Peter Lebeck Chapter #1866

Please join Peter Lebeck Chapter #1866 and Platrix Chapter #2 as we combine to plaque the pioneer cemetery at Acton, California. This is a family event so bring the Widder and Orphans Saturday, February 22, 2020, at 11:00 a.m. Your finest Clamper regalia are appreciated as is your seemly decorum. Those in attendance will receive a patch of the day.

Following this most auspicious unveiling, you are also invited to the designation of the nearby '49er Saloon as an ECV Watering Hole. This is a family friendly venue with a full menu so plan on getting your fill. Just be prepared to leave your service animal at the door because only seeing-eye horses are allowed in the building!

To get there take Highway 14 to Crown Valley Road exit 24. From Bakersfield take Highway 99 south to Interstate 5, then take Highway 14 north toward Santa Clarita. Crown Valley Road is approximately 26 miles east of Santa Clarita. (If you have to ask why you're traveling east when you're supposed to be going north, don't ask me, ask the Humbug). Exit at Crown Valley Road, turn right on to Crown Valley Road, and then turn right again onto Aliso Street. Look for the cemetery. You've gone too far if you pass the Acton Church on the left.

If you are coming from L.A. follow the same directions, but the trip to Bakersfield is optional. Then if you can't figure out how to get to Highway 14 and Santa Clarita, take an Uber.

Following the ceremony at the cemetery, head for the '49er Saloon. Go back to Crown Valley Road and head towards Acton. The '49er is at 31908 Crown Valley RD. It will be on your left. If you come to a stop sign, you've passed the saloon. See you there!

MGM, XNGH -- "Recording No Cyber Before Its Time."
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Hey everyone! No Eye, here. Hawker extraordinaire.

The PXL store has a few new cool belt buckles in limited quantities. From past experience, they'll likely be gone before our Spring Doin's . . . so if you're interested let me know. You can email me at at "Kevn Horton," The PXLstore@yahoo.com. That's K-e-v-n, without an eye. Get it?

Pictured top right, I have a few versions of the rectangular shaped "Miner and Jackass," some with less color and some with no color at all. They are priced from $35.00 to $60.00. These are very nice, heavy buckles.

Pictured top left, I also have oval shaped "Miner and Jackass" buckles for $40.00. These are also very nice, heavy buckles.

For you Charles Topping Fans and collectors I also have two custom designs, both handmade.

Bottom left, the PXL buckle with the grizzly and Lebeck Oak, is all brass and sells for $65.00. This is a limited edition and I have only two left.

Bottom center, I also have only two left of the round, limited edition ECV "basket weave." Like all of Charles's work they are solid brass. These go for $60.00.

Lastly, bottom right, I have one rectangle "miner panning for gold." It's made of brass but is lighter than the other buckles. I'll let that one go for $30.00.

   - - - Kevn "No Eye" Horton

Greetings Brothers,

Pull out your red shirt and join us at the Santa Clarita Elks Lodge for a libation, a Hot Dog and a Clamper tale or two.

Hope to see you there!

   - - - Dale "Top" Turner, XNGH

Well my Brothers, it ain't really a "swan song," 'cuz I ain't goin' no wheres --- jez' changin' hats. Instead of being your Humbug, I'll be your Clampatriarch and Gold Dust Receiver for 2020. I certainly enjoyed my year, 2019 (6024) as your Humbug, and what a busy, and hopefully fruitful, year it was:

January, the widder and I tried to make the 2019 Widder's Ball more focused on the widders. And from the feedback - it must have worked!

February, XXNGH Charles "Al IV" Topping and I tried to rejuvenate the Clampers marching in the Whiskey Flat Days parade in Kernville.

March, we plaqued "The Joint" in Randsburg, CA as an official ECV Watering Hole.

April, we plaqued local historian, writer, history professor, and PXL Clamper, Dr. William Harland Boyd at Bakersfield College.

May, we held "Cuatro de Mayo", the Spring Doins' at our ranch up in the Walker Basin (May 2 - 5), then attended Grand Council up in Sonora, CA.

June, Not really Clamper stuff, but June 20 - 23rd, I attended a ceremony up in Placerville, CA, at the request of our Clampstorian - Emeritus, XNGH Chris Brewer, Great-Great Grandson of Col. Thomas Baker (for whom Bakers' Field was named in 1868). Chris is a close friend of my widder and myself, and was to receive an award from the California Committee of Historical Societies for "Historical Preservation." He couldn't make it, so he asked me to go up and accept it for him. He also had me take up $6,000 worth of books he wanted to donate to the award ceremony attendees.

