ELOHIMFEST June 21st 2014 the official thread

[rdhopeca]

Ussusimiel is a hottie... but does he like pina coladas? and getting caught in the rain? Is he not into yoga? and does he have half a brain? Does he like making love at midnight? Cuz I'm pretty sure that's the stuff he grilled Cord Hurn about....

He's a fascinating conversationalist as well. But then I liked him for his brain, which is, indeed, fully formed.

[ussusimiel]

[Frostheart Grueburn]

Alas, he did run behind the nearmost cow in fright and did not even linger to rectify the "scandalous misinformation".

Frostheart, there are some beautiful places to hike where I live and I hope you may one day find your feet on these wonderful lands. I will send you some videos.

Thanks! Sorry I did not get around answering yet; one of the music videos was quite long and this week's been very cluttered. I hope to visit those as well! For my next visit to America, I'll have to arrange vacation time to Oct-Nov or during late winter; the combination of strong heat and my allergies exploding all over the place took their toll on me during the fest.

[ussusimiel]

I was going to wait and post more faces, but you guys are sharp, you get the picture.

As for the 'nighty incident', I think that Frosty (aka 'Softy') should hustle up and post 'the picture'! This may be a prerequisite to preventing cow-hiding and enabling Hibernian cafe visits

As for the 'cutie' stuff: man! I never knew that someone's accent could suddenly make them look better! Could you guys please inform mná na hÉireann (the womanhood of Ireland) of this fact, I have been persona non gratis with them for a number of years now

Shaun, as always, is spot on. I paid a small fortune in gems and precious metals for Tom Cruise's younger less talented brother, Donny, to be my stand in. His accent is good (which makes him look better) so he's now going to use it for everything. (Maybe he'll get a part in the remake of 'Far and Away' )

Io, I did think that you were going to melt during that walk; I think we used the the phrase 'mad dogs and Englishmen' at one point. Apologies once more for that. I hope your feet have recovered (The tea saga continues; I am currently drinking a cup brewed in a Cuisinart coffee-maker (yuck!) using creamer instead of milk )

We're in Winslow, Arizona (cue 'The Eagles') tonight after crossing over the Hoover Dam. Las Vulgas (as we have taken to calling it) was a trip! Woo man, is that place strange! I couldn't get over the huge branding of the Strip: McDonalds, Gucci, Reese's etc. That really surprised me. As for the rest, well I may have to do a long post in the 'Tank or the Close to do it justice. Let's just say that it met all my worst expectations and then some

We crossed the desert today without any fuel issues (ask lorin ). Our record temperature was 113ºF (45ºC) at Hoover Dam. We came through a thunder storm near Williams in Arizona and it was a real relief to get out of the car and feel rain on my face. You can take the cutie out of Ireland...

Back to Albuquerque tomorrow and the end of our roadtrip. I'm heading onto Toronto for a few days. It's been a blast and I'll do a longer post when I get back to Ireland to attempt to gather it all in.

u.

[Cord Hurn]

Ussusimiel is a hottie... but does he like pina coladas? and getting caught in the rain? Is he not into yoga? and does he have half a brain? Does he like making love at midnight? Cuz I'm pretty sure that's the stuff he grilled Cord Hurn about....

He's a truly great fellow, and his enthusiasm for talking about Covenant was contagious. (But Jenn, you're the hottie.) He just looked into my soul, like Hirebrand Baradakas of Soaring Woodhelven once did to Covenant, and concluded I wasn't going to destroy the Land.

[Iolanthe]

Io, I did think that you were going to melt during that walk; I think we used the the phrase 'mad dogs and Englishmen' at one point. Apologies once more for that. I hope your feet have recovered (The tea saga continues; I am currently drinking a cup brewed in a Cuisinart coffee-maker (yuck!) using creamer instead of milk )

u.

Yes, we did quote "Mad dogs and Englishmen" quite a lot. One heel is completely healed, the other still has a scab but is improving. The flip-flops aggravated the injury I received when I fell up the kerb opposite Danlo's house so I've bought yet another pair of shoes without backs or the bit between the toe (good excuse for more extravagance). No apologies needed. I thoroughly enjoyed ALL my time in ABQ etc.

Commiserations re tea. Next time I may purchase a small kettle. Americans must learn that boiling water should be poured onto a tea bag, and that cream in any guise is a definite no-no.

My envy at your extended trip is unlimited. Enjoy Toronto. Considering how much time I spent squashed up next to you in the back of the car we are now family. Love to both you and Lorin.

