Fast Eddie (RIP)

While I didn't know Fast Eddie very well, he was a staple at the gatherings in the 1990's when I started plugging into what was going on and where.  Fast Eddie was old A-Camp, Wrecking Crew and worked hard for and at the gathering. Some of what he did I loved, some not so much. I will always remember Fast Eddie in the Southern California desert raising a ruckus with other characters (who shall remain nameless) and stamping our little regional with some sense of history.

Classic Fast Eddie

For more info on Fast Eddie, click here and if you FaceBook, click here.

Safe journeys brother. Happy trails.  Enjoy what ever comes next with the same gusto you enjoyed this life.


A Memorial for Fast Eddie will be held at Tilson's Funeral Home at 46 Williams Street in Whitehall, New York. There will be viewing and commemoration all day on Sunday, August 3rd and a service and interment from 9-11 am on Monday, August 4th. Please pass this info to anyone who knew him who is in that Upper Hudson Valley area. Peace on?.

Clean Up Is Done

Updated 8/8/14

Most of the cleanup crew pulled out around July 22.  A few last things have were taken care of by the end of cleanup - cleanup crew around July 28 . 

A few people are trying to get a copy of the USFS sign off letter / memo or whatever it turns out to be.

As of July 31, the last 2 cars were removed from the forest and towed into town.

My heartfelt thanks go out to the cleanup crew, Magic Bowl Bob, and everyone who stuck with this to the very end.

For Fox News coverage on the cleanup:

Food for thought

The Atheist Blogroll has an interesting reflection from a local from Utah.  Read it and see what you think.

Missing Person Alexander (Alex) Scouten - FOUND

Alex Scouten is 18 years old, dirty blonde hair, blue eyes.  About 5'8", about 125 lbs.  His mother last heard from him on June 29 while he was on the greyhound bus approaching Salt Lake City. All we need him to do is call his mom or his friends and let them know he is OK. No questions asked. 

Alex was found in Oregon.   

Missing Person Autumn/Alex - FOUND

Updated 7/21/14 @ 9PM California Time.   Autumn was hard at working with cleanup crew.  She just forgot to call her mom and say I'm staying for cleanup.


We are missing Autumn Storm / Alex Dowless - an at risk missing person due to her lifestyle.

A few thoughts after the gathering

Thank you family for renewing my faith in our gatherings, for all the helping hands offered along the path, for the amazing and abundant food, for the way family came together to honor the passing of our family. 

Everywhere I turned my gaze, family was busy creating a beautiful and amazing gathering with abundant filtered water to keep us hydrated.  Along the trail, musicians of all ages shared their heart songs with guitars, fiddles, saxophones, drums, and vocal cords.  Children's laughter rang out all day.

Near the upper meadow, yogis held space, grounding the energy of all of us. In the upper meadow, workshops by the dozen took place and the healing energy was strong. In the lower meadow, gatherers of all shapes, sizes, ages, and colors gathered to share food, oms, dancing, and song.

Main council happened on July 1, 2, 3,  and 5 and perhaps it continued on July 6 as well. Younger and older family, earlies and first time gatherers and those of us in between sat in council together sharing thoughts, issues, heart songs, and visions for the future. 

Our tireless shuttles drivers helped family shorten the distance into our heart center and our amazing parking crew welcomed family home in a positive manner. A huge thanks to long time family who held space at the Front Gate in a loving and peaceful manner.

Least anyone think all is perfect, we had our share of issues and I'm certain they will be talked about for some time. Using words or music to express our frustration is always a better choice than using large wooden sticks or fists.  Serving food at dinner circle that includes dead animals and/or dairy products leaves our family who don't eat such things hungry and disrespected.

Some of our family still have unresolved legal issues due to the over zealousness of the United States Forest Service Law Enforcement officers and the Wasatch County Sheriff's department. Rest assured I will be trying to obtain statistics on arrests, citation, tickets and other issues.  But really family, I've been telling ya'all to have legal drivers, legal vehicles and insurance until I'm blue in the face so forgive me if I don't see the tragedy in your car being impounded due to lack of insurance. 

A huge thanks to family who helped us find this beautiful home.  The people of Utah are amazing. They came out by the hundreds if not thousands and were thankful to have this amazing gathering in their back yards. The civilian folks I and others met in Heber City were kind, loving, and welcoming people despite their elected officials fear mongering.

The thought that was running through my head the entire gathering was we survived the dark ages and we are back as amazing as ever. Thank you family!

For those of you interested in what the media had to say, try this articles:

Salt Lake City Tribune

Utah Public Radio

Minneapolis Star Tribune

Tim Bear RIP

I have mentioned Tim Bear in other posts when I've written about clean water. He was one of the early proponents of sanitary and hands free dish wash stations. 

Along with his kitchen, Musical Veggies, he was concerned about all of us staying health and washing our dishes without getting the germs of other people's dishes on our hands or our dishes.

Musical Veggies Hand Wash Station Idaho 2001

Some people who gather leave a long and lasting visible mark on the gathering.  Hands free dish wash stations and the subsequent hands free hand wash stations are one such gathering staple now thanks to Tim Bear and the rest of his crew. Every time you wash your dish at a statioin like the one pictured here, remember those who have gone before and manifested wisdom in such a down to earth manner.

Tim Bear died at home this year of natural causes -- a fitting place to pass for one who had given so much to this family and this gathering.

A lovely celebration of life/memorial was held for Tim Bear at the gathering.

Safe journeys and happy trails Tim Bear.  We'll gather again together some day!

Vision Council Consensus

"On July 8, at Vision Council on the land at the 2014 Utah Rainbow Gathering, consensus was reached that the 44th annual rainbow gathering of the tribes will be in New England, Lake Michigan Area, or South Dakota." (The consensed areas include Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, and South Dakota.)

To view the 2015 blog, click here.