July, while at the CCHS conference last month for Chris, I met XNGH Gary Bancroft, from Billy Holcomb Chapter #1069, who invited me to represent PXL at a plaquing on the 4th of July, for Camp Cajon Motor Park at the top of the Cajon Pass. I did attend, and there were several ECV Chapters there.

Gary was also the TREK leader for the TRASH TREK at Warner Springs, CA. so I saw him there when I attended July 18 thru 21.

August, Something must be wrong --- Didn't have any ECV events in August --- Except working with the Printer to get booklets and pamphlets made for the September Fall Doin's Clampout and the September plaquing.

September, thanks to a lot of redshirts, but especially the Hawker/GNR/ Asst. GDR, Kevn "No Eye" Horton, we had a very successful Fall Doin's Clampout at Indian Hill Ranch in Tehachapi --- where, coincidentally we plaqued at Nuwa/Kawaiisu Indian Village Site in the Golden Hills Community section of Tehachapi.

October, rest for the weary, no ECV events attended this month.

November, Annual PXL Business Meeting in Frazier Park.

December, continued working with my Vice, and PXL Humbug Erectus, Mark "Pokey" Crawford, to get things ready for his big day next month at the Widder's Ball. It'll be my big day too ---- I will become the most recent PXL-XNGH & the Clampatriarch and Gold Dust Receiver for 2020.

I would like to thank all my Brothers and their Widders for all their help in 2019. Every officer and functionary have specific things that they are required to do during the year, but several have gone "over and above" what was expected, and there will be a small recognition portion dedicated to them at the 2020 Widder's Ball. It ain't much, but I do want you and everyone in attendance to know that it was not only noticed, but VERY MUCH APPRECIATED! See you at the Ball, Saturday, January 25, 2020 (6025)!
   - - - Al "The Quack" Price
   PXL - NGH, 2019

MGM Continues the CLOG . . .

The Quack's recap says a lot for his spirit and how seriously he's taken the job of Humbug this past year. We owe him a big thank you for everything he did, and especially that he gave us a reason to get together as often as we did this past year. It says a lot for his dedication and that of his Widder, Jayne. In fact both of them have been an asset to our chapter even before we took in the Quack as a PBC. Both he and Jayne are well grounded in local history, and both are active in several Kern based historical societies which has helped us become more solidly connected with folks who share a common interest. As a thanks to Jayne for her very lively support of our chapter, she will be recognized as our Noble Grand Widder for 2020.

So mark your calendar, or better yet, just go make your reservations for Saturday January 25, 2020, at the Homewood Suites in Bakersfield, for our at our 59th Annual Widders' Ball. Just follow this link to our Doin's page to get started. It's a great way to thank your Widder for putting up with your shenanigans.

But the fun needn't be limited to Saturday. According to XNGH Dale "Top" Turner, If you are interested in "arriving at the Homewood Suites on Friday, the 24th, you are invited to join your fellow Clampers for dinner at the Broken Yolk Café, owned and operated by XNGH Jim Baily. The restaurant is located about 7 minutes from the Homewood Suites.

This year, in a very short ceremony, we plan to unceremoniously dump our Quackster-in-Chief out of the barrel to make room for Humbug Erectus Mark "Pokey" Crawford. Pokey has already planned a lively schedule of events for next year, including some where you'll want to bring your Widder. But before I go on about that, I would like to mark a few milestones.

Chapter Member Milestones

We lost two of our regulars this year. We also lost an XNGH. All of them passed on to the Golden Hills way before their temples were gray.

Scott "Curly" Gow was taken in by PXL at Sh*t Howdy Ranch at our Spring 2014 Doin's. Using his high voice, Scott's imitation of Curly from the Three Stooges was spot on.

 

Mark Garner came to us by way of Platrix, but could play the dozens with the best of them and do it in his native Welsh accent. Both of these guys left us in stiches, and both of them left us suddenly and too soon.

 

XNGH Pat "I-Man" McGhee, was PXL Humbug in 1999, and helped shepherd our erection in Havilah to the "Last Stage Robbery in Kern County" in 1896. He was a U.S. Army veteran. I-Man struggled against Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma for several years until it finally got the best of him. He will be missed.

