Tuesday September 14 2021

 

Waking up a little before noon.

 

Ana cooks up homemade Waffles for breakfast (I make Tea to go with). I can feel how nervous she is that I’m leaving to go out of town. When we go out of town together it’s fine but whenever I dip out of town for an ELO show she’s never secure about it. “Leavin’ on a jet plane. Don’t know when I’ll be back again.”

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After I’m all packed up and ready I try my best to make her feel at ease but it’s so hard when she’s already feeling in a funk. Her way of expressing that she’ll miss me is by being mean and short fused. I give her a hug and kiss goodbye and I’m off.

 

Megan’s dad, Dave, scoops Rebecca, Mike, and I from Music Makers to the airport, which is very nice of him. At the airport we’re surprised to see absolutely no wait through security!

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Flight from Norfolk to Dallas. With my laptop out I organize all the MMLIVE documents and figure out the upcoming schedules. Staying productive – meanwhile, eating a PB&J with Plantain Chips and an Iced Coffee. Nothing but the usual on this ride (a few rowdy toddlers, brief turbulence, and flying over a hurricane).

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Really short layover here then back on a plane to Moline.

Enjoying a Chicken Sandwich with Garlic Rosemary Fries from Smash Burger.

Catching an ominous lightning storm above the clouds.

 

Upon arrival in Moline to our dismay we discover the rental Nigel reserved for us was taken away cause it was set for noon (we arrived at 9). The lone guy behind the counter has no other solutions for us – and there’s no other rentals around – and no Ubers or Lyfts to be had. Between Jimmy, Mike, Ron, Rebecca, and I we put our heads together and try all the angles. Eventually, we make it across the street to wait at a hotel for Lucky’s Cab service. A lady named Kim pulls up in a small car having no idea we needed a van to house 5 people. So we’re left having to wait some more. The guy that runs the cab company rolls up in a van and hauls us an hour or so to Burlington.

 

At some point after 1 a.m. (mid-western time) we arrive at our designated hotel unscathed and grateful.