May 31, 2012 - Dateline: Kerrville, Texas. Nearly a month later, the trip fraught with...complication. I left Anchorage May 2nd, but the day before I found my tire flat - nail puncture. Replacing it the next day, the jack collapsed as i had the tire off and, stepping back from the falling car, I stepped on my prescription glasses... It was an auspicious beginning for the trip.... Trouble in downtown Anchorage on the way out led to an additional $1,000 out of pocket.... for car fixes. As i mentioned in the May 3rd entry, the trip was glorious, but fast. Before I knew it I was streaking through North Dakota on a rendezvous with the River City Eatery and a great night of music and conversation. From there it was to San Antonio, Texas for a week with my Reclaiming Futures friends, and a spontaneous concert in the Hotel there before returning to pick up my car in Minnesota and for back to back dates in Delft, Minnesota (thanks Bruce Boldt) and St. Cloud (thanks Jeff Poster and everyone in the family. Heading to the east coast after that I sensed trouble outside of Madison on the 14th of May... an overheating engine (the car does have 150,000 miles on it....) and trouble.
I was able to nurse the car to Chicago and, on the recommendation of friends Jeff Becker and Jodi Kessler, I got the car into Chicago Car Care (I swear by these lovely yarmulke wearing geniuses!) and rented a car for the Northeast part of the trip. Failed radiator, body damage, air conditioning out - this trip was not the great money-making follow-up to last Winter's tour... Did I mention the failed computer hard drive and the lost I Phone in Delft?? Thought not. But then I was East - Morrisville at the Bees Knees where I was invited to perform with the Celebration of Expressive Arts (CEA) in the Fall, then New Bedford to help on Justice issues after spending the night in Burlington with long-time friend Ken Schatz. After New Bedford, it was New London, the Long Island Ferry and then Greg and Megan Roth in Nassau County for our fundraiser for Hands Up for Kidz. A great outdoor afternoon had by all.
By then the trip was winding down. An evening with long-time friend and Croatian recording artist Nenad Bach was a needed wind down from the whole trip and, for some reason, it just felt everything was going to work out - new phone, new computer, sort of new car... I finished the tour in Burlington, VT. I won't say anything nice about Radio Bean, where I played, except that I was pleased that friends were able to show up for the event. And then, as quickly, I was back on the road in the rental - heading for Chicago and the next phase of the trip...
Since then I've been back to Minneapolis and St. Cloud - visiting relatives and friends and catching a Twins game:
Before heading south to Texas and Kerrville. Reached Austin last night where I thank Paul Schomer and his sister for putting me up for the night. Now, a few more car repairs under my belt, I am ready for renewal....