Touring Changes!

In case you haven’t heard…you haven’t heard from me. In awhile. Like 8 months.
I was an idiot and I’ll tell you why. I went El Cheapo and built my site in Iweb in the spring of 2010. Ah…those were the good months.

Around January 2011, all heck broke loose. My website-my carefully planned website-became unusable, unretrievable and unpostable. I am not sure if all of those are legitimate adjectives, but I plead the stressed-out case before you.

I continued on with life, saving up my money to hire a professional to build the template. And while I waited, life did not stop. Tours were to be tended to, family was to be visited-the life as I knew it, kept moving forward.

There are road side attractions that must be discussed. Like this giant blue whale on Route 66.

There were near-misses here in Tulsa as tornadoes touched down in Joplin, nearly destroying the city.

There were camels to be seen, new foods to eat, cities to explore…

…and of course my weird husband doing weird things in his hotel room. Like standing in front of a cow picture, bedecked in a zebra print bathrobe, holding a bottle of wine, posing and taking a picture of himself with his phone. Yep. Weird.

I’ll share with you my new adventures, like: places to eat, weird things that have been witnessed, beauty captured by my camera and stories that need to be told.
The world is a large place and I plan to tour it all. Welcome back.

Johnny (Cash) Knows What I Mean

This year has been a whirlwind of tours. We’ve crossed deserts, seen snowy mountains and experienced gorgeous sunrises. We’ve also seen some freaks, but met some nice peeps and overall-had a lovely 2010. Here are snippets of my top ten places we’ve visited from this last year.
I’ve been everywhere, man.

Number 1:
I love to play practical jokes on unsuspecting musicians. It helps them not take themselves too seriously. Plus, it makes me laugh.
Sort of a win-win.

Number 2:
Marfa, Tx is smack dab in the middle of nowhere. It’s filled with a unique art community that made us all feel right at home.

(photo courtesy of Malcolm Schuyl at http://www.wildvisions.co.uk)
Number 3:
I had a bit of a run-in with a snow goose while driving David Copperfield through the frozen tundra of Canada.

Number 4:
Visiting Sturgis, SD was quite the eye opener-complete with halter tops, leather chaps and helmets adorned with horns. Weird.

Number 5:
There are many things to love about Austin, Tx-and the  St. Cecilia Hotel tops the list.

Number 6:
Slapped in the face with a little dose of Mexican reality snapped me out of a pity party.

Number 7:
Biceps is a passionate man-especially when it comes to stage performance. So passionate, in fact, that he got scolded during a show for doing very naughty things.

Number 8:
My mother-in-law has a knack for searching out some of the coolest stores. She introduced us to a store called ‘Victory’, and it changed our lives.

Number 9:
I like to focus on the beauty found in each town we visit. But, there is a seedy underbelly that from time to time humors me.

Number 10:
There is much more Woodstock, NY than hippies. Much more.
I have enjoyed sharing our year of touring with all of you, my dear readers. I hope that you have seen some places you are inspired to visit, and perhaps some that you will avoid…
Happy 2011 to all of you!

My Favorite Part of Touring

There is so much about touring that I love. The alone time that I get with Biceps during the wee hours of the morning when everyone else in the world is asleep is second to none.
The creative time I am allotted is almost overwhelming. And, I actually want to talk on the phone for longer than five minutes. It’s a great change-a-roo to my schedule.

But this moment you see here is my absolute favorite thing about touring.
‘Hello, Cleveland!’…

The sun is wiping the crusties out of its eyes and the moon is partaking of its ‘last call’.
No one is really sure who’s in charge, so the clouds take over and really show off.

At this moment, I have already brewed and partaken of two pots of coffee. I am a little ‘hopped up’ and probably irritating Biceps by now.
You however, are probably wrestling with the alarm clock, your cat demanding treats or the drool hanging from your mouth.

I know that I have almost another hour before I can call my Mom and sing to her, ‘Good Morning, good morning, good morning, it’s time to rise and shine!’
I decide to clean the bus to cool off before I spread my sunshine any further.

The blue is peeking through the clouds, warning us that we only have a few more minutes before the clerk at the truck stop will start copping an attitude.
If you can catch them at just the right moment, they are actually pleasant. I recommend between 5 and 6 am.

This moment makes changing generator oil worth it.
It almost vanquishes the thought of another night of cleaning the stinky toilet ten dudes have ‘tried’ to hit while they were intoxicated.
Almost. But not all the way.

I have a theory that God made sunrises just for me.
And maybe a few other people, I’m sure. But mostly for me.
At least that’s my theory.
It is my favorite part of touring, though. That and the money.

Almost Death, Almost a New Year.

The moodiness and the loneliness of a Connecticut fall day called to me from inside the bus. Once the parking brake was engaged, I hopped out, climbing past the railroad tracks ahead of me.
In doing so, I tripped and scuffed my very cool boots. I stopped for a moment to survey the landscape and to say, ‘dang it’ under my breath. And then ask God to forgive me for using such foul language.

The world was quiet and cold. My boot was marred and mad. I was sorry and hungry.
Elbow on hip and with my breath held, I lowered my camera lens and waited for the moment.

Dotting the elusive horizon, islands barely large enough to cradle vacation homes, stood alone and silent. I knew what they were thinking. I felt it too.
We were all alone, but together-wishing for a brighter sky, a happier waterfront, a greener surrounding, a day off from tour (that was mostly me…).

Suddenly, a buzzing surged through the rails, tickling my booted feet.
I wondered if there could there be earthquakes happening this far north. I asked the others as they spilled out of the bus behind me. They shrugged, then went back to texting and throwing rocks at each other.
Men.

But, these train tracks were not forgotten.
In fact, they were very much in use. I thankfully watched from a safe distance as a high speed train screamed past while I was in the middle of throwing rocks at Biceps. I was either extremely lucky or I had engaged a sixth sense I didn’t know I had. It’s like when cows lay down prior to a thunderstorm.
Or like when you buy another bottle of ketchup, already thinking you have a back-up at home, but buy it anyways because you are at the store and you’ll save a trip-only to discover that when you get home, you don’t have a back-up and are so thankful you bought the ketchup earlier.
Or something like that.