Hello Robbie,  Our 12,000 mile trip in the '97 VW camper ended
yesterday, when we returned to Wiscasset with our 3rd Leabarjan (Model
5) perforator.  It was purchased from Eric Bernhoft in San Francisco,
whose excellent Upright & Grand Rolls are well-known among ragtime
enthusiasts.  It necessitated my unloading the machinery every day, in
order to live in the vehicle, a ritual involving packing materials,
the camper's awning (and/or tent room) attached to the vehicle and a
bit of muscle-power.  (Leabarjan machines might be small, but they get
heavy with repeated lifting.)

All told, the technology of laptop/E-Mail/cellular 'phone system was
satisfactorily, but the _provider system_ needs major improvement.
I got 60% success in transmitting in the East and only about 25-35% in
the West and Southwest, where local-yokel companies don't "dovetail"
with the Eastern Maine-to-Florida standards.  I'm sure that in a year
or so this will be the way-to-go when on-the-road.  Unicel, my Bangor,
Maine, company with 1800 subscribers, finally told me that I'm the
only one who has attempted transcontinental travel with E-Mail
activities.  (I believe them!)  Still, when the system worked, it was
interesting to receive the MMD and Artcraft Roll correspondence, often
from some remote redwood forest.

I'm in the process of trying to see if QRS can be coaxed to imprint
future Artcraft Word Rolls (cut by Play-Rite).  The Malones will
only do instrumental rolls in the future, having lost their stencil
equipment, and it's a 2-person operation with no outside employees now.
I videotaped the remains of the old plant: music rolls, posters and
player roll items still there six months after the February fire.  What
a sad end to the factory.

Happily, most Artcraft Rolls were instrumental, and I do have the
stencils for the lyrics here in Maine.  If QRS can do the printing,
this will cause my Word Rolls to increase in price, due to shipping
expenses to Buffalo and then on to Maine.  For the present, I can
supply 88-Note Word Rolls, due to the inventory which should carry me
through 2001.  The bulk of my rolls are "instrumental" so won't be
affected by this setback in production activities.

Glad to be back in Maine.  If any MMD readers want to attempt the
laptop/E-Mail/cell 'phone route, it's still in the 'pioneering' stages,
at least out West!

Regards,
Douglas Henderson