Somebody in New Kensington attributed the talent in the area to the “Pittsburgh steel city work ethic”. I’d believe it. There’s some amazing musicians out here. Some truly spectacular beasts – and I think most of them are found at either the Aspinwall Grille or (for the singer/songerwriters) the Blind Pig Saloon. Track down Cray. I’ve got his website around somewhere. He … gasp.
SO, I don’t have anything too intelligent to say… just a couple of shouts… Cray is just a spectacular guitarist and a spectacular singer… thanks to Rob for driving up from California to see us in Pittsburgh tonight… MAJOR thanks to Jason and Liz for driving up from BALTIMORE to see us tonight… and Happy Birthday to Mitzi… aaand… music stations that fade out just before you’re about to hear “California Dreamin'” can bite me hard.
And Jason… don’t tell ANYONE about my pants, you bastard… I’ll revoke your thanks, ESPECIALLY if you ONLY log into the forum to tell everyone about my pants.
Grrr.
back to figuring our way through West Virginia.
And later, in Ohio…
3.30am finds us racing through Ohio on the endlessly dark I-70. Our last night in Pittsburgh went well, with an almost record number of occupants for the Quiet Storm – we’ll probably get invited back, and lots of people were asking about when we WOULD be back. So that’s promising.
I miss my Volkswagon. Having yourself that high off the ground, with the engine so forcefully pushing you up the road – the only word appropriate was “hurtling”.
The Saturn does a LITTLE hurtling. Here and there… but overall, it’s definitely a feeling of being in control. The engine’s in front, pulling rather than pushing, which is a much more in control feeling.
We pass truck cities, and I wonder what kind of community that is, or if it’s a lonely Life style. We do these bizarre turns here and there, facing the horror of unannounced detours and unmarked roads, and I can’t imagine doing this wandering alone. Every once in a while I think about attacking the world on my own, and I feel pretty capable, until I think of navigating and driving at the same time. I can’t imagine how Erik Balkey pulls it off.
Or what would possibly keep him going.