The night before his Blue Water Music Festival last weekend, organizer Rick Conkey slept on an air mattress on the festival grounds, making sure no one stole the equipment.
At 6 foot 5, his feet hung over the edge of the mattress. But he didn't care. He had other things to worry about.
Would people show up?
Will he have enough cash to pay the bands?
Will he be able to show his face again in Laguna?
He worried but he didn't let it show.
By midday Saturday, people started arriving — not a lot, but some. By late afternoon, the beer and wine started flowing and people were dancing. But it wasn't until Sunday night when the last act performed that Conkey finally allowed himself a glass of red wine.
"I'm happy this whole thing came together," he said smiling, clearly relieved it was over. "The ball will roll forward. The Sawdust was very happy with it. The city seemed very happy with it. The people that were here seemed very happy with it."