Monday, October 13, 2003

Okay, time to recount the tour some more. I'll start with the last show in Winona with Charlie Parr, Larry Penn, and Jack. This was a good one due to the fact that Alex rented the Winona Arts Center and flyered the town. The four musicians sat on stage and traded songs for two hours or so and the audience seemed happy; folk music at it's finest. The tickets were $10 each so we were all relieved that the seats got filled. After the show Jack and I high-tailed it back to Minneapolis and slept four hours. By 8:30 am he, Liz, Doolittle (the dog), and I were in the rental car driving west. We arrived in Spearfish, SD by 6 pm and ate dinner with Coral and Jenny (my aunt and cousin). At 9 pm we played a short set at the Knight's Cellar. We passed the hat and dredged in a total of $28. My uncle Josh didn't seem so impressed by Jack or I and encouraged me to get a job teaching. We slept well that night and by 8 am were driving through the north-east corner of Wyoming headed for Basin, Montana. At 4 pm we arrived and Jack and Liz got a hotel. I killed a couple hours by soaking in the pool at Boulder Hot Springs. Our show at the High Note was probably the high-light of the tour for both of us. We sold plenty of merchandise and the crowd was enthusiastic. My aunt/godmom, Bryher, is a gracious host and promoted the show well and helped to set the mood with her tea and pie. My mom drove from Polson to see it. The next day I rode with her back to Missoula where we met up with Jack and Liz for lunch. Three hours later we cruised onwards to Spokane. Once there Jack and Liz got another hotel. Jack and I joined Melissa, Jeremy, and Lalluh for dinner at The Elk. At 7:00 we set up shop at the Spike Coffee House. The show went fine. I was a little neurotic but apparently endearing... I crashed on Melissa's couch. She bought me breakfast. Jack, Liz, and I drove to Eugene. Met up with Baby Gramps and played to a surprisingly sparse crowd. We all earned $37 each and sold a couple cds. I drove all the way back to Olympia that night. By 6:30 am we were sleeping at the ABC House. Jack and I played on KAOS radio at 2 pm and the Harvest Fest Banquet at 5 pm, and then I went to see Gillian Welch at 9 pm. Then we slept some more, hung out with Andras in the morning, drove to Anacortes, and played at the Department of Safety that night. Jack also played at the Brown Lantern to earn some extra gas money for he and Liz drove all the way back to Minneapolis after the show. They needed to get the rental car back within twenty-seven hours and I think it took them exactly that amount of time. Liz had to be at work. Also, they didn't want to have to pay an extra day. That's hard core road-warrior shit, though, so props to both of you. You, too, Doolittle, you little rat dog. Thanks for not pissing on the seats or chewing up my cell-phone, etc. I won't miss smelling your stinky ass, but, overall, you were a good little dog. As for me, I spent the night at Karl and Cali's. I spent the next morning watching home movies with Ciel, their two-year-old. I barely know her but she kept telling me how much she's missed me.

Well, I guess I'm home. The Northwest is where I've lived since 1993 minus eight-teen months in Nashville... People seem to like me here. I'm not so sure I like them, but I guess I probably do. I made apple crisp for my roommates tonight and the kitchen still smells of cinnamon. It's Columbus Day. The Red Sox beat the Yankees 3-2, which evens up the series 2-2. The Cubs lead the Marlins 3-2 after losing 0-4 yesterday. The Seahawks are 4 and 1. The Terminator is Governor of California. At least four countries besides our own have nukes. Roy got dragged off-stage by a white tiger. Rush Limbaugh is addicted to pain-killers. It's all quite fascinating.

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