Runner cups and bobble heads

Levi and Chelsea spent the day yesterday throwing cups for the Uwharrie Mountain Run. We'll be making close to 500 pieces for the race, which takes place the first weekend in February.

Mary and I closed up the shop at 4:30 yesterday and headed to Chapel Hill to deliver 60 mugs to the TrailHeads, a running club, and then headed over to Tim Smith's for his annual New Year's Party. It was great to catch up with some people I hadn't seen for years. It was a great session with great tunes, a special presentation of the Scott Walker Bobble Head Award, great food, good stories and lots of liquid refreshment.

That's Art playing guitar and his wife Sarah behind him on hammered dulcimer. Art told me a story about when he got out of college and took a six-week trip by himself in the boundary waters of Canada. He told me that one evening he plopped into his canoe after a particularly difficult portage and fell asleep, waking up the next morning to mist rising from the lake and two backpackers appearing at the end of the same portage, one carrying a flute and the other a guitar. Art had his guitar, so the three naturally sat down and played tunes together. It was the best session he's ever experienced. "I thought we were going to levitate out of there," he said.

Me and Tim

You can't tell from the picture, but Scott's head is bobbling as he plays the fiddle.