We hope that all three of our friends found XNGH Kenny "Cookie" Young waiting for them on the other side with a bowl of his beans and that sarcastic look he often shot my way that said, "What the heck are you doing here?" Yeah, Cookie, we sadly agree.

Three of our members lost their Widders to the Golden Hills this year.

XNGH Gary Julian lost his wife Wendy in October. For forty-five years Wendy not only kept Gary company, but they raised a family together. Wendy also instinctively understood that a good way to keep a man sane was to push him out the door on occasion and to make him go Clamping.

 

The same month Tony Weaver lost Susan, Tony's wife of 27 years. At Clampouts Tony always would make sure I took his picture so he could show Susan he really was where he was supposed to be. After all, how much trouble could he possibly get into by hanging out with a bunch of Clampers?

 

 

Earlier in the year, David Nicholson lost his wife, Shirley. You'll remember Shirley and David as a quiet and respectful couple who never missed our Widders' Ball. Her company will be missed.

On a cheerier note, Judi Hall and XXNGH Timbo Gillespie, tied the knot in October down behind the Orange curtain. While getting hitched is serious stuff, the ceremony was done in the rhyming style of Dr. Seuss. "If you want him in your bunk, I shall put him in your trunk. And when you get him home, make sure an' take away his phone. . . 'Cuz he won't need it."

Well it wasn't exactly like that, but a good time was had by family and a few close friends. Judi's four brothers came down to give away the bride. XNGH Keith Fraser was best man, and he brought along his dog Peaches to serve as ring bearer.

Now for some chapter business.

We had our annual year end business meeting on November 16, 2019. Aside from ratifying the Quack's selection of Mark "Pokey" Crawford as incoming Humbug, Pokey presented his slate of functionaries and planned activities for the year, but that's not the end of it.

Due to a quirk in our bylaws, PXL's year must officially end in January, and that includes the passing of the Staff of Relief to our new Humbug. But the big first draft of out upcoming work is presented at our November meeting along with a review of how we did in the concluding year. Our January meeting, just before the Widders' Ball, is legally necessary, but it generally serves as a way to tie up loose ends and to make sure we are ready for the new Clampyear.

There is an old joke in Clamping that, "It wasn't like that when I was Humbug!" But what has impressed me the most over the last eight years since I first sat in the barrel, is that our incoming leaders have consistently been better and better prepared by our November meeting to present both a slate and a plan for their year as Humbug -- our friend the Quack being the latest example of a Humbug who's done a selfless and praiseworthy job. All of these Brothers have had their own strengths and weaknesses, but all have "done good" and we owe them our thanks, as well as a good ribbing in Clamper style.

There's nothing in the rules that keeps anyone from serving more than once as Humbug, or even serving consecutive terms, but one and done is how we traditionally do it, and there's good reasons for that. Being Humbug is expensive, both in terms of money and time. Aside from the out of pocket costs associated with travel, scouting venues, visiting other chapters and local organizations; there's also the matter of planning for and building at least one, hopefully two historical plaques or monuments.

I don't say that to discourage others from setting their sights on leading the chapter, but to highlight the fact that no Humbug can successfully complete his year without help from his Brothers. Just showing up when the chapter needs help, is a good place to start. Bu we always need guys to help with the heavy lifting, and that is where you can distinguish yourself for future leadership.

For example, one upcoming guy worth mentioning is our Hawker, Kevn "No Eye" Horton. Pokey has nominated Kevn to be his Vice Noble Grand Humbug, but No Eye has been our Hawker for several years, serves as Assistant Gold Dust Receiver this year, and his goal has been to raise enough money Hawking to underwrite all of our plaques.

While I'm not suggesting that any of you step in to replace our Hawker, volunteering to help No Eye once or twice a year as he visits other chapters is a good way to distinguish yourself amongst our Brothers and to widen your Clamping experience. No Eye's also looking for regular help, if you're game. You can also step up and volunteer to become a PXL functionary. It's a good way to begin to learn the chapter and to express your desire to go up the chairs.

So here's Pokey's muy-good-o, Clampfabulous plan for 2020.

Pokey has two Clampouts, a family dinner, two plaquings and a joint Doin's with Platrix scheduled for 2020, along with the usual trip to Grand Counsel.

