Back to Seattle

Yeah!!! today I’m going home! I loved the tour but must say that I’m a bit tired of driving and am looking forward to sleep in my own bed and see my family:) But not yet...



I love coming down into the Valley.



Getting closer - oh it’s a beautiful day!



Finally! I break a record and drive 520 miles without getting gas or having my gas light come on!



Feels good to be back!

Thanks to all the folks that were traveling with me here:)

Mood is low in Idaho

It’s a rainy morning and I leave the house by about 7 am.



It’s an eventless drive to the Idaho border.



I’m getting tired of sitting in the car and do some sight seeing. I play in Nampa tonight and stop in Twin Falls. First I cross a canyon - wow didn’t expect that!



The Falls are beautiful and also called the Niagara of the West



Here is Snake River



On my way out of the canyon I see a herd of bucks on the cliff above me!



Alright, back on the road - Just a mile after Boise I get into a crazy traffic jam. They closed of the highway because of a bank robber who shot himself in his car out of desperation! I sit there for almost two hours. When I finally get to the venue about 40 min before I start playing I see no poster - Oh man! why am I doing all this work of sending out stuff when... Oh well, let’s stay positive. I have about 5 people sitting all over the place checking their email. Well, this will pass by and tomorrow I’m back home! After the gig I get another 60 miles down before I stop and get a motel and a six pack:)

Mormon House Concert

Today I’m playing in Salt Lake City at my friends house. They are all Mormons and a wonderful bunch. First though I got to do some email. I find a little Cafe not far from the Motel



After that I’m on my way again. It’s only about a 50 min drive - darn that it rained so much yesterday - I could have easily missed the last stop!



Gail, Ron & Megan live a little outside downtown and their space and acoustics are perfect for a concert.



I help with the preps and around 6 pm people from their community start showing up. It is a great concert and I love playing also for some young folks that dig acoustic music!



After the show we hang out ‘till about midnight. Here is a tired Ron:)



and Gail & Megan doing the dishes...



I’m tired too and know that i have an 8 hour trip to Idaho tomorrow.

Storms are brewing in Utah

In the morning I find a little coffee house and get my Americano with 4 shots. Now I ready to do some work. I’m planing on driving all the way to Salt Lake City but lets see.

The weather is still good but somehow I can feel it coming. It’s good being on the road again.

I love the western part of Colorado driving on I40...

THis time I should make a stop at the Dinosaur National Monument but lets see, it’s still so far to go.

Finally I enter Utah. I remember getting a ticket last year right 10 miles after the state border so this time I watch it!

The weather starts turning and the sky is so dramatic - I wish I could capture that in a photograph but oh well, I guess this one isn’t bad.

It’s starting to pour down like crazy and all over sudden it’s dark. It is still about two hours to drive but I realize I’m not gonna make it. I’m tired and wiped out and start to look for any cheap place I can stay. I’m in Oil country and all the motels are totally over prized and usually host the folks that work in the oil fields around here. Finally I find a little dive - oh my - that’s gonna be the worst for this tour but what can I do, I simply am to tired to go any further. I know that I’m not gonna take a shower and probably sleep with clothes on...

Well, as it turns out I don’t sleep at all - the storms are getting worse and thunder and lightning make for a spectacular night.

Into the Rocky Mountains

Oh is it early! 6:00 am - ah whatever... I get up, take a shower and start driving. Today I’m going to the Rocky Mountain National Park and am already excited to have this whole day just for myself! First I drive up the Central City Parkway into the Las Vegas of Colorado - two small communities where the CO gold rush began.

It is stil gold rush and there are only Casino’s. The city is in a steep valley and looks very cool, especially so early when no one is on the streets.

I get a little lost in the small streets but I don’t mind driving around and just looking...

Finally I’m out of this place and on my way into the mountains

Before I enter the park I see the weirdest things - did not expect that at all!

Ok, I’m in!

Oh my is that beautiful! There are really dark clouds around but I don’t mind, it just enhances the dramatic look. I wish I could capture emotions in the pictures!

The car climbs up higher and higher and I’m basically all by myself.

I wonder how this looks in winter - it must be a wonderland:)

I remember the times with my folks when I was a kid. They used to take me to the mountains and I was hiking along. Seeing all that brings back a lot of wonderful memories and my heart jumps up and down. I reached the trail head
which is Fall River Pass and am 11794 feet (3594 m) high. The air is thin and walking around not as easy as I thought:)

Driving down I reach Grand Lake. I remember it from last year where I stayed in a cabin for one night. The day turned beautiful and I sit on the water and dream away...

That is the look towards the mountains...

After that I get back on the road driving West...

The weather turns dark again.

Around 7 pm I reach Craig, a little village where i had a cheap motel last year and get myself some take out food and a beer. What a great day!

Jefferson Unitarian Church

I get up before 7 am and get ready to make the short trip to the church. It’s a beautiful day and the sun is already burning down when I drive into downtown Golden.

The church is about three miles down the road and a beautiful space.

They are very appreciative and love my songs. After the two services I’ve sold about 15 Cds and am very glad that I could turn this weekend around!
I’m driving back to Golden to have lunch with Dave and spend some more time with him. Golden has everything from a cute downtown to a table mountain

and the head quarters of the Coors Brewery!

I planed to take Dave to an Indian place but he has some veggies that need to be cooked so we make a stir fry and heat up a pizza - yummy! After lunch he shows me the Community garden that he solely put into place. It’s a great space and I’m getting all kinds of ideas how I want to life:)

We have a great time connecting and part of me feels sorry that I have to leave...
I drive closer to the Rocky Mountain National Park. My plan is to drive through tomorrow. The streets get narrower...

I drive all the way to Nederland, a little community about 1 hour south of Eskes Park. All Inns and Motels are occupied due to the holiday and I decide to drive back to I70 where I find a place for the night in Idaho Falls.

Cohousing Heaven

The day starts with rain - I decide to go back to the coffeehouse and work on emails and booking before i drive down to Golden. The hours fly by and when I leave Boulder it starts pouring down.

But who would have thought that - the closer I get to Golden the better the weather gets, so I decide to do a little detour and drive into a nice Canyon.

It get’s time to turn around and go to Harmony Village, a Cohousing Community that invited me to perform tonight.

Wow is that beautiful! It is built in a Pueblo style with Adobe everywhere and lots of green!

I’m welcomed warmly and feel instantly that it will be a great evening. I spend some time with Dave Wann and feel that there is a kindred spirit! Dave and me were in contact about the concert and he’s a freelance author, event speaker and coauthor of the book “Affluenza, The All-Consuming Epidemic”.
After dinner we go to the common house and set up the chairs. 30 minutes before I start it is packed! Nice, exactly what I needed. I should have taken a pic right then because after the break some families had to retire and drive home (people came from Boulder!!!). Here is the core at the end. I'm in heaven - what a wonderful evening:)


After the show we have a glass of wine and chat for an hour or so...

then it’s time to retire and I get to sleep in the guest room which feels very cosy, especially after yesterdays motel!