Greg’s Happenings by Greg Kristapovich
If you missed the Mother Lode Fair last weekend, what can I say? Even with sweltering triple digits, the Fair was fun – awesome, in fact! Indeed, the buildings were nice and cool inside; the beer and other drinks, cold!! And there was literally something for everyone! It all came to an explosive finale Sunday when a very talented 16 year old female from Sonora High won the “Mother Lode Has Talent” Contest, Rick Roberts (featured in last week’s SMT) won the Destruction Derby and guitarist/singer Shane Dwight put on a tour-de-force blues/rock performance on the main stage! There was soooo much action, I could go on forever about the Fair, but we do have to print other columns and some ads. So, I’ll describe just a few of the highlights, from my hippy dippy perspective.
The Reptile Show, staged by Pacific Animal Productions, (coming all the way from Fallbrook, CA) was a hit! Many of their creatures scared me, but here was this young dude (Hunter Kronholm, 9, of Ponderosa Hills) holding a Giant Argentine Black and White Tegu! The Tegu looked like something from a science fiction movie! It was a 3½-foot lizard kind of thing; black with white spots – and forked tongue that it flicked ominously at you! Matt, the host, assured everyone that “Tommy” the Tegu was “as gentle as a kitten.” Tegus are found in the forest edge savannahs and adjacent rain forests of Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay. They’re omnivorous, but love to devour scrambled eggs and cat food!! They’re also among the most intelligent and highly adapted of all the lizards. The exhibit had several species of reptiles, including the Albino King Snake, which attacks and kills other snakes – including rattlesnakes! (The King Snake is immune to rattlesnake venom!) Yet, there was Layne Reed (9, of Sonora) holding and caressing this creature!!! Freaked me out!! I’ve got Ophidiophobia/Herpetophobia (fear of snakes/reptiles), according to my personal guru/psychoanalyst, Mahat.
The Mother Lode Has Talent Contest was great! “The talent here is just phenomenal!” exclaimed contest coordinator, Sandi Romena. In 3rd place was Mark Hesler, a computer repairman born in Ft. Worth, TX, Mark grew up in Dallas but has lived in the Mother Lode for a year. With his acoustic guitar, he performed an original song, a catchy little ditty called “My, My!” In 2nd place was Babs Crone, 17, a Sonora High student, and cosmetologist. The Mother Lode resident of nine years (born in Fairfield) performed a soulful rendition of “More Than Words”. 1st place went to 16 year-old Sonora High student Lauren Babros. The Sonora native sang her original song, “God, You Are!” a gospel song with a beat. “Last year, I wasn’t old enough to get into the Mother Lode Idol contest, so I’ve been waiting a long time to compete!” Lauren explained. Lauren won $100 as one of the three finalists, and $300 for winning the competition. This young lady also has sung the National Anthem at Twain Harte’s Memorial Day Celebrations!
There was the unbridled and brutal action in the Destruction Derby! Sonora native Rick Roberts won the $1,000 grand prize and a huge trophy. Using his “U2” station wagon to bludgeon and batter the competition, Rick won his third Mother Lode Fair Derby championship! More about this derby driver extraordinaire next week!
When it’s sizzling outside, one of my survival tactics is to step into a cool place for a while, like Mark Twain St. Joseph Thrift Shop (MTSJ) on S. Main Street in Angels Camp. Their cold water cooler is always full and they’ve always got lots of hidden treasures in their shop. I was not at all surprised to see them mentioned in AAA’s July/August issue of Via. On page 18 is an article called “On the Road…Readers’ Favorite Thrift Shops Worth a Detour”! I, myself, have found so many intriguing, fascinating and groovy things there! But currently, I’m checking ALL the thrift shops (and yard sales)…for Michael Jackson records. I am mourning The King of Pop’s passing, but that does not mean I can’t search for some of his most collectable albums! I was looking in my price guides and check it out: In 1984, Motown released Michael’s “14 Greatest Hits.” It was a picture disc LP, with a poster AND a glove included! Before Michael’s death, this package was going for $30 to $50, depending on condition. Now there are now reports that it’s going for anywhere from $300 to $1,000!!! UNBELIEVABLE!
