One More Mountain To Climb..., One More River To Run

While putting together the “Tribute to Julie” video I went through a lot of old pictures from back in my “running days”..., and was reminded of my feeble attempt to write some song lyrics one night at our hunting camp at Weitas Meadows.  If I had met Julie around that period of my life I would probably have been writing it for her.  The truth of the matter is..., I was wishing I had a girlfriend to write it for.  If I had known her then my life would probably have been a lot different.  Anyway..., here are the lyrics and some old pictures.

One More Mountain To Climb..., One More River To Run 

Raindrops are fallin' on this old canvas tent

Are you still wonderin' just where it was I went?

Huntin' season’s almost over, tomorrow there’ll be snow

I’m sittin’ here sippin' whiskey, wonderin' where to go?

Maybe I’ll head south, just followin’ the sun

Hope you’ll forgive me someday, for what it was I done.

There’s just one more mountain to climb, one more river to run

I’ll be back to get you babe, when I find that shinin' sun.

But I can’t be happy with you, until I’m satisfied with me

I’ll be back to get you someday, just you wait and see.

Guess I should have stayed that mornin’, just to say goodbye

But knew I couldn’t leave, if I had to watch you cry.

Remember almost drownin' in the rapids, below that rocky point?

We laughed about it later, as we passed around a joint

But that night as I held you, by the dyin' campfire light

I could feel you holdin' on just a little bit too tight.

There’s just one more mountain to climb, one more river to run

I’ll be back to get you babe, when I find that shinin' sun.

But I can’t be happy with you, until I’m satisfied with me

I’ll be back to get you someday, just you wait and see.

The horses are gettin' restless, guess it’s time to hit the trail

Next hunter headed out, I’ll have him drop this letter in the mail.

Can’t say that I would blame you, if you hate me now

But if you can hold on a little longer, I swear I’ll make it up somehow.

And I was lyin' just a little, in that line about goodbye

The truth is babe, I didn’t want you to see the teardrops in my eye.

There’s just one more mountain to climb, one more river to run

I’ll be back to get you babe, when I find that shinin' sun.

But I can’t be happy with you, until I’m satisfied with me

I’ll be back to get you someday, hope you’re still waitin' there for me.

A Tribute to Julie

This is one of my favorite Tom Russell songs.  I don't know why it wasn't included on his "Anthology" double CD set.  It is off his "Box of Visions" album..., and from the first time I heard Heart of Hearts it had special meaning to me.  I had been single all my life, always on the run, until Julie and I got together in 1987 when I was 35 years old.  I've written about Julie and our life together in a couple of pieces here on the blog..., 40 Year Class Reunion and My Wife..., Julie..., and you can get a taste of what my life was like before we got together in Robert Earl Keen.

The photographs of dubious quality are a result of trying to take pictures of old photos with a digital camera.  The first half of the pictures range from Missoula, MT, to Orofino and Weippe, ID, Glacier National Park, on a sailboat on Priest Lake in Idaho and rafting on the North Fork of the Clearwater River.  I hope that they demonstrate that I had, "... always been the running kind," as Tom says in the song.  It wasn't that I stopped all that running when Julie and I hooked up..., but I had the best running partner I ever had.  The pictures of Julie were taken around Forks, WA and our nearby ranch on the Quillayute Prairie and on Prince of Wales Island in Alaska where we spent a few seasons in a logging camp at Labouchere Bay.

I hope you enjoy viewing and listening to this as much as I have enjoyed putting it together.