Troubadour Tales: I
November, 2022
Des Moines, Iowa: 3:30 am Friday
In the spirit of the guerrillas and gangsters I’ve spent so much time reading about, I traveled light and mostly at night.
Appleton, Wisconsin Noon Friday
I had the opportunity to play the Fox Valley Roots Festival in Appleton Wisconsin. I kicked the day off with a set at noon and visited with other artists in the greenroom. Dave Gibson runs the music hall and The Mile of Music Festival each year. We chatted about the venue and our mutual acquaintances in the midwest music scene. It’s always fun to see your pals’ names on flyers in places you play.
Chicago, Illinois: Friday Evening
As is customary when in Chicago, there was good and meaningful conversion over a few drinks at a dive bar. Chicago always makes sure to throw a few locals and their flare my way. I’m always along for the ride. This time it ranged from tragic stories of loss to an unsolicited story about DMT. A few hours of sleep and I was headed east on 80 ahead of the sun.
Columbiana, Ohio: Saturday Afternoon
After the show and the van was loaded, I had intended to drive a few hours and then sleep in a rest area somewhere in Pennsylvania. I’m glad I didn’t.
I sat at the bar for a pint and met my new best friend from Ohio. His name is Dick and he’s a retired geologist. He’s lived all over the world doing geology things. I learned about the Australian Outback and Scotland and Wisconsin. After he retired, Dick pursued all his interests. After an unexpected meeting with an Alaskan Malamute years back, he’s now got a small sled and dog team. We shared about our captivation as kids of the Iditarod Trail. Maybe one day I’ll still get to ride one of those sleds.
Dick has a sailboat up on a lake in Wisconsin. Sounds like he spends a good chunk of the summer sailing about. He’s not much into fishing. We had opposite experiences with fishing as kids, and I can almost picture his boredom at the age I was aching to fish.
His debut on the community play stage was Miracle on 34th Street. You’d never guess which character he played. I told him that it sounded like he’d lived a very full life. He looked me in the eye and said “it sounds like you have. And you got started before me.” At the time I shrugged it off, but I’ve not been able to stop thinking about it since.
I took off from the brewery and about ten miles away thought “I should have got a photo with Dick.” So, I went back and the surprise on his face was more than worth the added effort.Alway got back for the photo.
Sometimes the places I want to travel to keep me up at night. I figured this would be no different with tantalizing options for adventure so near to my path the following day.So I headed toward New York City.
Manhattan, New York: 6:45 Sunday morning
The outskirts and suburbs of most major U.S. cities look pretty similar, but once you approach the George Washington Bridge there’s no doubt Manhattan is near. I strolled around Central Park for a couple of hours as folks were still ending their Saturday nights and others were starting their Sundays. In that amount of time I was able to compile a sizable list of subjects regarding New York City history that I’ll be scouring used book stores for. I loaded my curiosity into the Honda Odyssey and drove to New Jersey via the Holland Tunnel.
Cream Ridge, New Jersey Noon Sunday
The fine folks at the New Egypt Flea Market sure do know how to make a fella feel welcome a thousand miles from home. It was the kind of fortifying experience you need before you start a seventeen hour trek home. Mike sent me with plenty of Pineridge Coffee beans and the vendors made sure I wouldn’t need any gas station food for most of the drive. After the show I heard about their experiences growing up in New Jersey so near to historic venues and bands. I couldn’t imagine being so near to the heartbeat of the music I loved at that age. To bookend the east coast run I took a few minutes on the Asbury Park beach and boardwalk to gaze at the Atlantic. In less than twelve months, music has taken me from Venice Beach to the Jersey Shore and this country mouse from Missouri is pretty proud.
Des Moines, Iowa: Monday Evening
1,100 miles and then I was home. I’d only change one thing about the drive. Unfortunately, both passes through the Alleghenies were at night, and next time I’d sure like to see them.
“You’re either headed somewhere or you’re ending up somewhere.”
