This person travels, but never gets out of their comfort zone. They might walk the streets, but it's as though they're in a bubble. They don't touch the culture and the culture doesn't touch them. They eat at McDonald's and all the places of home. They listen incessantly to their Ipod which plays all their music from home and spend most of their time online talking to friends from back home.

Exception: Every traveler who boldly steps outside of their bubble and leaves it behind.


So while Mark Twain's quote is a great one, remember that there are exceptions. Look for them while your on the road and see if you can spot them. Most importantly, make sure that you don't become one yourself.

Japan on a Budget

A lot of people assume that Japan is an extremely expensive place to travel to, and it certainly can be if one doesn't take care to cut costs as necessary according to their budget. Like any major world city, Japan can drain your finances in a week or house you comfortably for an extended period based on your lifestyle choices and the way you spend that precious Yen. I was able to live comfortably in Tokyo for four months without a job and still return to the States with money in savings. I won't go into all the details as to the exact way that I was able to do that, as that would be a longer, more detailed post than I plan to write at the moment, but I'd like to share a link to an article by Denise Tench titled, "11 Ways to Save Big on a Trip to Japan".


11 Ways to Save Big on a Trip to Japan


There are lots of other tips and methods for making your trip to Japan affordable, but those are just a handful to get you started. When you're ready to actually start planning your trip I would definitely encourage you to get in touch with someone who has been there, or better yet lived there, who can provide you with more detailed and specific information that will be helpful.

Japan is an incredible place that's full of interesting and wonderful people. It can be both accessible and affordable to the determined and well-informed traveler. It can also be an addictive place that never quite leaves a person once they've experienced it.

Continuing Education

Most people have trouble understanding the mindset of a 30 year old male who is more interested in traveling the world than finding a wife, securing a "great" job, buying a house, and starting a family. To reconcile this lack of understanding with the human need to categorize the vast majority will label said 30 year old as "lazy", "aimless", "confused", "irresponsible", "selfish", "misguided", or any other number of negative titles. I would offer, however, that it's quite the opposite, and that our subject is responding to a very personal calling. A calling that, not too unlike the ministry, is certainly not for everyone, but can lead those called to a deeper understanding of their subject and a new level of enlightenment. In this case, that subject is the world and its inhabitants. Also, much like the calling to the ministry, it demands a certain amount of sacrifice in order to live within its blessing. And when people don't understand a calling, they certainly won't understand the sacrifice. But what a blessing to gain a deeper understanding and reach a new level of enlightenment concerning the world and its inhabitants!

The discoveries that come with travel have long been considered the purest form of education a person can acquire. -Rolf Potts

Author, Rolf Potts, refers to this calling as "vagabonding", which is how I too shall refer to it from now on. I've had the vagabonding spirit ever since I saw "Big Bird Goes to China" as a small child. I went on to dabble in it throughout my life including a stint in Spain along with many other trips throughout America and the world. I didn't completely answer the calling until age 25 when I retired and moved to L.A. That's right. My name is Mateo and I'm a vagabonder.

The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page. -Saint Augustine

Vagabonding is a form of continuing, or continual, education. Right now, I'm not living in North Carolina so much as vagabonding here. There is a difference. If you stick with me in 2011 and beyond, what I mean by that will become more clear. I plan to focus heavily on vagabonding and the vagabonding lifestyle. For now, I will leave you with one more quote from Rolf Potts that might shine some more light on the difference I just mentioned.

You don't stand to grow much from your travels if you just skim your way through the world at random. -Rolf Potts

Knock knock.

(knock knock)

2011: Who is it?

MateoChronicles: Mateo.

2011: ...yes?

MateoChronicles: Open up before I kick this door down.

2011: ...excuse me?

MateoChronicles: It's Mateo. Open up.





Hello 2011. It's a new decade. The 30's. The foundation's been laid, and now it's time to start building. Stay tuned.