We arrived early on Wednesday and set up camp...which was easy because we didn't have to pitch a tent, set up sun shades or blow up air mattresses. We immediately got to work on firing up the generator and getting that AC pumping through the camper! The generator (which came from a hauling job and Tony assured me that he got "all dialed in" at the fire station) started right up and although it was insanely loud (which should have been my first indication that something wasn't right) it started charging the batteries and doing it's thing. After we fired up the AC, the generator made a funny sound and black smoke started pouring from it right before it shut off completely. Well ain't that a bitch. After numerous attempts to fire it back up, neighbors offering shims and oil and unsolicited advice followed by looks of pity, we came to realization that we would not be glamping it like we had planned. Even with a camper, no AC is no AC and no AC in Grand Junction in the middle of June is like vacationing in a place I can only imagine is similar to hell. But like all Mazotti Family vacations, we made the best of it.
One of the best parts about Country Jam is having the same neighbors year after year. As soon as we arrived, the people behind us started yelling "Run Everyone! Those crazy I-talians are back with their Fireball!" in their thick Texas accents. We felt the love. Our childless neighbors beside us were gracious as always and we made great friends with the couple across the isle from us. Because we were the poor old family with no AC everyone around us pitched in to make sure we didn't go postal. The neighbors across the way would bring us frozen margaritas at 4:30pm everyday because they knew we were dying (and their fancy bus thing apparently had ice AND a blender), the people beside us made sure we had citronella candles because we were being eaten alive by mosquitoes, and the people behind us (who really know how to do this Country Jam thing let me tell you) basically fed us every single day. We were definitely the charity case of quiet section K row 3!
Since our wood paneled wagon was such a hit last year we decided to spiff it up a bit by sanding down the boards and re staining them, repainting the sides and adding red, white and blue LED lights to the sides. Red, white and blue is BIG at Country Jam, so while we were trying to keep with the theme of the event when we put on the lights, we were mainly trying to keep drunk chicks from trying to climb into it after the last concert when our kids were asleep in it and we were dragging it back to camp. I sure hope I wasn't as oblivious as most of the girls at Country Jam are when I was drunk and their age. If I was and you saw it first hand please don't tell me. The idea that I have always been observant is the only thing that is keeping me going these days.
The headliners this year were Lee Brice (boo! He really sounded horrible!), Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton (his 40th birthday none the less and he brought his little girlfriend Gwen Stefani out to sing a little diddy) and The Zak Brown Band. Other favorite performers for me were Trace Adkins, Tyler Farr, Neil McCoy, Big & Rich and Joe Nichols. Truth be told I think that Big & Rich (along with Cowboy Troy) were my favorite performers of the weekend. Oh and Cienna and AJ did a pretty good job of entertaining the crowd as well!
When the days got too hot we ventured back to our favorite lake nearby to cool off. Until the day that so many people showed up that they closed all roads leading into the state park and only let a car in when a car went out...so much for our secret little cool down spot!
All in all it was a good time had by all with great music. I mean don't get me wrong...there were at least 10 times that I vowed never to come back again with all the dust and all the heat, but as I have learned, I am a glutton for punishment and I don't ever know when to say when! Campsite renewed!
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