Baldy: It's A Mountain

This one will be short and sweet.  The pictures will do all of the talking!  Or is it that they will do most of the writing?  Well, whatever there is more of is what they will do!

Our second trip to Glorieta, NM brought us to the edge.  A few of us had an idea.  An idea of triumph and greatness.  Some might have said we were out of our minds, but we would not be deterred.  It was our chance at glory!  We were going to hike to the top of a mountain…no big deal!

By the time we started there were only two of us left.  I don't know how we lost the rest of our group so early.  What I do know is that it was tragic, sad, and a great excuse to make fun of everyone who backed out.  We missed them dearly, but we had to go on without them.  We had 10 miles of hiking to do and our loss couldn't hold us back.  

We set out early in the morning with only our determination, two Powerades, a few bottles of water, and some snacks (don't worry mom, they were healthy snacks).  The funny thing is we really didn't know how far we had to go or how long it would take.  All we knew was we had to be back in time for soundcheck.

This was just the beginning.

When we first set out it seemed as though the hike would be easy.  The trail seemed pretty tame.  It seemed like a relaxing afternoon.

X marks the end of easy.

Thinking we were bound to be close, I was feeling good.

We took a break around the halfway point.

I think this is around 3/4 along the way.
That city looking spot towards the right-center is where we started.

Could we REALLY say we reached the top without climbing this tower?

No, we couldn't, so we did what any law-abiding citizen would do.
We climbed it!

Remember that city looking spot?  We almost cried when we remembered that we still had to walk back.
It was worth it, though!

Not only did we make it back from the elevation of 11,000 ft.* in time for soundcheck, but we actually made it back in time to shower a get some food!  This was definitely one of the best days of the summer!

*We started at around 7,500 ft.  None of this changes the fact that we found a ranger trail used to drive trucks to the summit.  WE COULD HAVE DRIVEN!!

Painting Rocks

I can remember moments in my life when I said good-bye to different seasons of my life.  Often, when saying bye, I was also leaving behind an entire world in and of itself.  Those times have long since passed, and I've learned to never completely say good-bye to any one part of my life.  Why?

Because it's usually the things you write off that tend to suck you back in (feel free to say something such as "preach it!").

A few years ago I worked at a camp playing in the band and leading Bible study.  We started our day around 7:30 am and usually wrapped up with our staff meeting around 11 pm.  Seeing as we didn't really have much time to ourselves during the day, we typically took a little time to get stuff done.  That meant going to bed between 12 and 1 am.  When it came time to say good-bye to that life I was ready.  I was really, really ready!

That's why I found it so odd that I started my summer off as a "guest artist" at that very same camp!  I stepped off of the plane wondering how in the world I had ended up here.  How and why was I back at camp?  It didn't really matter once I found out that I really only had two 30 minute jobs to do each day.  The rest of the time was mine to do what I wanted!

Camp without all of the responsibilities?  I'm in.  Especially when we walked out of evening worship each night to look at this!

One of the best parts of the trip for me.  Not having to be involved in every facet of camp also meant not having to eat every meal in the cafeteria!  If you've never heard of Harry's Roadhouse you need to buy a plane ticket to Albuquerque right now!  Not only have they been featured in magazines and food shows while becoming a hot spot for celebrity sightings (apparently, those happen every other week of the year except for this one), but they have pretty good food.

Suggestion: Close your eyes, point to something on the menu, and order it!  You won't be disappointed.

I said bye to camp, ended up saying hello again, got excited about a slack schedule, then the apparently inevitable happened.  After a few days spent eating at restaurants like Harry's and going to Santa Fe for the day, I started looking for something else.  I wanted to be involved in something.  Next thing I know I'm…

...painting rocks with these rocks...

...playing, and losing, my first round of Phase 10 with some kids...

...helping set up the most elaborate domino train EVER...

...and refereeing a few games of air hockey.

Stay tuned!  Today is a double header since I forgot to publish this last night when it was finished.  Whoops.

Ummm, sorry

It has been far too long since my last post.  Am I sorry?  Yes!  Do I have an explanation?  Well…sort of.  Do I have a plan of action?  Indeed.

Now, I myself have never designed a website.  I did, however, used to work at a store full of people who talked about how easy their website was to do.  How long could it really take?  Well, I'm here to tell you that it takes longer than one would think.  Maybe I'm picky, or maybe I'm just plain slow when it comes to…hmmm…well…anything that most people seem to do fast for no apparent reason (personal websites included).  As slow as it might be going, I am in fact starting a website.  I don't know when exactly it will be done, but the both of you will be the first to know!

