Last Show in Salem

It’s an eventless drive to Oregon and my thoughts are drifting around. I still can’t quite get that this is supposed to be my last show and I’m going back to Seattle tonight. So I keep staring into the clouds and hope not to hit anybody...

Leftie’s Pizza is a huge restaurant with a great stage. There are some big performers here during the weekends. I have some friends coming and so it is a great last show.

Around 11 pm I start the drive to Seattle - only a little more than three hours before I finally reach home again - wow, what a trip. A total of 12747 miles and a little more than 60 shows. I’m certainly ready for a break!

St. Paddies in Shasta

Before I leave for Mount Shasta I spend a little time walking around Sutter Creek. I realize that I never have done that before - shame on me!

I’m excited to be on my way home and am looking forward to the Mountain!
There it is in the far distance - Mount Shasta - got to love it

I’m getting closer...

and closer!

It’s great to see my friend Tom who owns the Stage Door in Mt Shasta. He wanted me to play tonight but I’m not competing with drinking Leprechauns and Irish sailors. I rather go for a little hike out to the lake.

In the evening Tom, his wife Julie and me sit in their house and chat up a storm before we all go to bed. Tomorrow is my last show - I can’t believe that everything is over!?!

Sutter Creek

Another goodbye - Dan is just a great guy to be around!

I have to leave early for a radio show in Sacramento. I’m again at KXJZ 88.9 FM - "Insight" with Jeffrey Callison. He’s a great host and interviewer and I love being on his show.

Time flies again and I’m on my way out East to Sutter Creek - yes, that’s where the california Gold Rush started! If there were only horses and tumbleweed...

Here are my good friends Pete and his wife Kathryn in front of my new car - well almost...:)

Pete is the sound guy at the theatre and we set up nicely - I might even play the Steinway tonight...

But everything is different then expected - we have about 22 people and I don’t feel like being in a 200 seat theatre with only that many bodies. Pete has the idea of moving everybody to the next door Theatre wine bar and do a fully acoustic show in a packed space - Brilliant!!! It’s a great evening and satisfying show.

As usual I stay upstairs. Somehow I’m wired and can’t sleep so I play some music and write lyrics.

Finally around 3am I’m ready for bed...

Grass Valley

Before I leave for Grass Valley I visit a little with Pat, Abby’s mom and enjoy her wonderful garden.

The drive is cool until I get to Sacramento - after that I’m in one traffic jam after another.

Tonight I’m playing a house concert at Joyce and Dan. They are good friends since several years and i always enjoy driving up to their house

Here is the clan...

Further North

In the morning I spend some time doing email at a Starbucks close by

Then I’m on my way through the desert towards Bakersfield and then Fresno.

I love all these Cactus trees and remember the first time at the Joshua Trees with Evo 7 years ago.

One sign that I’m back in CA are the windmills - they should do that in Kansas!

Later in the evening I arrive in Fresno and visit with my friends Kevin and Delilah. Kevin is an old buddy and the bass player for Lyquid Amber.

His partner Delilah is into acting and Theatre. Both want to move to NYC in 2008.

One more day as a tourist

In the morning I spend some time in a nice Cafe just across the street from my motel. I get to answer some emails and work a little before I’m back on I 40.

I can’t quite get my mind to go straight to CA without spending some more time around here. So I take the next opportunity and get back on Route 66 driving towards the Grand Canyon Caverns. It is one of the largest dry Caverns in the country. With the lack of moisture and bacteria everything down there is preserved, as is a Bob Cat that fell into a natural opening around 1850.

After an hour tour I’m back in the open and ready to take on the road again.

Here I just crossed over the Colorado River into California. You can still see the river as a thin blue line in the distance.

Then I’m entering the Mojave desert.

It seems to go on forever and ever and more than once I imagine how it must have been crossing it on a horse...

It’s getting dark and I try to find a motel but there are only two little places in the desert that have a gas station but that is it! I have to drive all the way to Barstow and get the first Motel that comes in sight. I’m done for the day! Luckily there is a chinese fast food around the corner.

The right place to be humble

Last night I was coughing my lungs out - wow, now I feel a little better and pack up for my tourist day - yes, I know it’s hard to believe but I’m doing it! I’m going to see the Grand Canyon today.

Instead of going all the way on 40 to Williams the official Gateway to the park I decide to go straight North through the Hopi reservation. On the way I visit the Homolovi Ruins. In the high grassland of 14th century northern Arizona, an ancient people found a home along the Little Colorado River. These people, the Hisat'sinom (known to archaeologists as the Anasazi), paused in their migrations to till the rich flood plain and sandy slopes before continuing north to join people already living on the mesas, people who are today known as the Hopi.
One of their daily vistas was the biggest mountain range of Arizona, the San Francisco Peaks, the home of powerful spirits that bring rain according to their believe.

After leaving I drive further into the Hopi reservation and again the looks change and I see all these little table mountains in the distance.

Getting closer and closer...

After a couple of miles I come arrive at the hill top and look back down.

It is a barren land with hardly any vegetation and I wonder how in the world anybody can survive here.
About 20 miles further down the road I get to the entrance of the park and all over sudden there are trees and its getting green.

About 2 miles after the entrance there is the first stop. I get out of the car and walk towards to Canyon. One of the first things I see is a big tower that overlooks the Southern rim.

I climb up all the stairs and let myself amaze by what I see. It is the right place to be humble, that is for sure.


The beauty just carries me away and I wish I could stay forever and just stare into the vastness of the Canyon. After some time I realize that I have to move on and get back on the road along the Rim. There are several view points and I just have to stop again and get one more dose.
This view makes my eyes teary and I’m just glad to be alive and to have the opportunity to see this with my own eyes.


One of the big trails into the Canyon starts from here and I wish I had a week to go down and explore it in detail - well I sure will come back, promised!
Soon I’m on the road and go downhill again. This part of Arizona reminds me of part in Northern California.

I find a motel in Williams, the so-called Gateway to the Grand Canyon. It is on the Historic Route 66 and I go for dinner and a Fat Tire to the Route 66 cafe which has tons of collectibles on the walls.

After that it’s time for bed...

One last morning in Albuquerque

Oh my it’s early. I feel a little better after a cup of strong coffee and say goodbye to my hosts.

It’s a twenty minute drive and I enjoy the morning view.

It’s a big church and has a great atmosphere. I have to play two services this morning.

It works out really well and everybody loves the extra music and a lot of folks come up to me to talk and buy Cds.
After I pack the car I stop for some Jambalaya at a nearby restaurant and then get on my way. I want to drive into Arizona today.

Solid Grounds

It’s really early and I’m a little hung over but have to leave and drive all the way to Albuquerque where I play the Solid Grounds Coffee house tonight. On my way out of the canyon I see the Lake for the first time in daylight.

Then it is the road again - never seem to tire of it.

It’s an all day drive and I get there just in time to set up and get ready for the show.

It is a nice show and I have about 60 people that love what I’m doing. Here is Rosalie, who organizes the Coffeehouse. She just became a grandma and was still completely excited. Then there is Daniel the sound man and his daughter. Danny is also a musician and invited me to stay for the night.

I’m tired and after a little chat I retire. I have an early start for the UU church tomorrow and we lose an hour due to daylight savings.