Meadow Muffin XXXIII, a yearly celebration on Memorial Day Weekend, at the Browns Valley Aerodrome above Marysville, below Collins Lake and the Feather River. The Cavepainters, Matt, Rick, Laurie, Steve, Barry, John, Ed, played Sunday afternoon, May 25, 2008.

This is me by the creek, wearing the commemorative shirt, 33rd anniversary edition. Though not every year had Muffins, all the years since 1975 were still counted. And here’s Steve.

Monday morning we headed out Hiway 120 to Benton Hot Springs in the Rain-and stayed at the Inn. Then through Chidago Canyon–a stop to check out the petroglyphs, and sublime cool winds from a storm over the White Mountains.

After stopping in Panamint to buy a bottle of wine at an exorbitant outpost price, we camped in Snow Canyon, where a short way above our campsite Steve found a Puma carcass, well picked by local varmints.   There was no way through, so we headed back to Death Valley and on to Beatty for gas, maybe a hot dog lunch at Scotty’s Castle.

After gassing up in Beatty, we drove back through Death Valley and up Warm Springs Road. We enjoyed dips in the warm spring pool and spent the night at the Camp, foolishly cleaning the swimming pool and trying to divert water to it.  Mistake.

Up early and on the road to Striped Butte to check out the open cabins there, we turned around because of the impassable condition of the road to Goler Wash. It was scary hot, a little muggy after the storm, so back for a second night. Heading out the next morning through the Valley to Lone Pine, we camped that night near the the base of Whitney Portal, in a little canyon up George Creek .  .  .  where we saw a ghost.

The next day we went for our traditional last day breakfast of chicken fried steak in Lee Vining, then up over Tioga Pass, returning May 31 in time for the Ravines’ Webcast at Ex’Pressions, and to play Spud’s on Sunday June 1 w/ Arsene Kounde on crazy drums. More gigs and parties to come.