So, I've decided to return to a place of balance.  A place where I can work on my site AND blog!  Now, you might be asking yourself, "What about all of those weeks of Mr. Scoop's life that I missed?"  

Have no fear!  Over the next 4 or 5 days I will be posting on here with stories that stick out from the past 8 weeks (it's been a busy summer).  I know, I know.  It may seem a bit too generous for me to give you an apology in the form of reading assignments, but I guess that's just the kind of guy I am…classy! 

What can I say?

This One Has Better Pics!

As I sit in yet another airport with time to reflect on my life, my friends, my favorite meals, and my favorite episode of It's Always Sunny… "The Night Man Cometh," I am reminded that I have not told the story of San Diego.  

So maybe I was in San Diego on Good Friday, maybe that was three weeks ago, and maybe for once my friend "Leather Crocs" Steith could show a little grace.  Hmm?

There's something inherently cool about playing a fly date.  Especially this one!  What I did was the equivalent of flying somewhere to watch a movie and then fly back home.  It made me feel like Bon Jovi or Van Halen (I just couldn't think anyone who exudes such coolness).  

Technically we were in Ranch Santa Fe, but that's basically San Diego (named by the French for the whale's…).  The other cool part of a show like this is having time to kill since most of the gear is not provided by the performers, which means very little load-in time.  Here are some pictures of a couple of things we did to pass the time:

Went to the beach, saw a dead seal. 

Home of the Taquito!!!

I shouldn't be, but I am excited about this!

For those that have experienced QT, you will understand just how monumental it was to eat at the supposed origin of the Taquito-to-to.  I have to admit that QT has got some catching up to do in that arena.  Please, QT, if you are reading, don't think there is any love loss.  Your amazing coffee, soda, and slushy selections are second to none.

It's a little more than awesome that I work here.

Coolest green room ever!!

I love to play music!  I really do.  But the ride to the airport far out-weighed the feeling of playing drums on this particular night.  I'll let the picture speak for itself, but you should know that it's an odd feeling to ride to the airport in a car with a roll cage.  

Alas, there's almost always something that attempts to interject sadness or fear when things are going great.  Do not fret!!  Neither of these got me down.  My personal bubble had been deemed by G.W. Bush (played by Will Ferrell, of course) a "bummer-free zone."

It's hard not to let a shoe blowout get you down.

The kind of plane maintenance that makes you feel good.

Courage Under Fire

Hello my two friends!  I'm sitting in O'Hare Int'l Airport in the windy city and thought it would be a good time to share a little bit from the road.  I need a way to unwind after our landing felt very similar to riding a curvy water slide at any one of your favorite water parks.  Not cool American Eagle, not cool.  The way I see it, telling a story of triumph is the best way to pick myself up.

On tour, we often come across unexpected circumstances or situations.  It's true.  You should know this by now because I feel confident that I have said it before.  However, this time I'm not talking about things going wrong on stage, something blowing up, or crowds throwing us for a loop.  I'm talking about the chance to show a little courage.  The chance to let everyone around me know that I am a man made of steel.

That's right!

Steel!

I am like any other man.  In the face of danger I wonder if I will have the moxie, but then I am reminded of some great words by some great people.

Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live.

- Dorothy Thompson

That's hot.

-Paris Hilton

Well, my friends, not too long ago that moment was upon me.  As we left the show I had no idea of what lied ahead.  Even as we embarked on a journey for some post-show food and hang out time everything felt normal.  As odd as it may sound, I was still unaware as we crossed the threshold into one of the finest eateries in America known to some as BW3's (Buffalo Wild Wings).  

I should take this moment to remind you not to let my slim, defined, almost teenage physique fool you.  I may still have my boyish looks, but I have a passion for food that rears its head with the spirit of a sumo wrestler.  I love food, and nothing makes me happier than hot and spicy food.  Thus, our story truly begins here.

Some people talk a big talk, or, at least , joke a big joke.  Plenty of smarmy comments were heard as each person picked out his/her wing sauces, but my cop-like sixth sense let me know that there was an opportunity being presented with each joke.  Subconsciously, each dinner mate was issuing me a challenge.  

