Sacred Places

My concert this morning is at the Old Courthouse Museum which is a very impressive building downtown Sioux Falls.

This time a year they have it in the courtyard outside and an hour before the show people start gathering.

It is nice and I have a good crowd that loves what I do. I feel somehow crappy and my stomach is aching badly - no idea what is going on but I have to really concentrate to get through the gig with a smile. Here is a goodbye shot with Marty Davidson, the organizer.

My mood gets worse when I think about the next show at the Ginkgo Coffeehouse in St. Paul. Despite multiple emails and phone calls I cannot figure out if I play or not. I’m not listed on the website and none of the barristas has a clue what’s going on. I was looking forward to that one despite the fact that it is a tip jar, which I usually don’t do anymore but now I feel pretty crappy about it - they don’t seem to give a sh.. at all. The feeling that I’m about to throw up doesn’t help. I have the rest of the day off and a phone call with my friend James gets me a little back on track. I decide not to decide anything quite yet and start driving North. I want to go to a Sacred place called Pipestone, where Indians from all over the country came to quarry pipestone, a soft reddish looking petrified clay that was crafted into peace pipes. It’s a little community in Minnesota, just 30 miles North East of Sioux Falls. When I get there I visit the local museum and get oriented. After I sign into a little motel down the road I visit the National Monument, the Pipestone quarries. Walking around this sacred place quiets me down a little. In the distance i can see a decorated tree that has a part in the “Sun Dance” ceremony.

It is very quiet and I can feel that this place is special.

I sit down close to a waterfall and let the water wash away all dark thoughts and worries.

Then I ask the oracle ...

When I drive back to the motel I take a little tour through downtown.

Despite the great energy I experienced all afternoon I’m still a little beside me. I hope that SciFi channel and a couple of beers take care of that.

The long haul

Today is a driving day to Sioux Falls. I’m sleeping in way longer than I expected and jump out of the bed get dressed and drive into town. I need to do some email and want to have breakfast .

I plan on taking the wild life loop and see if I can find some buffalo but first there are some kind of deer - got to get a book and check it out.

Then I have to stop because there are donkeys on the street. When I approached one jumped the other and the third one watches in disbelieve.

I wonder where the buffalo are. They said it is the biggest herd that still roams the territory. Finally I can see some from afar but only can imagine how it must have looked 150 years ago.

Then after about an hour I get to I90 and head out East. It is a boring drive though Prairie and seems to take forever. I planned on going 60 mph max to safe gas but with everybody driving close to 80 mph I need to go a little faster. After hours and hours I reach the Missouri river and check out a little Lewis &Clark exhibition to get my mind and bud of the road.

When I get to Sioux Falls I’m totally exhausted. They got me a room at the holiday Inn and I pretty much crash right away. I have a noon concert tomorrow and need to get up early.

The four presidents

Despite the late night I get up early and take a little stroll around. Wow - I’m in paradise. It is so quiet and beautiful...

I can totally imagine how it was a hundred years ago.
After that I’m going inside to have some coffee - I need to wake up.

I have a noon show at the Songbird, which is a wonderful Cafe downtown Custer, about 16 miles away from the cabin.

I have a lot of fun playing and people love me. John wants me back on a Saturday evening to do a “real” show. I’m already looking forward to that...
After the show I do some email and then make my way to the four presidents - Mt Rushmore. I drive through Custer State Park which is again simply stunning.

I remember the site from a James Bond movie and am pretty excited to see to it for real.

what a tremendous work that was to carve the faces into the mountain. I realize that it also feels a little strange because the Indians refer to the Black hills as sacred land and why should you carve a mountain when it already is so beautiful. Well, that could be a long conversation...

I walk around and still enjoy the view. Here is Lincoln close up

Later I drive back to Custer. John has invited me to play with him and his friend Warren a little evening show at the Cafe. We have a lot of fun singing everything from John Denver to Crosby, Stills Nash & Young to Amazing Grace in close harmony.

After that we drive back to the cabin. IIt is pouring down and all over sudden there is lighning I haven’t seen before just like the heaven creatures take night shots with the most powerful flashlights. Once we’re back we talk again until the wee mornig hour. Tomorrow I have a 8 hour drive to Sioux Falls.

