Friday April 5 2024

Waking up off and on in the back of the tour bus.

 

Breakfast Bar. Tea.

 

At some point the bus starts really dragging along the interstate fighting against the North Carolina mountains, like extremely bad – stuck in 1^st gear – very unusual. We discover there’s a major oil leak and it’s overheating. We’re literally limping along on the shoulder lane getting honked at by all the semi’s. It’s becoming an unsavory situation for sure.

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We manage to get the building on wheels to a Wal-Mart parking lot and develop a last minute plan that involves leaving the driver at a hotel, getting two rentals, and leaving the bus behind. The whole thing is stressful but we do everything in stride and keep positive attitudes.

 

Now here I am driving the rental truck pulling the weight of the trailer just barely with Ed, Rebecca, and Casey. I’m so incredibly tired and worn out.

 

We arrive super late at the venue in Greeneville, Tennessee. All hands on deck! We’re probably the latest we’ve ever been to a gig. This is probably the quickest sound check and set up ever.

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At some point we enjoy a really delicious dinner for hospitality.

 

Then show!

 

Packing up and getting everything loaded up. We separate in our rentals.

 

Ed and I share a shift at the wheel (with Casey and Rebecca) to get us to Hickory, North Carolina – about a 2 and a half hour drive. All of us feeling exhausted and loopy from the day’s events.

 

At the Holiday Inn Express settling in. Rebecca and I share a king size bed tonight but there’s an obvious pillow placed between us lol. I tell her, “You know that’s not necessary. I’m gonna respect your boundaries. You act like we’ve never slept in the same bed together,” I joke.

I’m still getting used to this new “friend zone” dynamic but I’ll be alright. We talk about stuff before drifting off to sleep.