Anza is a little town up a steep hwy past boulders and tumble weeds in the high desert of Riverside County in California. In 2005 we ventured up the "hill" to the quaint but very beautiful little town. They enjoyed our show so much we were invited back again and May 16 was the day!
April of 2005 was the last month we used our 1999 Chevy Express Van (15 passenger) because we would buy or 2005 version of the same van that May. We have discovered these three years that the older van was "happier" hauling a trailer than the 05 was. That goes doubly so on hot days. May 15 of 2008 marks the first hot spell for 2008...in fact, to the dismay of Global Warmists ( a pseudo-religious group who believe man has the power to affect Global climate), it has been a very cool year. The heat and the hauling made the 05 Express van hit the warning zone on the gauges twice on the trip and three times that number we turned off the aircon and turned the heater on (turning the heater on acts like a second radiator to cool the engine water).
Of course that makes the trip a little less comfortable. Fortunately the little ones didn't complain. I've got great kids.
We left home base at 4:30 Am and drove the 10 hours smoothly (with the exception of the heating) and made the Hamilton High School Auditorium just as school let out. It was amazing to see so many kids in a town that from the hwy looks to small to have that many kids. I found out the biggest business in town is the Dairy Queen. i also found out that Anza is on a hiking trail that starts in Mexico and ends in Canada. Apparently hundreds make the trek and Anza is an Oasis for the hiking nuts (BTW I am a hiking nut too...you really have to be a nut to do these kinds of hikes...you also have to have some kind love of this land God created). In the earlier days the Marines would march from Camp Pendleton through Anza all the way into the San Diego Basin Area. Built stamina...and calluses.
We brought the van and trailer around back and loaded the 90 minute show in. While the big kids loaded the smaller two and I stayed out of their hair. After the load in we set up...even the small ones participate. But more often than not they are set down to draw. Dinner time rang in about then so the ate as well.
Though we perform similar shows (the same stunts, tricks, and routines) at almost every show tweaking them to fit the performance area, theme, and show type. Still every show is different. Made so by the condition of the performers (tired, well rested, etc) and the audience ( every town has it's personality). This audience broke itself up where the kids sat on the auditorium floor in front of the stage and the parent sat off to the sides. That meant the parent let there kids be rowdy if they wanted to be. It wasn't a major problem but I had to pretend Johny didn't say this or that "Mary" didn't do that. (It's a talent I have developed over the years...ignoring the ones who need ignoring.) Otherwise the crowd was awesome; spirited and happy. They responded well to the whole show.
Many people wonder how routines develop. Artists hate it when lesser performers watch their act then steal their material. We hate it because the development of a routine could take years of trial and error, years of testing bad ideas and good ideas until it becomes a masterpiece. The Great Larimay of Oregon stole a routine a do at fairs after watching our stage show two years in a row. One local Magician in my hometown brought a note-book to one of my shows and wrote down the stuff he liked. i mention all this because we tested a new idea last night in Anza that turned out to get a great reaction. Miles performs his Whip routine under the tongue-in-cheek name "Indian Miles". When I introduce him I build him up to be rather cool. Well, Miles also does strolling clown/balloon twister at fairs (you have to be flexible in show business). As a clown he rides a teeny tiny little bike. Well, we thought it would be fun if Miles rode out on the tiny bike after I introduced in a grandiose way. He rolled out honking the horn. It was hilarious.
Paking up went smoothly and we were off to our hotel in Temecula. The idea was to wake up early the next morning and drive back over the LA Nat'l forest mtns before it got too hot for the van. 4;30 was the goal but the goal was given up and a new one was set: 6:30AM. My wife wonders how I can get all the kids in bed, bathed and happy in 30 minutes. I tell her, I just tell them to do it and they do. (FEAR!) Likewise we were up at 6 and on the road by 6:30 (clean and farely well rested.) OK not entirely well rested. Princess Olivia had a bad night....which meant I had a bad night. A bought with a sour stomach left my bed unsleepable in and kept me up a couple fo hours. The plus part is there was a great Edward G Robinson movie on. I fell to sleep before it ended...bummer.
We beat the heat and in rare form we arrived home before dark.
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