Cantab Lounge

Tonight is my last show before i fly back to Seattle. I spend most of the day playing jazz standards on Andy’s archtop guitar and have a wonderful time. Later in the day my friend Elizabeth comes over. She’s a great trombone player and singer and joins me tonight at the Cantab lounge. Before we leave we take a little picture.

It’s a nice show and after it we all go out to hear a band at Toad. It’s was a lovely time out East but I’m looking forward to flying back early tomorrow

Franklin, Massechusetts

Wow - my head is twice the size it was yesterday and I wonder what happened!
After slowly waking up I peel myself out of the bed and am pretty much ready to drive out to Franklin.

I play the Franklin House Concert and open up for Scott Ainsle a wonderful blues guitar player.

Linda, my friend from Bedford comes down and after the show we go and have a coffee and chat ‘till late afternoon. After that I drive back and go straight to bed.

Cambridge Cohousing

Today I’m playing in cambridge but I have a little time and go and explore Milford a little bit. It’s a sunny day and the adventure continues

I find a nice breakfast place and get a cheese plate - yam yam...

After that I walk through downtown and love to see the old houses and the New England architecture.

I visit a great guitar store and make some new friends

Smile...

After that I drive back to Boston and find my way out to Cambridge and the Cohousing community. It’s a nice space and I’m looking forward to the show.

I have only a small crowd but they love it and want me back for next year.

When I get back to my friends home we have a nice bottle of wine and after that Andy takes me out to a great little venue to listen to a nice band.

Here is Andy after a couple of beers

They are not the last ones and we party hard before we get back home.

Milford, CT

The next morning I leave early to make the drive to Connecticut where I have my first gig - I was invited to play at the Milford Perfomance Center and am proud to be one out of only six shows that they have this year. Again I brought the rain from Seattle and it’s pouring.

I didn’t realize that New York is so close...

They got me a nice hotel and as soon as I’m in Milford I’m checking in and take a nap.

The venue is great and the biggest I ever played without any amplification. I have a nice crowd and it’s a great show.

Diana, Juliana’s sister comes out and after emailing for a couple of years I can now put a face to it. We have a great time chatting

After the show I’m invited to dinner and enjoy eating and drinking like rarely before.
Maybe it’s the good company!

On the way to New England

Today I’m going to fly out to Boston and will stay with my friends in Watertown. Abby is driving me to the airport and soon I’m on the way to the gate.

After they searched all my stuff thoroughly I’m finally sitting and waiting for boarding to start (wow - english second language:) Oh there is another musician with a banjo...

The flight is torture - United has assigned several seating rows “Economy plus” which means they have 5 inches more legroom. For the rest of the rows they have to compensate and with my long legs I’m simply suffering. The first stop is Denver where I have a three hour wait for the next flight into Logan Airport (Boston)

After landing I have to get my rental car and find my way out to watertown where Andy, Vicky and their daughter Ella live. It’s already late and the little one is in bed but not without leaving a warm welcome.

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.