Into the Black Hills of South Dakota

It’s a beautiful day as I wake up and I can see the mountains.

It’s going to be long drive today. I need to get through the rest of Montana and the through Wyoming into South Dakota...This shot was taken short before I left Montana.

Here I’m driving through Wyoming and have a great view of another mountain range:)

It’s getting late and I’m still not in South Dakota. I haven’t had food forever so I stop in a little town called Newcastle and have a beer and a hamburger - man that combination is just great...at least for now. I talked with John, the owner of the Songbird Cafe where I play the next day. I stay with him tonight but he’s still several hours away from his home so I don’t have to hurry and just take it easy.

When I leave Newcastle it gets dark and i just capture the last bit of the sun in my mirror.

The rest of the way to Custer, SD is going by fast. I’ll meet John around 10:30pm in a Saloon, so I have about 2 hours to kill. They have a great music box and sawdust on the floor. I have a Bud, and put on some Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd. Then I start a chat with a local - he drives the bus to the Crazy Horse Monument and is a very nice guy. When John finally arrives we all talk for another half hour before we start the 16 mile drive to his cabin. It’s pitch black and I just follow his lights into the Black Hills. The last couple of miles are just gravel road and when we finally get there I’m overwhelmed but the interior. Let’s see how it looks by day light but that is certainly the best so far!!!

We keep on talking until 3am before I fall into bed and am done.

Dark Montana Sky

Another night another bed!

I had a great night sleep! - just kiddin’, I hardly can open my eyes but need to get going...but not before Keith and I pose for Vanity Magazine.

The drive is long and the weather stays dark and rainy. Here are the last hills before I get to Montana.

It’s an all day drive and the sky doesn’t change it’s color. I love Montana but had hoped for better weather

I stop in Bozeman and try to find a motel but there is no room available so I have to keep driving. I’m so tired and am glad that 20 miles down the road I get lucky. After a dinner I get to bed and double manage watching TV and doing emails!

First rain in Idaho

Wow, it’s darn early (6:30 am) That’s why Carlos and me look a little out of it...

I have an 8 am rehearsal in Coeur D’Alene at the Unity church. I’m playing a couple of songs with their band. When I leave Spokane it starts raining and I wonder about the rest of the trip - I was not planning for rain at all.

The church is very nice and I’m looking forward to singing my songs for them

We also do some gospel songs and I have a great time joining in despite my heavy eyelids. Here is my band with Steve on drums, Dan on bass and Casey who plays the piano.

After that I’m invited to stay with Keith, a local songwriter. First I do an internet session in a Cafe and then I visit with him. We have a great time playing music and chatting all night drinking the wine I got from the winery the other day...

On my way out East

Second day - I’m getting into the groove and after Anna and me have a great breakfast downtown Ellensburg I get on the road and drive towards Spokane.
Love crossing the Columbia River!

Tonight I’m playing at the Caterina Winery and I’m glad to see that it has a really nice atmosphere to it.

Yesterday I learned that I’ll be sharing the stage with two friends, Jonathan Nicholson, a wonderful guitar player and Jerin Falkner a fellow songwriter from Seattle. Here they are during our mini sets.



We have a small but appreciative crowd and some stay after the show and we all chat and have a good time

Here another trio pic with Jonathan and Jerin. The red eyes come from all the red wine of course.

Starting all over again

After a five week visit I drove my German friends Michel and Gaby to the airport. We definitely partied hard and part of me is glad that I now have to return to my work life while the other is already missing them.

After that I dash home to start packing. I can’t believe that I haven’t done a thing to prepare for a month long tour all the way out to Minnesota. Well I guess I just have to go with that this time. One more look around before I take off.

I 5 has a terrible construction going on and it takes forever to enter I 90 towards Spokane.

Once I’m on the road I can relax and enjoy the pretty day. I’m looking forward to my house concert in Ellensburg!

I have a sweet little crowd and the core stays late. Here is a pic with Scott, Tamy, Anna (she’s the host:), Kelley and me.

After hours of music and chats I’m so ready for bed...