Back from Parker. Kathy and I had a great trip. Took off at one on Saturday and got to Parker at four. Had a good meal at El Serape (Comped by Parker Historical Society), then motored up the Colorado River to Lake Havasu City. Beautiful weather and drive. Checked into Holiday Inn (also comped by PHS) and had fun, went to sleep early and got up at seven. Had breakfast at JB’s ($20 cash). Went for a long walk thru a swap meet and down under the London Bridge. Checked out at one and drove back down the canyon to Parker. There were three big events going on in town (bull riding, a bluegrass festival and boat races) and so there were no rooms available in the entire town.
Got to Board of Supervisors building at two, unloaded all my books and magazines, set up shop. Speech came off at three. Full house (We got an excellent newspaper piece in the local paper: I’ve been called many things but never a “scholar.”). Shared with them the new information on Wyatt Earp about him living in a brothel in Peoria, Illinois (it will be in the July TW). Tom and Kay Gray, who own Wyatt Earp’s house in Vidal were in attendence and I enjoyed talking to them and Jim Petersen and his wife. Sold every Wyatt book I brought with me and numerous others.
Kathy got deli sandos to go and we said our goodbyes and took off at 4:30. Smooth drive home. Stopped in Wickenburg and got coffee and a snack ($3 cash).
After much deliberation I decided not to give permission to our competitors to run my painting of Billy the Kid on their cover. There were compelling arguments from both sides but the deciding factor was put forth by Kathy and Bob Brink. They made the case that we share the same writers and stories but one of the few areas we have to delineate between us is my artwork. Why dilute that? Makes sense, but probably won’t win many friends at Wild West.
"I don't try to jump over 7-foot bars, I look around for 1-foot bars that I can step over.”
—Warren Buffett