Now, let me announce the First Annual “Remembering Mountain Aire Sweepstakes!” To enter, all you need to do is mail a photo taken at a Mountain Aire concert. Send it to Greg Kristapovich c/o Sierra Mountain Times, 18711 Tiffeni Dr. Suite 18, Twain Harte, CA 95383. For every photo (with a description) you send (or hand-deliver) I’ll enter your name into the sweepstakes! So I can get back to you if you win, please include a “contact phone number.”Grand prize: a brand spankin’ new record player – plus seven albums by artists who actually appeared at Mountain Aire! Dig it! Drawing will be held on Labor Day, so dig up all those old photos!
GROOVY HAPPENINGS: Long Barn Lodge on Hwy 108 has just opened the Mother Lode’s NEWEST roller skating ring!! July 3rd, Double Action will provide some good western music in Courthouse Park (downtown Sonora), starting at 6 pm. FREE admission! It’s part of the continuing Music in The Park Series! The FREE Movies in the Pines (in Twain Harte’s Eproson Park) will show Indiana Jones:” Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” July 3rd. Starts at dusk. July 4th, Brad Wilson will be “Rockin’ the Blues” at Eproson Park. 6 p.m. FREE admission! Magali’s Mexican Restaurant and Bar (126 S. Washington Street, Downtown Sonora) plans a “Red, White and Blue Party” Friday night, July 3rd. It’ll be Hip Hop Mashups and Top 40, with DJ ACE in the mix, and the opening set by DJ Danny Boy! There’ll be a $100 cash prize in their “Hot Body Contest” and you’ll be entered into their $50 raffle drawing upon entering! ($5 cover.) But check this out: ladies get in FREE ‘till 11 p.m., and if you’re on the “Free Guest List”, you get in FREE ‘till 10! To get on their “Free Guest List”, email your request to SEVIN@GMAIL.COM, or MYSPACE.COM/SEVIN209, or call (209) 352-4774. LAST MINUTE REMINDER: Plan B, Calaveras County’s favorite band is appearing at Murphys Nugget Bar, July 3rd. Check ‘em out! They’re awesome! Lake Tulloch Resort says you should “get ready to party ALL DAY AND NIGHT” at their place July 4th! Plan B will be appearing “Live at the Lube Room” July 5th! That bar is having their “2009 Summer Music Series Overlooking the Horseshoe Pit and Breath-taking Dorrington Meadow in Downtown Dorrington! 21 and over, please. And DON’T FORGET: The next Twain Harte Nights celebration is July 9th!!!
And, now, An SMT/Greg’s Happenings exclusive: excerpts from the award-winning 2009 Sarsaparilla Jingle, (composed–and performed by Maria Carillo of Murphys, at the 1st Annual Columbia Sarsaparilla Roundup (festival.):
If yer feelin’ hot and dizzy, If life has got you in a tizzy, if you need something cold and fizzy, say “Sarsaparilla, please!” It’s icy cold…the bottle’s sweaty, we’ll open one when you are ready, you’ll feel as rich as J. Paul Getty, say “Sarsaparilla, please!” The settlers came to mine for gold, but they found something more, I’m told, the true prize of the Mother Lode, say “Sarsaparilla, please!” CHORUS: Columbia Soda Works, that’s where all the magic lurks, they make it here, but it’s not beer, its “Sarsaparilla, please!” The judges in the jingle contest had a tough job, and in the end, Maria ratings actually tied with Cactus Bob’s jingle; but Maria won via a coin toss. Maria, holding her prize, a genuine gold nugget, (see photo), admitted she was amazed that she won, but she was quickly forming her plans. “I guess I’ll be looking towards the Grammys!” she revealed. There must be something in that Sarsaparilla! Anyway, it’s 105 degrees as I type my column! Please excuse me. I’m heading to Columbia for a cold bottle of Sarsaparilla! See ya!
