In 1999 we were able to attend our first Dum-dum. In preparation for this event we purchased our first camcorder. We took the camcorder, a still camera, and a micro audio recorder. I did not want to chance missing anything.

Upon arrival in Los Angeles we made our way to the hotel in Woodland Hills. We dropped off our bags, and headed to downtown Tarzana to the office of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. I knew I could never meet Edgar himself as he "had taken the long, last pilgrimage down the mysterious River Iss" two weeks before I was born, but I was hoping to meet Danton. I knew of Danton because back in the 1979 I wrote a letter to Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. asking if they had any plans to publish a book of Edgar Rice Burroughs' poetry. Danton replied that they had thought of it, but had no definite timetable. When we arrived at the office Danton invited us in, showed us around, and spent 30-45 minutes with us.

The only other people there at that time were Bob Barrett and the office personnel. Our visit there was very pleasant. I took a lot of still and video pictures and Danton gave us a few mementos of the upcoming Disney release. Danton was a gracious host again later, at the gathering at his home.

From Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. we went to the Chamber of Commerce to see what was available. I do not know if this was the same lady I met in 1980, but again, she was very nice. We purchased Tarzana t-shirts, and picked up some brochures and some information. While we were there some other ERB fans arrived to purchase t-shirts also. From the Chamber we just went looking around. I think I found the bank I had visited in 1980, but they no longer had an ERB display and no one there could say for sure if they had had one in 1980. We located the post office so we would know just where to go to get our letters post marked. I had prepared several envelopes for us and for some email friends in Europe before we left Colorado, and I wanted to be sure there was no delay in getting to the post office on Monday as we had to fly out Monday also.

During the Dum-dum itself I spent a great deal of time video recording. I recorded the panels, the auction, the dealer room, and various activities. This was my first attempt at making a video record and I was still learning about the camera. I managed to make a good record, but upon viewing it later, I realized that in several instances, I should have done this instead of that. Well I am still learning, but hopefully I am getting better.

This Dum-dum included a trip to Disney studios to see a pre-premier of Disney's "Tarzan". We were a bit early for the show, so we went across the street to a McDonald's and had a bite to eat. While we were there J the V, Prof. Porter, and perhaps a few others came in and joined us. I made the assumption that cameras would not be allowed at the showing, so I did not bring the camcorder. I did, however, bring the still camera and the micro recorder, much to my delight. As it turned out, not only were we going to get to see the show before anyone else, we were also going to be given a presentation by the primary persons responsible for creating this show. As it turns out, a micro recorder is not the ideal instrument for making a sound recording in a theater, but mine performed wonderfully. There are a few short sections where someone is speaking too low for my recorder to pick up, but the majority of the conversations are easily understandable. (You may view this transcription at ERBzine 0257.)

Right after we checked out of the hotel, we went to the post office to get our envelopes cancelled. We then headed for the finale of this trip... a tour of the Ackermansion. I put a fresh tape in the camcorder and kept it on my shoulder for the whole tour. Admittedly, it is very close quarters in most of the house, but the tape did capture this museum. I even got to try out the built-in light when we entered the crypt under the house.

All in all this was a GREAT Dum-dum especially for a couple of first timers. We met a lot of new friends (including the Hillmans) learned a lot about Dum-dums and ECOF gatherings, and just generally enjoyed ourselves. And... I have it all on tape! (See footnote) I decided then to try to make either a Dum-dum or ECOF gathering each year. However, this was not to be.

In 2000 I planned to attend the ECOF in Clarksville. I sent my registration check to Jim Thompson and then proceeded to make travel arrangements. First I contacted George McWhorter to ensure that I would be included on a tour of the Louisville library. Then I made my flight arrangements to arrive in Nashville and depart from Louisville. I made arrangements for a car rental to be picked up in Nashville and dropped off in Louisville. I had even scheduled an extra day on this trip just so I could get up to Louisville. Everything had been worked out.

"So what happened?" you might ask. Well instead of taking my trip, I took a long walk off a short roof and spent the next ten weeks in the house. (Sorry, no pictures, because I looked like something out of a Freddy Krueger movie.) The first couple of weeks all I did was sleep. The next eight I spent learning that there is nothing on daytime television.

