More Than Magic in The Magic Valley

Famous for base-jumping, Perrine Bridge

When I have to tell someone where I "grew up" it's usually something about "all over the western states." However I like to say that my real roots took hold in a place called The Magic Valley, Idaho. It is where I spent most of my High School years at Twin Falls High, it is where I first printed a business card that said "magician" on it. Twin Falls is actually famous for a few things (besides me of course), first it is one of the only  great bridges in the country that allows base jumpers to jump off. I met a guy in South Beach one time who told me he was parachute instructor, and I asked him if he'd ever been to Twin Falls, Idaho and jumped off the Perrine Bridge. He lit right up and said, "How do you know about the Perrine?" He told me that amongst base jumpers that it was known around the world. For me it was always a place where I fantasized hanging from the middle and doing my strait jacket escape.

Famous place to make out as a teenager living in Idaho.

Another reason to visit Twin Falls, is the falls. Just outside of town on the Snake River is a beautiful, amazing, if not magical waterfalls called Shoshone Falls. It was near here that I had my first make-out session, as did most of the people who went to high school in Twin. My first girlfriend and I used to skinny dip in the pools near the falls. There are a few dirt roads into hidden lakes and camp sites that made a great place for a 17 year old to take a girl to watch the stars. I won't name names. But you know who you are.

Evel Knievel's Sky Cycle

And those of you who really know trivia, know that Twin Falls and the Snake River Canon was where Evil Knievel made his famous rocket cycle attempt to jump the canyon and failed. As a young teen, I actually got to see that jump up close and personal, because my best friend knew the family that owned the land, and we actually hid under some tarps in the back of his pickup truck to get past the gate without paying. Oh I was so wild as a teen.. ha! I took a few pictures that day and felt the crowd surge forward as he went into the canyon. I remember thinking, "people are going to die" as the chain link fences which kept people back from the canyon ridge were pushed over.

I actually met Knievel years later in Houston and told him that I sneaked in to his jump. First thing he said, was, "well that was a party wasn't it." Then he asked me to buy his video and said we're even.

There Randy.. Are you satisfied? LOL

When ever I go back to Twin, it is a trip down memory lane for me. And it becomes mostly about seeing those people I've known over the years. Mostly now I love to see which old friends have recently become single, well, it is. but I really do enjoy visiting old friends and of course meeting new ones. Twin Falls had both for me. I met some old high school buddies and of course old girlfriends. One of the great guys I know, Randy Givens wanted me to put his picture in here. What an egomaniac, right? LOL

The most refreshing and surprising meeting of the trip was a girl named Jana. Jana had become my friend on Facebook and told me she was from Twin. So when she said, "I'd love to meet you" I was more than happy to see if we could meet.

One of the most interesting aspects of this situation was my contacting her and setting up a meeting. You see, Jana wrote to me on Facebook, and gave me her number, but she also told me that she had been in an accident years ago which left her with a brain injury which impaired her mobility and made it extremely difficult to speak. She asked me if I knew how to sign. Unfortunately that isn't one of my talents. So I told her that we'd make it happen, and if she couldn't speak, then she'd just have to listen to me talk or we'd just have to hug a lot. She gave me her number and I called her up. I admit speaking with someone who "can't talk" on the phone is somewhat difficult. Jana does great at making herself understood, even on the phone. But after a struggle of trying to understand, I decided to tell her, "OK you just give me yes and no answers and I'll ask questions." So I asked her if she would meet me at the weekly "Music on Main" where a local band always plays music on Wednesday evenings. Jana and I had a lot of fun and of course we made quite a pair dancing. Thanks Jana for putting yourself out there and living a magic life!

The Rhinestone Roper

But I needed to find a magician there and unfortunately I didn't know of any other regular magicians in Twin Falls, Idaho. But I did know someone famous who did tricks. Or rather his horses did tricks.

The Rhinestone Roper and Ace Starry

One of the truly amazing magic life magicians I know is a man named Dan Mink. Dan and I attended the College of Southern Idaho together and had performed together in theater productions while attending the Junior College. Dan and I became good friends back then. But then, I went on to become a magician bum, and Dan decided to do something worthwhile with his life, he became a lawyer.

That was until years later when he decided that he was going to chuck his law career and become a trick roper, a real life Bronco Billy. He decided to actually follow his dream and create his own wild west show. He is now known as the Rhinestone Roper. Dan tours the country performing his amazing act and showing off his amazing skills and amazing trick horses.

Dan took me out to his place and showed me the "ropes." Actually he showed me his truck and trailer, that he had built to haul his show and horse. Dan is an amazing guy and has had some really wonderfully magical moments in his life.

You can see the knife caught mid throw between the trees.

One of which was his being on America's Got Talent performing his knife throwing act. If you find this on YouTube, it is really worth a watch. Dan actually took me over to where he practices throwing his knives and gave me a lesson. Believe me I really can't throw anything, but Dan had me sticking the knives in just a few minutes. Dan and I talked about life and it's trials and tribulations. One of which was how America's Got Talent set him and his horse up for failure just so they could make more drama for the program. When Dan decided to use his horse in the act, he told them that they needed to have no loud noise and that the lights couldn't be so bright in the eyes of his horse. He told them this and they told him, they'd make sure the horse had the proper working conditions. So instead of doing that, the producers probably thought they'd get the horse to buck and go out of control if they simply upped the music and lights trying to scare it. So that was what they did. Instead of creating the drama of a horse gone wild, the horse was just not able to perform his tricks. He pretty much didn't do anything. So by trying to create drama they just ruined the bit.

But Dan has a positive attitude and is currently looking for a permanent venue for his show. I'm sure he'll find one, and keep living his magic life. This was magic like no other on my trip.. Thanks Dan.

On with the magic.. next stop Logan Utah with magician Dick Hatch.