Ahh Paris!!

I suppose it is my time to contribute to the blog world once again. Today I will be writing to you, the inquiring minds of the third kind, from the cozy, yet over rated, confines of car number two on TGV north bound to Paris! On this monumental day I will be making my twelfth appearance to the city of love. And being a near local I can share a few vital(like the water but cheaper; much, much cheaper) observations I have now acquired:

#1. There is a 5.80 euro minimum charge on all taxi rides, 2.80 extra baggage fee and the same for extra passengers over four.

#2. Your driver will either A: be bitter and drive you through all possible routes to your destination at the uncanny pass of a snail. Or B: throw all caution to the wind taking you on a Robbie Kenevil (almost as daring as his father, Evil. But no one human can top his insanity for overzealous theatrics) esk. thrill ride you shall not soon forget.

#3. When exiting your train on the third floor, you will be left responsible for transiting your over packed bags down three flights of stairs, across an over crowded, over priced and inadequately stocked shopping mall, back to the stairs, which you will climb to floor two, only to realize your train leaves from Rau De Gar East, not West. Oh Joy.

#4. The Train to the airport has no air conditioning. But on the bright side you get standing room with 100 or so of your closest friends to sweat out last nights fish, which may or may not have been consumed in Albania.

#5. The Eiffel tower is big. As is Notre Dame.

So there. The low down from a man who knows. After all I’ve been there 12 times already and in the 4 to 5 hours I have accumulated in the wonderful, all inspiring, art infested metropolis, I feel I am qualified to share these all important facts.

As for now, I will sit in eager anticipation of another wondrous trip; La Roque to Paris to Frankfurt to Sarajevo. With any luck we will catch the Joan Baez encore, I personally am hoping for a protest song!

Until we type again. Avourie!

C

I dont Blog much these days.

I guess if you read these things you all ready know this. Its not that there is nothing to say, I mean I talk to myself all the time. So why is it? Dunno.

I am still trucking along with the Ranchhands. 20 towns in 30 days. But that doesn't quit do this tour justice. We have visited every thing from LA to Sanfran to Maine to Brooklyn to North North Dakota. Yes I did say North twice, whats it to ya?

I think I will post a few pics to sum up the ride. And maybe, just maybe I will type in an entertaining story for you soon. Maybe.

Kicks on 66

I find myself more times then not on this tour in rowdy biker bars I’d have no business being in out side of performing. And Durango was just the case. However, the folks turned out to be very welcoming. This they proved by an endless flow of alcohol. It was the scenario of, thanks for the drink, now where can I hide it? And for the most part we hid it well. Well, for the most part...

The show itself was, how do I say, rough. I just wasn’t feeling it. And with the less then sober crowd (and low end) it just didn’t ever come together and I found myself searching for inspiration for next stop. Luckily our route took us down historic Route 66. And yes it was a lonesome road.

We were fortunate enough to pass through the painted desert and the petrified forest. Like an ill at ease church group, we stopped at nearly every scenic overlook, taking pictures and acting like school kids. And you thought we were professionals. Good talk son.

And then there was the Mexican foods. Boy that salsa was fresh, and they made it with actual ingredients! Navajo tacos, sopapillas, full bellies, and smiling faces. Yet not a hot pepper for miles. What’s up with that?

OK City

After many days at the spa, the van was ready to embark on the 5000+ mile journey. She was so excited that she refused to stop in Oklahoma City. In efforts to keep on truckin, she sprung a leak in the break line. But the plan was foiled! Now she must spend an extra day at the doctor! Thats right, let this be a warning to all vans. Dont mess with the Ranchhands! We will gladly miss a gig in beautiful Durango, CO for the opportunity to stay in a Super 8 motel(which is super)in Oklahoma. So take that...Sucker! And Durango, maybe we will see you on Sat.

Time off, Time on, New tour!

Well I had all of 5 days to move into my new house with Leslie in Chapel Hill. The place is sweet! Cant wait to get back for a bit longer. However there is more van time in my future:(

We spent the last week in Nashville at the Wildhorse Saloon. It was cool. The folks came out and Leslie was there all week! Also, I got to check out my cuz's band Sullivan and the rocked the house. Even hooked me up with a clean T!! Its fun running into fam on the road.

Now we are off to the west! Arizona, Colorado, California, Wyoming, Nebraska. All sorts o places! This will be a fun one. the band is rocking now. We know the songs and we can have some fun with them! Yippee!

See yuns out there.

Back in the U.S.S.A.?

Apologies for my lack of posting. I will try to fill the blanks as the summer moves forward.
However more important matters are now at hand.

We have begun the first leg of the US tour. It started in Nashville with a well attended showcase during CMA week. From there we did another all-night drive for a concert in Omaha, NE. Upon arriving at the club we were greeted with a transmittion failure in the van; hora, hora! The club was a great room with many people in attendance, however, the stage was obscured by a large wooden pylon and a guard rail. So for me it was a very impersonal experience, and to be honest I felt the music suffered. Post gig we piled all of our equipment into our hostess mini van and proceeded to the middle of a corn field were we are still residing.

But the show must go on. We rented a van for a festival gig in Comstock, NE. Talk about the middle of nowhere! Nothing for miles, and miles...and miles. But I must say, it was quit beautiful. Here we were scheduled to play with Big and Rich. Well those boys decided to show up 5 hours late, casually strolling in with 4 buses with trailers and 2 eighteen wheelers. So why do you need a trailer when you have eighteen wheelers? So you can bring along an Escalade and some Harleys, Duh. While Big was seeing the country side on his custom hog, the crew took over the stage and bumped all the other acts off of the bill. Thank you Big and Rich for looking after the little man!

So that brings back to Lincoln. This was a cool show. It was a very large ballroom, again in the middle of nothing. However this time it was packed with college age dancers executing the finer styles of western swing and line dancing. And let me tell ya these kids were good! Some of the finer dancing I have ever seen. It is a different world out here then I have known before. I pretty sure learning to dance on the weekend wasnt the cool thing to do in Greenville. I could be wrong.

Now back to the van. It is being fixed here in Omaha and we are laid over at the for mentioned hostess house until it is running again. I am getting a real look at life in the middle this week. But since we have a few days off I reckon I can catch up on sleep (which is an entirely different blog altogether, thanks for the wake up call Kemosabie.) and who knows maybe even get in a little exercise.

French, Italian, Swiss German, and Redneck

Finlay found a computer. We are back in Switzerland for a show tonight. Then Austria, Germany and back to Switzerland before flying back to the states on Mon. We had a great turn out for our shows in Annecy, France and Namur, Belgium. Both were sold out, the first being 150 people in a small club, and the other 350 in the town's art center. The later was a big show with lights, screaming fans and many autographs. I signed a man boob and a 7 year old girl. Great fun.