Ryan's friend's name is Ben. I don't know his last name, but he does a lot of photo shoot work for Patagonia, on the camera side. He rents a house in Bend and has been renting it for the last 7 years. The rent is so cheap that he just keeps it. It's in a great location and he's over there frequently enough to make it work. Also he has his friend Drew subletting from him, which must make it easier. Ben let us park outside of his house on Wednesday night after the show and then let us hang out there all day Thursday and Thursday night. Ben's dog is named Denali. Denali and I are friends. I made him chase a tennis ball all Thursday afternoon, which basically in dog means that were homies.
We got underway pretty early Friday morning and at the absolute insistence of Uncle Rhomie we stopped by a Napa auto parts and picked up a couple of spare springs. So the spring that Uncle Rhomie made to work was pretty old and rusty. He knew it would eventually fail. I had earlier realized the consequences of a spring failure, to the extent that I considered it fortunate that it occured while we were parked. We stopped of at a rest stop to stretch and get some water we pulled out we were running about a half an hour late. The buses limited speed really increases the amount of time it takes to get places, but the rev limiter is an important piece of safety equipment. So we let out from the rest stop and are cruising along, getting passed by lines of hunters in trucks towing campers. Luke made me a peanut butter sandwich so I'm Maoing like a chairman. I think nothing of that we are at the top speed because we're going down hill. It's when we don't come down, that I get concerned. So I apply the brake and bring the speed down to 58 and watch as it climbs back up to 62, while I'm climbing a little hill. So I calmly look around to see if anyone has a clue as to what's going on. Luke's got this concerned scowl. So I really start slamming this sandwich because I think I'm going to need 2 hands for whatever is going to come next. I realize that everything is pretty much under control, except I'm driving a runaway bus, otherwise things are real cool. Here's some pictures.
Okay I took these before the bus started running away. If you're bus is going to run away, have flat, open, empty roads and a top speed of 61. So I let her run until I saw a good place to pull over. We pulled over at a BLM office in the middle of nowhere and they had a shop that came in handy. I thought it was going to be the same spring that cut loose last night but it was a different one. Either way Luke got underneath and after a couple of tries had it rigged up. The shop gave us some wire which came in handy and I had to shorten one of the springs I bought in the morning but after an hour if fucking with it we were underway, albiet very cautious with the pedal we sailed through eastern Oregon, which was desolate and beautiful ...
...and got into Boise in time for a short sound check and some home made Egg Plant Paramesean thanks to the Promoters girlfriend for cooking dinner.
After the show I decided I'd try to drive straight through to Salt Lake because the drive is pretty easy and fun. I gave up in that valley on I-15 heading south out of Idaho before you get to Utah. I love that valley. The only drag about it is that fact that there's an interstate running down the middle of it, except that if not for that Interstate I'd never get to see that valley and never even know it's there.
Ain't that the way.
The bus has a little problem with the parking brake switch. The cover plate catches the switch and leaves it partially engaged . Which may have been our problem on whatever day we started this tour... Wednesday. The other brake took to smoking this morning and Luke figured it out while waiting for the brakes to cool, before heading on.
Israel has a friend from Seaside her name was Audrie Mitchell, now her last names something else, she done got married. She's obviously a big fan and her kids love Blind Pilot and Blind Pilot loves her kids. We rolled by her place in Salt Lake this morning. Some of the band got showers and got to do some laundry. I got a serious nap. They made us breakfast. Israel, Luke, Kati, and Dave set up shop in the living room and laid a couple of songs on them. Living room concerts are funny awkward little adventures.
I'm currently in a green room in Salt Lake, this one. I'd like to leave but am waiting for sound check and the rest of the band.
"Feel that sun just hold you right leave you burnin' down tonight"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfmEeHt6Yfg
As of right now this song is called "Just One"
Eastern Oregon is an amazing drive. I've been down to the Steens Mountain/Frenchglen area two time, and each time it's been a magical experience.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing again.
Nate