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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Idaho Mr. Knowlton goes to California...as in SKYWALKER RANCH!

Discussion in 'Pacific Regional Discussion' started by QUIGONJINN02, Jul 24, 2004.

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  1. QUIGONJINN02

    QUIGONJINN02 Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 29, 2003
    NBO GANG:
    "The circle is now complete..." I have been officially "chosen" to accompany Barry and friends from the IFSWA to visit Skywalker Ranch next weekend- August 2nd. This means I'll probably be missing our meeting on the 31st, as we're going to be driving down the 1st. I may be courageous and drive down after the meeting that night, but that's highly unlikely. Anyway, there's no camera's allowed in the joint, but I'll be sure to snap some photo's outside of the Ranch while there. If you guys have any requests, leave them here and I'll see what I can do...within reason that is! Maybe I'll run into the man in flannel himself.
     
  2. QUIGONJINN02

    QUIGONJINN02 Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 29, 2003
    I will for sure be missing this monthly meeting seeing as the IFSWA is attending the parade in Preston, Idaho and that's on Saturday. So I'm going to drive down to IF early Saturday morning and then go down to Preston with Barry. Then we'll be going from there to Salt Lake, and then California or bust!
    I'll be sure to give one of you guys a call once I arrive in Cali and let you know what happens. Thanks and May the Force be with you all!
     
  3. cmdrwillard

    cmdrwillard Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 6, 2003
    I would go for California, not Bust (not much to see there, been there you know).
     
  4. QUIGONJINN02

    QUIGONJINN02 Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 29, 2003
    I don't know man, I heard crabs were in season there now.
     
  5. cmdrwillard

    cmdrwillard Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 6, 2003
    How much do you really know about crabs???
     
  6. QUIGONJINN02

    QUIGONJINN02 Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 29, 2003
    Well, I'm leaving early tomorrow morning to IDF, then going to Preston with Barry. Next morning we leave early for Salt Lake City, and then to California. I'll be back either Monday night, or Tuesday afternoon. Hopefully everything goes well and we get in to the Ranch as planned. Wish us luck in the Force, and see you all when I return!
     
  7. cmdrwillard

    cmdrwillard Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 6, 2003
    Good luck and don't take any wooden nickels...
     
  8. QUIGONJINN02

    QUIGONJINN02 Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 29, 2003
    NBO Gang and Friends,

    Well, I'm back from my 4 day journey into uncharted Star Wars territory. Wow, what a long trip it felt like, with over 38 hours of driving to and from California. I will never take a road trip again as long as I live! Well, I'm sure you're all curious about what happened at the Ranch, so let me lay it all out for you from start to finish:

    On Saturday, I left Boise around 8:30am. After 4hrs of driving, I arrived in IDF. I then left with Barry and wife for another 3hrs of driving into Preston, ID. We had a great time in Preston, and I got more than a handful of great pictures of SW costumes that were in the parade, including a rather hot slave Leia! Barry and I traveled from Preston, to Salt Lake, were we stayed with Marc, another member of the Alpine Garrison, who was dressed in an awesome Vader costume for the parade. In the morning, we left for Utah, were we picked up Mike, TB-4247, a biker scout who went along with Barry, Marc and myself to California. We were in search of the secrets of SW and we were all secretly hoping that Barry's contact, David, was real! After all clawing at the dash and screaming like cheerleaders from Barry's driving talent, we reached California, after 18 hrs+ of driving. We met Dave at a Jack-n-the-box and were glad to see he was a real person. That's when the fun began!
    After some dinner, we went to meet one of Dave's friends, who was a creature shop designer for Lucas. His house was a marvel! I have pictures of this for our website...he had props and pictures from SW films, Alien, Signs, and the list goes on! He was even sculpting his own demon head from the film Legend in his basement! His credits listed a lot of cool films, and it was like heaven for us! We then checked into a hotel and awaited Dave's call the next day to lead us into the Ranch.

    After a restless sleep we awoke ready for what we'd come 700miles for. Dave called, picked us up, and we were off to the ranch. After passing through some woods and a long windy road, we came to the gate. It opened and Dave checked in with the "guards." We then parked. The surroundings had deer, jack-rabbits' and trees of all kinds. It was a beautiful place. We came to the main building (one of 12 on the Ranch). I recognized it immediately from interviews and such I'd seen in documentaries with Lucas. We opened the doors....

    The inside had lamenated wood furnishings, and looked like a wooden mansion! To the left were some display cabinets with archived treats inside- Obi-Wan's saber handles from IV and I, Vader's, and Luke's from IV and V. It also had a model AT-AT with green moss on it's feet-Jedi prop. There was a mold of Poggle the Lesser, and also stuff from American Graffiti and Indiana Jones. We had lunch in a room with a bunch of other Lucas employee's. It was quite the lunch. One thing you need to understand to, is that we were absolutely not allowed to take pictures of any kind inside. We could only take pictures outside, and if someone was in the picture. No one was allowed upstairs at all (George's private offices). So naturally, I went to the bathroom and took a picture inside! So ha! I have a picture inside the mansion!
    We left the dining area and met George walking down the stairs.....

    I wish. No, we didn't see Lucas. He probably wasn't even there. And if he was, he didn't come down to say hello. We then got pictures outside the main house, got questioned by security to make sure we weren't filming, and went on to the gift shop. There we bought our memorbilia. I got a Skywalker Ranch T-shirt and finally landed my hands on the Indiana Jones trilogy. Afterwards we left the store, drove around some more buildings, and left....yes, I traveled 700+miles for a T-shirt....

    Overall though, with seeing the Parade in Preston and meeting the creature shop guy, the trip was worth it. Thanks to David for making it as much worth our while as he could. Oh, did I mention he let slip many secrets about Episode III and the new DVD's????? No, well, you'll have to ask me about it sometime.

    Cheers!
     
  9. cmdrwillard

    cmdrwillard Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 6, 2003
    I am glad you had a good trip.
     
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