So I did what any man of steel would do.  I ordered the absolute hottest sauce on the menu (the great thing about reading is you can now take the time to gasp and cringe).  With every bite my mouth became more and more inconsolable, my lips felt like they were cracking wide open a bit more with every passing second, and all the while I was having to ignore the pain in order to remind myself of the importance of not touching or rubbing my eyes.  It was a grueling fight until the bitter end, but I finished!!  

See, I didn't simply complete a stupid stunt.  No, no, no.  I gained credibility.  I preempted boldness before anybody could even think to try and embarrass me.  I staked my claim on manly!  Lastly, I stood up and fought for those who have not had the courage to fight the good fight when required.  That night, I gave people hope.  I ate the Blazin' Sauce!

Sadly, sauce just looks like sauce until you try it for yourself.

*While it was a little humiliating, I got made fun of by our waitress (5'0" dainty blond girl) as she ate the same wings without a drink or dipping sauce while continuing to serve her customers.  

Flummoxed

For some performing comes naturally.  It is almost as if they were born with an inability to do anything else.  Others have to work hard to get to the same level as the naturals.  Those people have an innate talent for performance, but they have to learn to find it.  Both groups have to work tirelessly at their job.  Practice, practice, practice.

No amount of practice could prepare you for a show like the one we played last week. 

During practice you become very familiar with your equipment and your surroundings on stage.  It's everything off stage, otherwise known as "the crowd," that can throw you for a loop.  They are the biggest variable in a show.  Fact.

Nights one and two of this short little run of shows exhibited one of the strangest phenomena.  We played to stone cold faces.  At one point other band members saw an elderly woman bury her head in her hands and lap.  To get a good idea of the overall reaction from the crowd, see exhibit A below.

Feeling like total failures, we walked - strutted in like it was the greatest show in the history of the universe -  to the lobby with our heads held high.  We apparently did so with good reason.  The crowd really had enjoyed the show!  People were buying CD's and T-shirts, stopping to have enthusiastic conversations with the band, and walking away with a sincere look of joy on their faces.  For an idea of what we experienced after the show, see exhibit B below.

This was not the first time I have experienced this phenomenon, nor will it be the last time I am perplexed by it.  I have my theories on why this occurs.  One that sticks out in my mind is that sometimes people are just unsure of what to do at a show.  Sure they've seen live footage of a concert, but there is a disconnect when they experience a show for themselves.  As rookies they aren't confident to stand and cheer, sing along, or respond in general.  There aren't any seasoned show-goers to guide them.

Still, and unbeknownst to us, they are engaged.   Most even take the time to tell you there favorite part of the show.  Maybe it was a guitar part, a drum fill, or that moment when the lead singer jumped around like a crazy person.  Some will even go so far as to tell you how they have been practicing the same type of thing ("hair practice" for those in the biz).  

While pondering this I had an epiphany.  If you have ever been to a show in Nashville you have probably experienced the very same scene.  Me being a resident of Music City, I am often guilty of perpetuating said scene.  Is it possible that Nashville, in all of its glorious snobbery, has come full circle?  For a better idea of what I am talking about, see exhibit C below.

     Please note that Homer is incapable of recreating 

the face I was hoping to demonstrate.

It's Not All So Serious

It is a rare occasion in my life that things are so serious.  Serious moments don't make me uncomfortable.  They don't make me squirm.  I have nothing against them.

They can be boring.

Laughing is fun.  I like to laugh a lot.  So, I do.

I found plenty of time to have fun, but the serious seemed to take up all the room on the blog. Nobody has time, or the attention span, to read my days' sagas.  Keith Leedham doesn't even have time to remember his wallet on the way to Chick-fil-a.  That reminds me.  I love Chick-fil-a, and all readers (all 2 of you) should feel at liberty to send me gift cards as often as you see fit.  Just saying.

I've never been to Vegas.  I've never gambled.  I've never stepped foot into a casino.  I've never been handed a million dollars.  All of this used to be true.  I've now been to Vegas, gambled, and obviously stepped foot into a casino.  I'm still waiting on that million, though.

It was a glorious night.  It was almost as if I were born to win money.  Starting out with $40 in my pocket, I hit the roulette table.  The roulette table wasn't too hot, so I hit the black jack table with $20 in pocket.  Before sitting down I made sure to watch carefully.  I mean, I didn't want to look like an amateur.

All of my observance paid off...literally.  I sat down, got my chips, played like a champ, and left the table with $41 in my pocket.  Don't get your hopes up readers.  You're not off of the hook for Chick-fil-a just yet.

