November 5, 2004
Some highs and lows on our second trip down to the Land of the Wild West Ghetto. Paul Hutton flew over from Albuquerque on Tuesday and Minnesota Mike and I rode down to Tombstone with him on Wednesday morning. Lots of laughs both coming and going. Quite rude and crude, of course, and a running joke from Hutton went along the lines of, "That’s real tasteful, would you like to be the banquet speaker next year at WHA?" I’d tell you some of the specifics, but Paul still has one year left on his contract and I don’t want to give his enemies any more ammunition than they already think they have. I will say that on one occasion Paul launched off into a rant at his adversaries in which he gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles were white, and we watched with some alarm as his venting grew into a rage as flying phlegm skittered across the interior, until he swerved across the median straight into oncoming traffic (not easy to do on a divided highway). Both Mike and I managed to guide him back into our lane until he calmed down. I imagine the scissor-hold Mike put on Hutton's neck helped to slow the blood to his brain enough so that we could get control of the car. Other than that, Paul was very calm for the entire trip.

Mike Pellegatti got to Tombstone first and began to take over the intersection of Fifth and Allen. He put lights up on top of the Oriental, he took down Stop signs (don't tell the sheriff) and he put dimmer switches on the pan lighting in front of the Crystal Palace Saloon. Our key grip (Melrose) helped him put trash bags over the numerous street lamps ("too much low sodium light").

At about nine in the evening we pulled out the double-barrelled shotguns and went to work, firing off four or five rounds, simulating the shooting of Virgil Earp on December 28, 1881. After each one we expected to hear sirens, but the law never showed.

We quickly "struck the set" and headed for the Buford House B&B where our hosts Richard and Ruth put plastic on a Victorian bed and we poured blood and customized chicken parts and dog bones on Kent Cooksley to simulate Virgil Earp's elbow wound. Jerry from Curly Bill's B&B did a masterful portrayal of Doc Goodfellow and we even sawed the elbow bone in half (actually the dog bone) and everyone went, "Eeeeuuuuuuuuu," and we wrapped at about midnite.

Started drinking beer and fell into bed around one. Got up at 6:30 and immediately began watching Tombstone over breakfast (don't try this at home kids). Took off at 8:30 and got gas in Benson and headed up the Ten to Cave Creek. Got here at 12:30. Paul and I met Bob Brink and RG at Tonto for lunch. Had a good discussion on the footage we shot and how we can utilize it (the Outdoor channel only wants to shoot in high def).

"Sure I felt stupid, but I was also mighty relieved when my doctor told me the burning sensation I was experiencing while urinating was due to standing too close to the campfire."
—Jack Handy