Gold Fools Projects + Adventures

july 16 + 17

Arriving in Los Angeles was such a joy. After being told horror stories about traffic and fake everything, we were pleasantly surprised by the things in store for us in LA. Up to this point, California didn’t appeal to me at all. But from this point on, the state won me over. 

Our AirBnB host, Carey, has a cute apartment that she leaves with us for the weekend. It’s in the hip neighbourhood of Los Feliz Village. There’s tons of nice art on the walls and we get to do laundry. 

The Renegade fair is in the Los Angeles State Historic Park, a nice outdoor venue. We got placed on a corner (lucky!) and made the best sales of the summer. What’s even better is that we got to trade with other vendors to lighten our load. 

july 13, 14 & 15

We had five days in between the Renegade shows in San Francisco and Los Angeles. During that time we had both heavenly and hellish experiences. The drive along highway 1 was breathtaking. The winding roads high up on the cliffs were remarkable. The colours of the plants on the side of the road.

The first place we stayed was up a mountain, high above the clouds, on a secret campsite. We drank beer and took time lapse photos drawing pictures with a burning stick. We collected pinecones as long as your forearm. We should have just stayed there the whole week, but instead decided that camping on a beach would be more fun. Where we ended up was Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area. We were attracted to the $5 a night fee and the fact that you could drive on the beach. We didn’t realize that “vehicular recreation area” meant hundreds of dune buggies, jeeps, and ATVs roaring past our tent until 3 in the morning. Not very relaxing. 

Clean Getaway Soap Company: we bought yummy smelling soap, like sassafras, and a great solid body butter bar. mmmmm. they were the NICEST couple to boot. 

“Cleanliness becomes more important when godliness is unlikely”

Hillery Sproatt: I was an admirer of Hillery’s embroidery work before I even met her, or knew we shared the same name! 

UPPERCASE Magazine: This great magazine is based out of Calgary, Alberta. We collect this magazine and were so happy to meet the people behind it. We sent them home with a felt pendant flag and they contacted us later to write an article about our trip - featured in issue 12!

Small Adventures: We loved Keiko’s things - her illustrations and fun necklaces. David and I both took home little terrarium necklaces that we traded for. The best thing was that we ended up next to her at the LA Renegade Fair! 

july 9 + 10

Fort Mason Festival Pavilion 

This venue was amazing. The huge buildings right on the pier, the Saturday farmers market, the Friends of the San Francisco Public Library café which made great, great coffee. 

The best thing about this show was being placed across from Love Jules Leather and meeting Jules and Josh, who live in Whistler, BC. Friends for life. 

I am convinced that the San Francisco god’s smiled upon us when they handed us a spare bedroom in our friend Adrienne’s parent house, a stones throw away from where the Renegade Craft show was being held. This was so lucky because our initial plan was to book a room at the Jack London Inn in Oakland. We later found out while watching the news in Portland that the Jack London is considered to be the second dirtiest hotel in the US. 

Our first day in San Francisco we hopped on our bikes and explored the waterfront area, stopping at the Musee Mechanique to spend pocketfuls of quarters on arcade games, then drank beer and ate calamari and curly fries on the pier. 

July 7

After we passed through the Mojave Desert, the scenery changed and we’re greeted by a toy train set landscape of perfectly placed trees and rocks. Suddenly there are no trees, just soft looking golden grass covering miles of hills. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. 

We enter the agricultural centre of Greenfield and drive through vineyards, dodging rabbits, to our campsite in the Los Padros Forest. 

Next stop, San Francisco!

Driving towards the Grand Canyon, we were struck by the black asphalt against the red earth and blue, blue sky. We were in the desert — a crack started and kept growing until we were at the edge of the earth.

It’s impossible to put into words. It’s difficult to take pictures of it that do it justice, especially since it’s hard to even get your eyes to adjust to the magnificence of it.  

July 5

Driving west across New Mexico the landscape becomes barren — big open yellow fields with green puffball shrubs. The colour combination of red rock cliffs agains the dusty green shrubs is inspiring.

In Albuquerque we got to experience New Mexican cuisine at the Ford dealership cafe. Beef enchiladas drenched in green chile salsa. David says nay. Hillary says yay. 

As we pass the state line into Arizona we peruse the shops on the Navajo reservation and found ourselves Kachina dolls. David’s is a badger: known for wisdom and the ability to cure sickness. Hillary’s is a Sunface: spirit of the sun, leader of ceremonies that brings warmth and shelter to the old and a bright future and playfulness for the young. 

Driving down the highway we dodged a tornado wind tunnel of tumbleweeds! 

The campsite we stay at outside Flagstaff is beautiful - a place called Sunset Crater Volcano National Mountain. As rain starts and stops, the damp earth smells so good and the ground is black volcanic stone covered in pine needles. We have a picnic dinner in the tent as the rain pours down. 

July 4: the day of Independence

We found ourselves stopping at a campground in Santa Rosa, New Mexico to celebrate the 4th of July by eating beans and hotdogs and swimming in a cold, cold lake. As the sun set and the noise of fireworks filled the air, we hunkered down by lantern light to frame art for our upcoming shows on the West coast. Big moths flew into our hands and arms, excited by the bright lantern flame.