With my casino status rising, I took my first perk.  I walked up to the Pit Boss and asked, nay, demanded a deck of cards for my own collection.  That's right, I see what I want and go for it.  It sounded crazy at the time, but nothing was going to stand between me and my used casino cards!

At first Larry the pit boss was a little confused.  "You want what?  A deck of cards?"  Seeing it wouldn't be as easy as I thought, I pressed forward.  His confusion continued as well.  It turns out he was confused because I only wanted 1 deck of cards.  It also turns out they hand out used cards like candy.  Now, armed with my cards and my winnings, it was time to play my first slot!!

I won't get into the hairy details of my epic battle with the slots.  Let's just say I walked out of their in the black.  What will I buy first?

Walked in with $40, left with $40.02.  No. Big. Deal.

The Piggy Bank Is Full

Just in case you missed it, I've been uploading pictures to my gallery.  Just go here.

Turns out it's not a shack at all.

Tonight was a unique show in Bakersfield, CA.  Nobody had a good feeling about the show.  Outdoor shows can be a little strange sometimes, and it didn't help that we were playing at a place called Jesus Shack located across the street from Deja Vu.  What seemed like a recipe for disaster ended up being an incredible experience.  Jesus Shack, hence forth referred to as JS, has created an awesome presence in its community.  The guys there are in to a little bit of everything such as concert promotion/hosting, free back to school backpacks and haircuts for kids in the area, running a food bank, and now having a mobile medical truck run by volunteer nurses and doctors.  JS is no youth group coffee house.

Everything going on at this place was pretty cool, but the people that make up the JS family are even cooler.  I had the pleasure of meeting a man today who is more excited about giving and serving than anyone I have ever met.  We talked for a while about his love for delivering basic needs to people who cannot meet them on their own.  Then he told me the story that landed him in a wheel chair after telling me about his 20 years in prison (insert record scratch).  Prison?  Him?  Sure he had tattoos all over his body and face, but he is so caring.  I had to ask.

He was a founding member of one of the most prominent skinhead gangs on the west coast, and now he is an ordained minister trying to help gang members find a way out.  So, when a man like this tells me a bus fire will somehow lead to an incredible experience for each of us as men and women, I have to believe him.  Besides, we have already been seeing great things happen.

Quick recap:  I've been on the road 8 days: 1 day rehearsal, 5 show days, 1 travel day, and 1 day off.  During those 8 days the bus broke down twice, and burned to the ground once.

The tour came together perfectly.  Everything lined up just right.  The band was in town to record right when they needed to meet me.  Work was unbelievably supportive.  Less than a week in I thought the tour was over.  Why would that happen?  Why wouldn't I be mad?

I did have a day full of anger and frustration.  But, it wasn't long before I didn't have anything to be angry about.  Our God is a faithful God who loves us very much.  Within 24 hrs. the band had enough money to replace any belongings lost.  Insurance details began to be worked out, and Ryan and Jenny's baby now has more clothes than needed.  A complete stranger gave the band a custom guitar just because he wanted help.  Now it looks like we might have nicer transportation than when we started (well, it's a possibility).  However, that's not what I'm really talking about when I say God loves us and is faithful.

We have had to rely on Him for strength and courage just to make it from day to day.  Constantly figuring out our next move would be impossible without Him.  What started out as a well planned tour has become a sort of "tour on the fly."  Those are about the only words I can type to give you some sort of idea of the cool things we've experienced and/or heard about over the last 4 days.

On a much less serious note it was awesome to be a part of not only the 100th show at JS, but also to be a part of Sanctus Real's CD release show.  Their album dropped today, and I have been learning just how much of an accomplishment that is...even for a well established group like them.

So, good-bye to California.  We leave for LAX at 7am to fly to Montgomery, AL.

Well, Clark...

It might be a good to time to put on a pot of coffee and cancel all of your appointments for the day.  You're going to need the time to finish this one.  See, I started this blog with the intention of updating it every two days.  That has proved to be more than challenging over the past days.  Well, that's really an understatement.

An understatement!!

I am fully aware of what life can look like at the start of a trip.  We've all been there.  Family vacations start with disaster, sometimes with a lack of enthusiasm, and tours are no different.  It can take a show or two to get some kinks worked out while everyone is trying to establish some sort of routine.  This tour has taken this natural occurrence to a new level.

