Long shadows, with sun setting, makes everything more beautiful, more stunning. Is that why Battle Mountain beauty was? Is it just how life goes as we gather experience(s)? We all decide for ourselves.

Day 2 involved another long, high speed pull across open territory. There were no other similarities to Day 1. Beauty everywhere, from Wild Horse Nevada thru the Craters of the Moon in Idaho.

Having never seen nor heard of lava in Idaho, it looked brand fresh. I could not remember a Mt. St. Helens-like eruption in my lifetime. I could not remember hearing tell of one in the last century. But black fields and tufts and screaming structures of desolation for miles and miles stunned the senses. Turns out it was only 2-15 thousand years old.

2-15,000 years old. Much as I was feeling after the ride plus 5 Mules at the Braun Brothers Reunion. Micky and the Motorcars were terrific, but I (and McCovey) were out of gas….

I had arrived at Travis and Brenda Bullock’s extraordary Mile High Outfitters in Challis, ID at about 3pm. If you hunt or fish, Mile High is heaven. I don’t hunt and I don’t fish enough, but they treat their guests to wilderness expertise and hospitality experiences like no one EV-er. You could look it up.

Showered and headed to the 4pm show — Jerry Jeff Walker’s son, Django. History and talent collided to provide both entertainment and time travel. Django would wow us again (and again) on Day 4.

Returning to the Braun Brothers Reunion with family and dear friends was like coming home. Mike Gill and Linda P hung in and enjoyed music not quite their own and loved it. Donnie and Julie Bailey Radley made the trip from Sour Lake Texas with all the warmth, kindness and playfulness you can possibly pack into two people. And the Goodman, Rutledge and Shaw family folk played in the Red Dirt.

NORmally this youngster would hit the bars, chat with festival and musician friends while enjoying every connection. But I was overcooked and desperately tired, so I slept while Lynn carried the flag for two on Friday night. There were no arrests and no animals were harmed during the event.

More on our evening Olympics coverage, but it’s fair to say that Lynn leads in both total medals and in golds.