Tuesday, May 26, 2009

tour blog-first weekend

Hi, we are going to try to have a running travel blog of our tour, so people can know what kind of shenanigans the gang is getting into. So every few days hopefully we'll have something up.

We left carbondale at around 7 p.m. on friday night with full stomachs and roared into the humid, purple dusk. We promptly fell asleep, or at least most of us did. Past the Missouri Ozarks, into dusty Oklahoma in the night and through the scrub plains of Texas with it's cattle standing in the morning sun, we finally made it to New Mexico. After 26 hours of not sleeping or eating, we stopped in a small town on route 66 that looked pretty much the same as it did back in the 50s except decrepit and neglected. Bread and turkey, pepperjack cheese, carrots for lunch in a city park. After streching and playing on the playground equipment we hit the road.

We drove into some intense storms that didn't last very long, you could see them coming a long ways off, huge mountains of dark clouds. The weather the whole drive was pleasant, surprisingly cool sometimes. Later that afternoon we stopped in Alberquerke to see the "old town". It was tourist central and we were bored with that so we left. There is a shady park there that the old men sit in and look at the pretty girls as they walk by.

Finally at around 8p.m. we stopped in Gallup, New Mexico for much needed rest. We decided to splurge and got a hotel room. We made a synchronized swimming routine in the pool, sat in the hot tub, and sat in the bath tub with the shower running. We were all pretty much pooped and fell asleep early. Next morning we hit up the continental breakfast, piled in the van and crossed into arizona. The hills slowly became less green and less round. The soil became sandier and rocks became redder. We passed through the Navajo reservation, with broken jalopy cars, weather beaten sheds, clothes on the line. Most had tires on their roofs, and we didn't know why.

Went to Petrified Forest National Park and got ripped off buying overpriced soda. The park was amazing!! Huge vistas and expansive views of purple, red sunset rocks and shadowy mountains in the distance. Enormous piles of clouds ambled by with bright blue sky background. Jasper Forest is an ancient stand of trees that were buried in volcanic ash eons ago and eventually when the hills eroded enough they fell into this valley that was chock full of huge petrified trees. At least it was before the railroad was built nearby in 1882. Pretty soon tons of the trees were being hauled off by settlers and being sold or blown up with dynomite to try to extract crystals from inside.

Ate lunch in the stands at a baseball diamond in Winslow, Arizona to keep out of the rain. More turkey sandwichs, chips and salsa, hummus. Accidently went to Flagstaff because of wrong address in the GPS but turned out great because Flagstaff is a pretty cool town. Surronded by mountains and pine trees, with a nice atmosphere. We walked around, went to thrift store or two. Marcus bought some sweet shades. A bluegrass group was playing in the town square. We went to a brewery and bought some pints. Driving through the mountains on the way to Phoenix was AMAZING!!! The rain stopped and the sun came with late afternoon sideglow on the mountains. We saw a rainbow. The air smelled and felt like honey. Huge views of meadows and valleys. Huge cactus and palm trees!!! We rolled into phoenix feeling great. Ate some burgers and veggies which were awesome and are staying in a house with a pool. Sitting around under palm trees and taking it easy. We are playing our first show tonight in Tuscan, and the next day in San Diego. I think all of us are itching to play. Hope all is well where you are.

That's it for now,
Nighty Night

4 comments:

  1. what a lovely article. i wish i was there instead of where i am. the pictures are beautiful...i want more!!! you also sound as if you are keeping on your goals of being healthy. yay! i'm trying to do the same. miss you guys!!!!! :) (adam say hi!)

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  2. keep having fun! been thinking about all of you!

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  3. Did a girl in a flat bed ford slow down and take a look at you, in Winslow? Take it Easy!

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  4. call me when you get into Portland...503-890-7997

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