In a nutshell,

we made it to the first show with no troubles.  There were a few technical issues during sound check and the show itself, but the performance went well.  I felt great!  Everyone showed up on time to the bus at 6am the next morning.  Then we broke down at lunch time.  Luckily for us we got stranded at Cracker Barrel!  With no hope of getting our bus/RV fixed we rented an SUV and a truck (only options available), loaded what we could, and sped off to Phoenix.  We arrived 30 minutes before doors opened, quickly loaded in our gear, and sped off to Starbucks for wi-fi and Radio Shack for some last minute fixes.

Thinking we had made some pretty awesome lemonade from our lemons, we walked on stage with the idea that we would things were looking up.  We were wrong.  My in-ear monitor pack (how I hear on stage) went out during the first verse of the first song.  I could not hear the entire show, and had to play the show to music in my head.  I should remind you that this was the second show I have ever played with this band.  It was time for bed.  This day needed so badly to be over.

Feeling refreshed from our good night's sleep, we pulled into Las Vegas with plenty of time to spare.  We kept a relaxed pace during load-in and sound check, and everything worked normally.  Just after sound check we received a call letting us know that our bus would be waiting for us in the parking lot when the show was over.  Everything was beginning to come together! Then...

From this...

...to this.  Crazy day.

During dinner, just before the show, we received another phone call informing us that our bus was on fire.  The fire extinguishers were no match.  All that is left are ashes and a charred frame.  Some band members lost most of their entire wardrobe,  most merchandise was burned, guitars and drums were burned or damaged by the smoke, and we were heart broken.  I honestly thought I would be on a plane home within 12 hours.  I was wrong again.

I am still in disbelief when I think of all the support that has poured in.  Complete strangers handing us cash and/or checks, local families offering baby supplies for Ryan and Jenny's baby (guitars/keys player is married to the lead singer), and the show promoter upgraded us to individual suites at our hotel.  That's right children,
I had curtains that opened with the touch of a button!!

Now I'm sitting in Paso Robles, CA next to an open window while I type this.  It has been a long, strange week and this afternoon has been a welcome break.  It's a little hard to see in the pictures, but this town square looks like it could have been the set for Back to the Future (part 1 of course).

Thanks for hanging in there!!  Things seemed to have settled, and it's my hope that regular updates will be possible.  Now that you know the saga, soon I will fill the gaps with lessons learned.  Rather than posting pics with each post, I have created a photo album on Mobile Me.

Tour Pics

In closing, it's a tough moment to realize you have been living your life parallel to Clark W. Griswold.

Where it all began...

Sometimes things come our way when we least expect it.  Sometimes we least expect it because we just asked.  Take me for example.  I began wanting and praying for a tour.  One landed in my lap less than a month later!  Next thing I know I'm on a plane to New Mexico, being pulled aside by airport security after my kick pedal went through the X-ray machine, getting stuck at another airport on the runway because a decal fell off of my plane, and finally sitting in a coffee shop blogging.

Well, everybody always says, "Next thing I know."  Really?  Nothing happened between the two?  Nobody ever fills the gaps in their stories.  That always bothers me, so...

Right after getting called for this tour, I immediately called my favorite drum shop to see if they had some things I would be needing.  Being the nice guys they are they offered to put everything aside for me for my convenience.  They really are very nice, but maybe a little hard of hearing or REALLY bad at using a pen.  In all of my newbie glory and excitement I rushed to the drum shop.  With a little new-found confidence in my voice I informed the guy why I was in the store.

"Hi, you guys have some stuff on hold for me."

Eager to serve a faithful customer, he replied, "Oh yeah, I got some stuff right here...forrrrrrrrr...Mr. Scoop?"

Confused, but quickly catching on, I reminded him being a superstar has not made me better than him.

"Please man, my friends just call me Mr. Scott."

Here's the amazing thing about this incident.  After apologizing and correcting himself he seemed to have figured out that I'm the same exact Richard who shops often at the shop.  Well, I was wrong.  He reverted to calling me Mr. Scoop!?!  So, now I know where "next thing I know" came from.  Those four words form one of the greatest story telling tools...ever.

It's how people avoid telling you about looking slightly less than awesome.

Having learned my lesson, I created this blog where I will most likely forget what I learned and fill in all of my stories' gaps.  If anything, I can hope this will inspire more people to frequently shorten their tales of triumph through the use of that ingenious 4-word phrase.

* Note, I am fully aware I am not a superstar

** I am also fully aware that "forrrrrrr" may not be the best way to imply hesitation in someones voice. Well, this blog may end up helping you avoid looking silly in life.  I'm doing you a service, so let me have a quirk or two.