First on the calendar is a joint Doin's with Platrix on Saturday, February 22nd, when we'll plaque the old Acton Community Cemetery, followed by a watering hole dedication for the nearby '49er Saloon. Acton lies within Los Angeles County, so this get together is part of another friendly invite from our Brothers at Platrix to celebrate a little history within their territory.

The Acton Cemetery was established sometime after 1870, and is considered a pioneer cemetery even though it remains open as a burial ground for residents of that desert community. Acton Community Cemetery is located on the 13900 Block of Aliso Street, Acton, California 93510.

The 49er Saloon, isn't far from the cemetery. This soon to be christened ECV Watering Hole dates back to 1889. Despite its name, the 49er is a family friendly venue with a full menu, so bring the Widder and orphans and make a day of it. There's even a place out front to tie up your horses. The address is 31908 Crown Valley Rd, in Acton, (661) 562-4414. We'll announce the times as soon as we have them available.

The Spring Clampout will be at Camp Hamilton Veterans' Memorial Park in Bakersfield, and will be a four day affair from Thursday April 30th through May 3rd. Camp Hamilton was established by a Vietnam Era Marine to honor members of his company who fell in battle in 1969. Each tree he planted represented the life of a deceased comrade. Over the years this park has continued to grow with lawns and additional trees planted in the names of others who have served our country and who have gone on to the Golden Hills.

Camp Hamilton is a beautiful place to have a Clampout. It's both secluded and accessible, and both tents and RVs are welcome. Our date is locked-in, so make sure to set these days aside. We'll have a plaquing on Sunday, May 3rd to honor the work of Glenn Denton and the Camp Hamilton Association.

While the date is not firm yet, the next likely thing on the calendar will be plaquing the Noriega Hotel, followed by a dinner open to all our members and their families. If you've been to the Noriega then you know that to call it a hotel is a misnomer. Established in 1893 as a Basque boarding house, Noriega's has survived to this day as a restaurant serving traditional Basque courses, family style, meaning everyone sits together and everyone eats the same fare. The dining room seats about 120, and the price is set by Noriega's. Expect to pay about $20 for dinner, which includes wine. Adult beverages are available at the bar before dinner. More details later.

Our Fall Clampout will likely take place once again at Indian Hill Campground in Tehachapi, probably near the end of September. If you attended last fall's Clampout, then you know what a choice spot this is. There is plenty of room, shade, flush potties, lush lawns, some electrical connections and two ponds with rumors of fish in them. We did a good job of respecting the property and the word is that we are welcomed back. What the property owners are looking for is a responsible group that can lock-in a given weekend every year, and that may be us. I'll keep you posted. For now the plan is to stage a four day Clampout in the fall, especially if that means Indian Hill.

Next to last, and if anybody is still reading, we were able to put something away in the kitty for the year. The general fund is up and we should have a more complete accounting, including the store account, by the time of the January 25th meeting. You'll want to be there on the morning of the Widders' Ball in Bakersfield to help us tie up the loose ends and settle the books.

Lastly, if you haven't attended Dale "Top" Turner's unofficial "Saturday Clamper Getaway," at the Elk's Lodge in Santa Clarita, you really should drop by if you can. It's an informal gathering, usually at noon on the first Saturday of each month. Brothers who live in the area from multiple chapters drop by to have a beer and a dog, swap lies and to celebrate the Brotherhood. If you have a likely PBC prospect this is a good place to bring him so we can get a whiff of him and he can give us the once over. We meet at the Santa Clarita Elks Lodge #2379, 17766 Sierra Highway, Canyon Country 91351. The whole thing starts at noon and last until it's time to go home and mow the lawn.

See you at the Widders' Ball.

MGM, XNGH -- "Recording No Cyber Before Its Time."
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It's Chrsitmas Eve, the third night of Hanukkah and New Year's Day is just around the corner. So season's greetings to all from your Brothers here at Peter Lebeck! A new CLOG should be up shortly, but in the meantime, our Widders' Ball sign-up pages are up. Just click on this link to read about it, get the flyer, and use PayPal to pay and sign-up if you're afraid of the mailman. Just don't be shy about showing up because we hope to see you in Bakersfield on Janaury 25, 2020, for PXL's 59th Annual Widders' Ball! -- MGM