[Cord Hurn]

By the way, it was wonderful to meet you all (y'all), and special thanks to danlo and Lady Tam for being such exemplary hosts!

[Cord Hurn]

To Anne: you are an absolute dear to encounter in person, just as you come across as a sweet & kind person in your posts. It was a pleasure to meet you!

[Iolanthe]

Ussusimiel is a hottie... but does he like pina coladas? and getting caught in the rain? Is he not into yoga? and does he have half a brain? Does he like making love at midnight? Cuz I'm pretty sure that's the stuff he grilled Cord Hurn about....

He's a truly great fellow, and his enthusiasm for talking about Covenant was contagious. (But Jenn, you're the hottie.) He just looked into my soul, like Hirebrand Baradakas of Soaring Woodhelven once did to Covenant, and concluded I wasn't going to destroy the Land.

And you, sir, are a true Gentleman. I am so glad to have met you. I had forgotten about the "Pina Colada Song"! Didn't we laugh?

[Frostheart Grueburn]

I will post the nightmarish comparison (ack), when I get around upping the contents of the memory cards to the computer and spending more time by one. The return jet lag seems to have scampered away now, but had to begin a vigorous excercise program to soothe my cramping legs. (Sorry guys, just not used to so much sitting.) Will add 15+ km's to the accumulated 21 by hill- and swampwalking tomorrow, and hopefully then the muscles will shut up. Have to buy a new mosquito hat on the afternoon (oh the joys of summertime F-land)...

Enjoy the roadtrip and independence days!

Should we begin a Cord Hurn fanclub as well? Not only handsome, but he was possibly the most courteous person I had ever met.


Now, who was it I talked to about sitting in a café in Edinburgh and just listening to the accents of the locals with a foolish simper upon my face...

[Cord Hurn]

I had forgotten about the "Pina Colada Song"! Didn't we laugh?

Indeed we did, Iolanthe!

Spoiler

Jenn made sure to ask that question more than once, referencing the 1970s song about looking for "someone with similar interests", and I finally admitted those drinks were too sweet for me, and Jenn saying she didn't like the pineapple in them. It was funny hearing it repeated, all the same (I hadn't thought about that song in a very long time).

We laughed again when someone (danlo, I think) mentioned there are guys who drive trucks in this country with "balls" (fake rubber-looking testes) hanging from the rear bumpers to make themselves appear more manly and brave, and aliantha and Damelon instantly bring up pictures from their smart phones at the same instant to show us this audacious display! (Remember that? I've lived in the USA my whole life, and never saw such a thing before; I must have driven on all the right roads and skipped all the wrong towns!) I remember ussusimiel saying that men who have to put balls on the back of their trucks must not have any on themselves, and THAT set us all laughing once more!

And when u. was asking me about my & my sisters' education and goals, and Jenn asked if we needed to get a room, and I said "Only if you promise to come join us in awhile" and Lady Tam offered a high-five for that remark--another favorite moment that had me chuckling.

And I had another good laugh after I confessed I was worried about having annoyed SRD when I quickly babbled how inspiring and fun his books were, and he said "yeah, sure" in kind of a tired way--and Jenn made me feel MUCH better when she assured me I didn't annoy him (really, it seems he just tries not to be put on a pedestal, as near as I can tell, and is a really down-to-earth person, as far as I could see) and related how she once tried to tape an interview with SRD while her puppy Moose, who'd just discovered his sexuality, started getting horny with a toy while SRD was trying to answer her questions. That made me feel much better AND had me laughing hard! (And thanks also to u. as well as Jenn for reassuring me I wasn't being annoying to SRD, because I feel pure gratitude to the man for all the great stories he's done--wouldn't want to annoy him in the least.) Awesome story from Jenn that night that still makes me smile (I feel sorry for Moose's toy, though).

Anyway, a lot of good moments we had laughing my last night there, Iolanthe, for certain!

[I really DO like rdhopeca's saying about "What happens at E-fest stays at E-fest", but I do such a lousy job following it. If I've revealed too much here, any of the people in question can PM me and I'll delete the whole post. Or print it in the obscure language of the Old Lords. Or just deny the reality of everything, and say it was all just a dream.]

[peter]

I'm an innocent little Victorian maiden and have no idea of what you are accusing me.

I hope he'll not scream and flee behind the next cow in fright when I divulge info about having just booked flights to Ireland for late August, after I've done some backpacking in Austria. It was #1 item on my list of return countries anyway; I want to poke around some of the fascinating Neolithic sites a wee bit more. Perhaps u. will at least go for a cup of coffee?

