3 Day Trip to Canberra

The trip had two aims:

1) Ride to Canberra and attend a master Guitar class with Bob Brozman prior to the National Folk Festival (NFF).

2) Catch up with people I have met at the National Folk Festival over the years.

Day One

Left around 11:00 and headed towards Cann River.

The people who look after the roads today must have been having a festival themselves, there where at least six roadworks sections between Churchill and Nowa Nowa, some being exceedingly slow.

Stopped at Cann River for lunch at 2:30. I rang the Tower Restaurant in Canberra and booked a table for tonight. I'm not missing out this time.

Left at 2:45 and continued to Canberra. The weather had been overcast and gradually cleared so by the time I reached Bombala there was a nearly a cloudless sky. Wonderful!

Arrived at Canberra at 6:00 and spent about 20 minutes filling up with petrol. The Mobil station had 8 rows of pumps and at least two cars in line at each bowser. There was only one person at the desk and of course EFTPOS takes time. The queue was nearly out the door. The traffic lights at intersections in the CBD aren't synchronised so you ended up stopping at every intersection and in peak hour, well lets just say it was slow going.

Stayed at the Canberra City Gateway Motel again. Unloaded the gear and headed off for the Tower restaurant at the Telstra Tower. There is a sign in the car park that informs you that security systems in cars may not function because of the high level of electromagnetic radiation. Sure enough, I couldn't turn on the security system for the bike until I had the transmitter very close to the front of the tank.
As I walked into the building, the security staff wanted to check out the guitar that I was carrying in a backpack. As it turned out one of them was a guitarist himself and was only too pleased to look after my guitar, jacket and helmet while I was at the restaurant.
When I came through after Tamworth, there wasn't a seat to be booked, this time there was perhaps 12 people. At the first table that was occupied was a young couple that were kissing. By the time I was noticed by the staff, the male was on his knees in what looked like a proposition stance, very romantic with the moon just rising over the hills in the background. I was escorted about a dozen tables in front of the romantic couple and had to listen to the trials and tribulations of a table of six behind me that skied in Switzerland and were doing things oh so tough.

I had soup, damper, steak and a Bourbon and Coke for $55. The restaurant had nearly made one revolution in all the time I was there.

Back to the Hotel and went to sleep, long day.

Day Two

Up at 8:00 and had breakfast at the hotel.

Drove out Cotter way (Mt Stromlo) and was amazed at the openness of the place. All of the pine plantations are gone, only cleared fields, you would never have known they were there. Those bushfires rally must have been bad last year.

Rode the the NFF which is held at the EPIC (Exhibition Centre In Canberra). Since the Festival proper doesn't start until tonight, all of the ticket booths are closed. I parked my bike close the main gates and tried to get an officials attention. Easier said then done as I waited about 10 minutes before I was approached. I had a ticket to enter the festival and gave it to an official who knew about the classes and told me to park my bike in front of a fence next to the the gates. By the time I'd moved the bike and chained it to the fence, the official had disappeared and I had to wait another 10 minutes before being asked if I need assistance. Fortunately, this time it was a man who had a list of the attendees for todays Master Class. I pointed out my name and he ticked and highlighted the name and told me to make my way to the restaurant.

I was the first person there. The class was supposed to start at 10:00, but that didn't happen until 10:15 when Bob Brozman showed up and organised us. There was about 20 of us and I quickly recognised that I was the odd one out. I was the only person playing lap-style, all of the others, including Bob Brozman were playing bottle neck style.

The first hour and a half was dedicated to rhythm. No guitars involved, just a lot of clapping, foot stomping, walking and knee slapping. Then we got into a bit of guitar playing. Then I recognised something else. The official documentation from the NFF stressed that this was a an intermediate level class. How does a participant that can't tune their guitar get into this class?

I was a trifle annoyed when an official showed up and told me I had to move my bike as it was obstructing someone. Huh? I parked the bike where I was told to! I walked to the gate and found three people just about climbing all over the bike. They were fitting what looked like shade mesh over the gates and fence to stop people looking into the festival site from the main road and the bike was in the way. I moved the bike a few metres and locked it to a concrete pillar. An official comes up to me and tells me that I can have a vehicle pass that enables me to park onsite. Wonderful! Why wasn't I told this in the first place?

As usual I'd forgotten one thing. This time I'd left my plectrums at the Motel. I managed to borrow one from another attendee, so that saw me through. When lunch was called, I made my way back to the Motel and collected the two plectrums I'd left behind. Had McDonalds for lunch. Not great, but quick and easy.

The afternoon involved playing in different keys and playing 'Fake Arabian' scales. Bob seemed to think that was important in these troubled times. The exercise was for each of us to take turns at improvising 8 bars while the rest of the group kept the rhythm. Bob surprised me by pointing to me first. After a false start I came up with the required 8 bars. Challenging stuff.

Bob noticed my abilities and included me in examples to the rest of the class. With Bob and Skip Sail demonstrating rhythm techniques, I ended up playing solo twice that afternoon.

About 4:00, an official showed up and told Bob that there is a tradition of Master Musicians putting together a little show, so that we can perform in front of an audience. Bob didn't seem to know about this obligation and quickly responded that we, the class, wouldn't be participating. Bobs reasoning is that it was of more benefit to us to learn tips and tricks than to just learn a few songs roughly for public performance. That makes sense to me.

We played through until 5:00, which was the official end of the class. Bob spent a few minutes showing me a few lap style techniques. We'd really run out of time and the venue was being set up for the official start party. We were 'In the way!'

Had dinner at Montezoumas in the CBD. I found a legal place to park my bike (free too) and chained the back tyre to a light pole. Had a wonderful Nachos with Chile Con Carne. I was lucky enough to have the last free table in the restaurant.

Back to the festival and took in the opening concert.

After a few hours, I moved along to the 'jamming area' and caught up with a few members of the Gippsland Acoustic Music Club. Further on I found a Bluegrass jam in progress and was invited into the playing circle. I ended up staying about two hours and had sore fingers to prove it. I had the people around singing to "You Are My Sunshine" and "Eagle Rock". Now where did all the Bluegrass players go? Good to catch up with people you only see a couple of times a year.

Back to the Motel and crashed at 1:00 am.

Day Three

Had breakfast at 8:30 and paid the bill.

Back to the NFF to attend a concert that Bob Brozman was advertised to perform at. I was in my leather jeans, carrying the guitar on my back and the jacket, helmet and bike bag in my hands. Yup, I was hot and bothered by the time I reached the venue. I'd put down my gear in the corner and was just in time to hear the MC announce that Bob Brozmans's group wouldn't be participating in proceedings. He shrugged with his shoulders and moved on. Seems that's not the done thing. Seems to me that Bob, Skip Sail and I could have put something together, but I guess that excludes the rest of the class. Maybe Bob was right.

That was it for me, time to hit the road.

Set off for home around 11:00 and had lunch at Cooma. McDonalds again. Seems there is a Honda GoldWing function on and sure enough they were everywhere.

The closer I got to home the colder it got. By the time I reached Bairnsdale I just had to put in the jacket liner.

An interesting three days.

Notes: For an Easter trip I was surprised at how few police I saw on the road and how well the road users were sticking to the speed limit. Sure, there were a few yahoo's, but not many.