Holy crap Steve. You’re even an engineer of DELICIOUSNESS.
Steve is trying to impress us. We are impressed. There’s a midwest approach to breakfast that involves stacking. Steve builds UP rather than out. And, yes, we are impressed.
We tour for the food. S’truth.
It’s a little strange to come through Columbus IN and NOT play Columbus Bar. Seems like their good taste has lingered, but it’s long since changed hands and changed scenes and even if we HAD gotten something booked there, I think I’m just disinterested in climbing up those teeeeeeny stairs to that steamy loft. I think we’re probably JUST fine letting that be a pleasant memory.
Columbus IN is this strange little town built around industry, innovation and a whole lot of money. Our host in town is an engineer who’s been building and rebuilding engines for Cummins and being able to take the time to hang out, getting to know him and his work a whole lot better has just been a lot of fun.
I’m so grateful when our friends are involved with “real jobs” that seem every bit as engaging, joyous and creative as our own – and Steve’s joy for Things That Go is palpable, even if he’s pretty humble about it. I really wish Rowan was joining us THIS weekend because I think he’d really get off on seeing these diesel engines from the past hundred years treated Lovingly and brought back to chugging, Living, breathing, oily Life.
Our species creates amazing things, and I ain’t just talking music.
Amazing things. Steve watched this local candy / shake shop get Lovingly refurbished by someone obsessed with making sure things like the leather on the bellows on the player piano was the RIGHT kind of leather…Steve brought us into an old showroom of Cummins Diesel history in Columbus OH. He said he couldn’t show us the COOL stuff cause everyone was back at work already from the Memorial Day weekend, but… what he COULD show us was still pretty cool stuff!A model of Cummins “Hedgehog” engine – caused that cause it was gonna be a “Caterpillar killer”.Cummins prototyped an affordable family diesel-powered sedan in the 30’s that got about 35mpg, all built locally in Indiana. Unfortunately, though Cummins stayed strong, the production company for the car as a whole went under before mass-production began. That could’ve sent the automobile world down a very, very different path.One last Big Woods gig, this one in Nashville IN. We got stormed on but NOT stormed OUT – and NOT flooded. As I continued playing “Slight Departure” Heather, never missing a beat on her shaker, lifted all the gear off the ground and on to chairs so as to evade the rising waters…Sally’s very sweet, but is probably ready for us to get the Hell out cause we’re not NEARLY clumsy enough with food and snacks…