Frosty, where is this photo taken? I live 20[?] miles from a place that could be [but I don't think is] this place - but the similarities are almost scarily uncanny, from the surrounding terrain to - well - evereything!

[Frostheart Grueburn]

Frosty, where is this photo taken? I live 20[?] miles from a place that could be [but I don't think is] this place - but the similarities are almost scarily uncanny, from the surrounding terrain to - well - evereything!

Carrowkeel, near Sligo in Ireland. Lonely hills teeming with sheep. I crawled in there...

[peter]

Yes - that would figure Frosty. The place I was 'seeing' was Bodmin Moor in the West of England; very, very similar terrain with much neolithic presence to be found. We have an almost identical cave, but lived in during the 17C. by a philosopher hermit called Daniel Gumb. If you crawl into his cave you can see the astrological symbols he carved into the stone roof. I think I know how he felt .

[lorin]

Ahhhhh, where to start, where to start. It's Friday morning here in Winslow and we are headed back to Albuquerque to top off this road trip with a 4th of July party at Danlo and Lady T's home. I can't sleep and figured now is the time to catch up on the pics. There are hundreds and hundreds but here are a few. When last I left you we were sitting on the hump of the Continental Divide.

On the way to Colorado Something Town when when I discovered that the NYC Freakout girl is still hidden in there somewhere. I have to admit I had some major and minor freak outs over these last almost three weeks. First really major one, which was on the Divide occurred while I was talking to Mike. I was looking away because of my ever increasing vertigo while he was looking over the ridge. I turned around and yep, .....he was gone. I was talking to empty space. Gone, gone, gone, . I was sure he fell off the edge. I was sure I was about to be banned from this site for losing a Watcher. I heard the voices....."we left you in charge of that there foreigner and you lost him!. But no, our Irish friend had gone to commune with a raccoon. Damn near killed me. So, there were several smaller freak outs along the road to somewhere town most having to do with height. One particular one I remember involved an unannounced decision that he was going to make a cliffside u-turn. I was sure he and I were going off the edge Thelma and Louise style.

Anyway, I went on Expedia and booked a room on the North Rim. I put in 'NORTH RIM' and expedia came up with three rooms 16 miles from the rim. Due to Mike issue with Ireland debit card zip codes we could not book it on line so I called the hotel and booked directly. I booked the cheapest which was not cheap then we headed off to the North Rim.

Came upon several herds of wild buffalo on the north rim.





Went to the canyon and it was just spectacular. Much more rugged than the south rim. Lots and lots of scary edges that u. seems to like to hang over.





walking the steep drop to Bright Angel Pass



Trails down the canyon.....yep he is hanging over the cliff to take the pic.


Waiting for the storm to pass.


Fire on the North rim in the early 2000's


refuge in the shade

So........our day on the Rim ends and we go to check in at our not so cheap North Rim hotel. But we can't find it. Anywhere. Come to find out yes, the hotel is 16 miles (as the crow flies) from the north rim but 4 hours drive. Yep - NY syle phone Freakout. So we end up staying at a place called Jacobs Lake Lodge. Turned out to be a Mormon training ground for pre-missionaries about to go out and seek the lord. Everyone was step ford wife nice and I was terrified I was going to be kidnapped during the night and forced to convert. Stayed in a cabin with no 'amenities' i.e. AC, cable, Wifi, phones, . Surprisingly the princess stayed calm, cool and collected.

Next day off across the desert to Las Vulgaris. Hot hot hot.







stay tuned for more...........

[Iolanthe]

Wonderful pictures Lorin. I can just picture U "hanging over the edge".

[Frostheart Grueburn]

Sooooo jealous.

And here's the blasphemy the doggone gourd insists on presenting to the earth entire. It was worse in reality; had that nighty incident re-enacted just before signing off. Originally I neither had an army green tee underneath nor did I attempt to hold my laughter. My rep is lost.



At least I didn't wear THIS. Would have been forced to call an ambulance to tend to a hyperventilating melon.



Go clear your heads with some proper Viking metal.

[Menolly]

[Iolanthe]

So that's what all the fuss was about!

[aliantha]

Your mother has a sick sense of humor, Frosty.

Cord Hurn, I was the one who mentioned the

Spoiler

faux cojones

and it was Damelon and Jenn who

Spoiler

immediately went to teh intarwebz on their phones to present you with the relevant images.

Just putting credit where credit is due. And yes, that whole conversation was hilarious.