I was in Portland at a Dead show when Mt St. Helens erupted (2nd time)

[MyUncle]

(edited for additional clarity)
during a sizzling version of Fire on the Mountain June 1980. I swear this is true. The ash started coming down as we were post show vending. We beat it on down the line to Eugene. It took us about a half hour to drive out of the blizzard of ash.

Hope it blows easy this time.

[bigwillq]

1. My friend was born on that day

IN CT. Just thought I would share.

[Nightowl_2004]

14. So was my sister!

[bigwillq]

17. Wow, they're the same age!!!

Is she a lesbian like my friend is!?:evilgrin:

[carpetbagger]

2. Are you sure that wasn't a 1982 show?

I've known people to have similar experiences at Dead shows. It must be something they pass around.

Seriously, it looks pretty tame this time around. The crater is bulging at one inch a day, not five feet. The impact area is likely to be only a couple of miles around, basically only the crater area itself.

[MyUncle]

3. 1980 for sure.

Band Grateful Dead
Venue Memorial Coliseum
Location Portland, OR
Date 6/12/80 - Thursday posters tickets, passes & laminates
One Alabama Getaway <4:42> > The Promised Land <4:13> ; Peggy-O<6:43> > El Paso <4:05> ; Brown Eyed Women <5:23> ; Cassidy <4:25> ; Far From Me<3:42> ; Althea <8:54> > Lost Sailor <6:13> > Saint Of Circumstance <5:54> >Deal <5:04>
Two Drums <2:45> > Scarlet Begonias <11:04> > Fire On The Mountain <11:02> ; Estimated Prophet <16:38> > Drums <6:#37> > Space <1:54> > Not Fade Away<9:51> > Black Peter <9:32> > Around And Around <3:49> > Good Lovin' <7:07>
Encore Johnny B. Goode <4:19>

[Beaverhausen]

4. the big eruption was in May 1980

but I'm sure your experience was cool nonetheless.

[MyUncle]

6. The first was in May, ash blew north and north west.

The one in June #2, blew ash to the west and south, thus hitting Portland. It was like snow that did not melt. Cool for me since I could hit the road, but a major pain for the people up there. Think about someone dumping 3 inches of their ashes on everything you own that is outdoors, all of you neighborhood and city and it starts to paint a picture.

[flamingyouth]

8. I forgot about the secondary eruption

We were driving to California not long after that, down I-5, and the road was just covered with ash.

[yvr girl]

25. I was close enough to hear the mountain go boom!

My family was camping that weekend. We wondered who would be blasting dynamite at 8:00 am on a Sunday morning. A few hours later we saw this big, black cloud approach. By 11:00 am we were enveloped in the cloud. It was pouring a sooty, gritty, charcoal gray talcum-powder like substance. It was also pitch black - for one full hour.

It grew a little bit lighter, but it rained ash for hours. Eventually, I grew tired of hunkering down in the trailer. I went for a walk. I had on a hooded poncho, sunglasses (to protect my eyes) and a cloth tied over my mouth and nose. It was like walking on the moon. Everything was covered in a gray powder. Little puffs of dust trailed my footprints. I went to the washroom to get out of the ash. Ash was stuck to the little bit of skin that was exposed on my face.

We ended up getting almost an inch of ash where we were. We were also stranded for a few days.

[carpetbagger]

18. It was a tongue-in-cheek accusation.

I'm sure lots of people have seen Mt. St. Helens erupt at a Dead concert, including people who have never been west of the Mississippi.

[flamingyouth]

5. It erupted on May 18, 1980

[bigwillq]

12. That's my friend's b-day

I didn't read all of the original thread when it said June.


Hi Jen (that's my friend, she doesn't post here but I just wanted to shout her out)!

[EstimatedProphet]

7. You were at a Dead show at 8:32 am?

http://www.olywa.net/radu/valerie/StHelens.html

[EstimatedProphet]

9. Ah. The second eruption. Gotcha.

Ignore previous post.

[MyUncle]

19. No problem, I thought there was a chance you were there as well. eom.

[EstimatedProphet]

20. GOD DO I WISH I WAS!

I saw far too few shows...
That one sounds particularly awesome too!

[MyUncle]

21. I am sure you have some tales to tell as well.

[MyUncle]

10. Nope, show started about 7:15, check out the set list and the timing

of which I am sure you are familiar. She blew DURING Fire on the Mountain I Bush you not.

[Tom Kitten]

11. I was there also.

Your account is spot-on!

[MyUncle]

13. That is a bit amazing.

Thanks for the back up. It was a bit of a strange show. I remember someone coming up to me while I was selling my "Find the 61 Grateful Dead Songs Pictured Here" poster, saying the volcano blew during Fire. I did not beleive them at first....

[Tom Kitten]

15. Yes it is!

I lived in Eugene also during the May 18th eruption, but school let out and I moved back to Portland for the summer. I saw two more major eruptions that summer, both during the day and clearly visible from Portland...

I did make a post about this a few days ago, it is archived though...here is link if you want to read it...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=1746536#1746802

[MyUncle]

16. The smell of sulpher. I remember that as well.

It was cool for about 15 minutes, then I remember thinking this is how hell must smell.

Thanks for the link, what a story.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

22. Download the entire show here. Many back up the story

http://www.archive.org/audio/etree-details-db.php?id=16691

[MyUncle]

23. I was not aware of this site.

I've gotten away from collecting boots and even purchasing more shows. I only buy Dicks Picks if it is a show I've been to.

I am going to check this out a bit more.

BIG MAHALO for showing me the light on this one.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

24. There are more than 2000 soundboards of awesome quality free for you

enjoy!

[MyUncle]

26. I am on etree.org right now,

trying to catch up with the technology. I plan on being able to download shns and flacs, and burn them to CD before the debates. I poked around that site and it is an amazing project.