A familiar looking stranger with an unusual accent recently stopped by and spent a bit of time looking at guitars and talking with the guys at Music Box Express on Winchester Avenue in Ashland while crews worked to get Central Park ready for the evening’s Summer Motion 2009 concert.

It didn’t take manager Randy Ackerson and others very long to figure out the man was Spencer Davis, founder of the legendary rock band The Spencer Davis Group.

“He bought $30 worth of guitar picks,” Ackerson said, theorizing Davis may have planned to toss the box full of simulated tortoise shell medium-gauge Fender brand picks to the audience during his show that evening.

Ackerson said the shop is no stranger to accomplished musicians, recalling an impromptu visit from Craig Morgan when the country musician was jogging around town before a concert at the Paramount Arts Center. Morgan ended up buying a four-wheeler from the Pawn Shop Express next door to the music shop.

Singer/guitarist Rob McNurlin, now of Nashville, has also been known to be seen hanging around and, Ackerson said, “Melvin Goins comes in here all the time.”

Just for fun

If you have a bunch of children to deal with, someone dropped off a flier this week promoting The Fun Zone Inflatable Party and Sports Center in the Ceredo Plaza in Ceredo..

The page included a price list for party packages based on the number of children expected, as well as the pay-to-play rates for individual children during “Jump In Hours” from 3 to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Sports Package provides softball and baseball batting cages for $20 per half-hour or $30 for a full hour.

We both had too much fun the last time we went to a batting cage — so much we both had aching wrists for about a week afterwards. Maybe it’s time to have another swing at that.

For more information, call (304) 781-JUMP or visit their Web site at www.tristatefunzone.com.

Really big yard sale

Yard sale enthusiasts should reserve Friday and Saturday for the eighth annual Route 60 Yard Sale.

We went out for last year’s event and I still have an ornate piece of cast iron something (really, we have no idea what this thing was made to do) in our living room we picked up for a couple of bucks.

The best part of last year’s event was finding serious collectibles, which seemed price-appropriate in most cases, as well as a bunch of bargain priced “junque” and a lot of good old-fashioned weird stuff, including some antiquated grocery store equipment I found fascinating.

Organizers at the City of Grayson Tourism and Convention Commission, which assumes no liability for injuries or damages, reminds everyone who is selling something to keep safety at the top of their list, allowing room for people to get their vehicles completely off of the highway and move around safely. Those selling food (except sealed foods like bagged chips) need to get a temporary permit from the Little Sandy District Health Department. Nonprofit groups including churches are exempt from the $25 permit fee, although still required to have the permit.

Vendor spaces are available for free at the Old Carter County Fairgrounds on U.S. 60 East and portable toilets will be placed strategically along the way.

TIM PRESTON can be reached at tpreston@dailyindependent.com or at (606) 326-2651.