I was invited to the Sierra Vista Gathering again this year. It is so nice to attend these gatherings when you ket to stay with a local family. Last year I stayed with Mark and Bettye, this year with Lynne and Jack Ainsworth. I spent the first day doing a couple of shows for one of the local schools. While there, I did an unscientific poll by asking several people who live in the area, some were simply attending the gathering as audience, a couple lived out of the city. Some I didn't ask where they lived. My question was simply: Do you think we need a wall at our southern border. Every one that I asked said Yes.  

I attended the annual convention and awards show for what is now known as the INTERNATIONAL WESTERN MUSIC ASSOCIATION, in Albuquerque, NM.  It was the usual good time that also offers many clinics. I hosted one on for the Western Wordsmiths Chapter. There were workshops on song writing, short story writing and many others . I attended one , also sponsored by the Western Wordsmiths and hosted by Sam Deleeuw. There are several contests: harmony singing, harmony yodeling, some for adults, others for those under 18. The yodeling contest is divided by gender and age. In 2003, the first year I was aware of the IWMA, the event was held in Kansas and I won the Male Championship, I won it again in 2010 and this year, 2018 as well.  That turns out to average a win every 7 1/2 years. Catherine and I figure winning it three times is about enough, but I'm thinking I might try to keep the string going and compete again in 2015. I'll only be 82, so should be able to take a shot at it. 

We made it back from Albuquerque safe and sound after a short trip to   Phoenix to visit some friends the we went on to the Grand Canyon, which is as grand as they say. We headed home from there and ran into snow just North of Mesa. The road was bare for a ways, then dry, then snow flurries, and that kept up for quite a while. Before we got to Vail we started noticing signs along the highway said chains were required over Vail Pass. When we got there, Vail Pass was closed. We waited a couple of hours and heard it was open, but by the time we got in line it was closed again. We waited in a covered parking area for another hour when the road was opened again. Catherine was driving. The road wasn't terrible, but the drivers were and there were a few trucks whose drivers decided they didn't need chains and were stuck in various positions along the road. When we got to the bottom, I nearly had to pry Catherine's hands off the steering wheel with a tire iron. The road from there to Eisenhower tunnel were snow packed and when we got through the tunnel the roads got progressively better.

We initially figured we would be home by 6:00 or 6:30, but it was midnight before we made it, but make it we did. 

I'm still working on GHOST BEAR, The Trail(#2), but having a difficult time. I hope that means it will be especially good by the time it's done.  

I finally rejoined the Western Writers of America. I joined  in June initially, but the paper work got lost. Candy Moulton and Rochelle (Rocky) Gibbons went out of their way to get it straightened up.