Quickie: Old Fogies on the Lake
Months ago, I snagged tickets to see the legendary John Fogerty live at Prospera Place in Kelowna, BC—a golden opportunity to cross him off my bucket list of musicians to see before I kick the bucket. I couldn’t help but wonder, does John Fogerty refer to his fan base as "Old Fogies"? If not, he should, because I’m claiming it from now on.
The big day finally rolled around, but before I could rock out, I had a date with a kayak, courtesy of CRIS Adaptive Adventures. So, my care-aide Shae and I hit the road to Kelowna, where we rendezvoused with the CRIS crew. We were fashionably late—just a casual ten minutes—but by the time we arrived, the kayaks were set up and waiting, just for me. I was assigned to a tandem kayak with one of the CRIS team members, who turned out to be Joel, one of Shae’s high school pals. Small world, right? The beach was dotted with about five other kayaks, setting the stage for a lake adventure with quite the crew.
The CRIS team, proving they know how to elevate a kayaking trip, brought along water guns. Because, honestly, what’s a day on Okanagan Lake without a good old-fashioned water fight? I was having so much fun that I nearly tipped over my kayak. As the CRIS team helped me regain my balance, Shae paddled over, probably expecting me to be a little shaken up from my near-dip in the lake. But when he rounded the front of the kayak, he found me grinning from ear to ear. Why? Because I was already thinking, “This is going to be gold for the blog.” After getting my sea legs back, we paddled around for a bit longer before heading back to shore.
Once back on dry land, I hopped into my chair, thanked everyone for the epic adventure, and set off for my pre-concert tradition: poutine. We indulged in some glorious butter chicken poutine from Smoke’s Poutinerie (seriously, it was that good), and after a quick visit with Shae’s partner, Atlas, we made our way to the concert, securing prime parking and grabbing some merch before sliding into our seats just in time for the opening act.
The band Hearty Har took the stage, fronted by none other than John Fogerty’s sons. They were a revelation—how had I never heard their music before? Then, the man himself, Papa John, strutted on stage. He kicked off the night by sharing that this tour was a celebration—a victory lap after finally winning the rights to all of his Creedence Clearwater Revival songs, a mere 50 years after the legal battle began. Shoutout to his wife, Julie, who played a crucial role in that victory and whom he mentioned more than once. John also shared a heartwarming tale about a guitar he gifted to a 12-year-old boy, only to have his wife track it down and buy it back 44 years later. Shae, being a musician himself, was in awe of how well John’s “grandpa hands” could still shred on the guitar. I’ve got to say, it was one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to. The whole vibe of the tour felt less about the money and more about having fun.
John wrapped up the night by pouring himself a glass of champagne and proposing a toast to the audience, thanking everyone for sticking with him throughout his career. “Without you guys, I wouldn’t be here today,” he said. Honestly, that’s kind of how I feel about my wheelchair. So, what else can I say? Congrats, you Old Fogie! Oh, and fun fact: all of this happened just yesterday, and after that long night, I’m currently writing this spread-eagle in the nude, modestly draped with a sheet. ;)