I did get souvenirs from "The Moon Maid" convention and I was there in spirit. Ken Webber brought me some stuff back and brought it down to me during one of his visits. Jim gave me the option of a refund or a package containing the registration goodies. I, of course, took the package.

In 2001 we planned to attend the Dum-dum in Florida, but after we purchased our tickets for a trip to Belgium the Dum-dum date was changed to the same weekend we were flying out. We worked on it, but could not come up with a way to do both. Things are getting serious now. Two years and no convention. Bummer!

In 2002 we decided to make up for the missed conventions by attending both the Dum-dum in College Station, Texas and the ECOF in Los Angeles.

College Station was a great time again. The first person we met up with was Laurence Dunn. He was just wandering around waiting for people to show up. We asked him to join us to get lunch, and he did. After that we just kept meeting friends; old and new. This convention was made memorable by Brad Vinson's wonderful hospitality in opening his home and allowing us to drool over his fabulous collection. His special treat of a plaster of Paris figurine for each person at the banquet was just great also.

On our way back to Houston, we stopped in Huntsville to spend the day with my sister. They took us to see some of the nearby sights, but not including their place of employment. The Texas Department of Corrections at Huntsville is not high on my list of places to be, even for a visit.

For ECOF 2002 we returned to the Los Angeles area. We arrived too late to get in on the reception Danton held. We went directly from the airport to Danton's and arrived at his house at about 8:00. We thought we might still get in on the last of it, since the reception was supposed to last until 8:30. However, we observed that there was only a car or two present and no one wandering around, so we did not knock. We were really bummed out about missing that and resolved from that point on, to arrive early the day before any convention officially starts.

Well things got much better the next day. There was the huckster room, the stars (Lydie Denier, Bruce Boxleitner, Denny Miller, Eve Brent), the panels, the artists, the banquet, all our old friends, our new friends.

This was a much better year as we had had a double dose of the ERB support group. We had met a lot of old friends and made a few new ones. I was calm now. Everything would be fine. It is only a few months until the next convention.

Of course we had to go to the 2003 Dum-dum in Louisville. Finally a chance to see "the" collection, which we did... twice. Then there were the different groups going together for meals. And, of course, the auction, panels, the regular attendees, and the special guests.

The reception at the library was a blast. A chance to mingle with old friends and to make new ones, like Walter and Veronika Tauser from Austria. We also met Boris Vallejo and Julie Bell. They are a delightful couple.

We saw a vehicle in the parking garage with the license plates "XTARZAN" and we just assumed that they belonged to a fan. Later Denny Miller was telling us about his new (to him) vehicle and then it dawned on me what the plate meant. This vehicle belonged to an ex-Tarzan.

We had to go to Churchill Downs before leaving the area, so we invited Walter and Veronika Tauser to accompany us.

Just a wonderful time again, and again captured on tape. And then the announcement... "The next Dum-dum will be in Fort Collins." What? In COLORADO? We could drive!

The 2004 Dum-dum awaits us, but already, it was almost another miss. Again, we made plans for a trip to Belgium and again the date is changed. This time, however, we had not yet purchased our tickets. Since we will be so close to the Dum-dum we were able to shift our trip a few days to allow us to attend the Dum-dum and fly out the following Monday for Europe. We will be there!

Regardless of where the Dum-dums or ECOFs have been held we have always had an extremely good time with all of our old and new friends.

It has been my custom to transfer my video records from 8mm tape to standard VHS tape and make these conventions available to anyone who wanted it, if they would pay the cost of postage from me to them. That offer will still be available at this year's Dum-dum, but now Abner Perry has perfected his technique for making DVDs from my tapes and offering them at a very reasonable price. At this time he has available the 2003 and 2002 Dum-dums and the 2002 ECOF. The 1999 Dum-dum should be available soon and I assume that the 2004 Dum-dum will be available later in the year. Interested parties should see his site at http://www.erbatlas.com/jacketstore.shtml.

. . . to be continued