On the road again...
Saturday was one of my more interesting days, I was in a coma for a good part of the day. Originally the plan was for me to work at the bar and then for Art and I to drive out to Pittsburgh right after my shift, the thinking being there would be no traffic and we could maximize our Pittsburgh time. So I made sure I slept off Friday's debauchery. A quick stop at Mom's before my shift to take care of a few things and I was ready for the evening. The bar had a pretty good crowd, never really getting full but it seemed fun. Nothing really eventful happened that evening, we were able to close up a little early. Art and I haggled about the drive, we finally figured out that driving after working a shift was not wise and probably dangerous. So we were going to bed but how little sleep were we getting? He said "6:30", I said "9", he said "7:30", I said "8:30", he said "7:30", I said "sold to the man with no neck". So we unwound a bit and headed home with intentions of being bright eyed and bushy tailed for our drive across Pennsyltucky. My alarm went off at 7:20, I was going to hop in the shower but then I thought better of it, since I am lazy and unreliable. Art called me at 8:20 and said he was on his way, I did the quick shower and change, and was in the car at 8:30 apparently 7:30 didn't agree with Art either. My laziness instincts are impeccable.
Morristown was kind of gray as we pulled out of town, down 287 to 78. Through the verdant pastures that are west Jersey. Its not all smokestacks and warehouses you know, there are lots and lots of farms out in yonder Jersey. Once we crossed the Delaware things started getting a little darker. The rain started about 5 miles into Pennsylvania. The highways in Pennsylvania in a word, blow. Nothing is smooth, most of it is four lane highway, with dividers on either side. When your visibility is cut in half and throw in a populace that apparently all sell fireworks, driving can be a little hairy. Thankfully we had the satellite radio to keep us company, I highly recommend Sirius' hair metal station. If you are going to be careening through a 400 mile thunderstorm you might as well listen to Quiet Riot. We stopped in Carlisle for gas, its a big truck transfer to get off of 78 to the Pennsylvania Turnpike. I encountered a bathroom I don't think you would want to overdose in, let alone use the facilities. Unsurprisingly they had a condom machine above the urinals. Did you know that rough riders were the worlds first studded condom? I didn't. I emerged slightly puzzled, but after seeing the clientele of the gas station convenience store I was glad they sold condoms, because god forbid these web footed mongoloids breed. I grabbed my chex mix and a water and hurried back to the car, I think I was afraid that the guy that looked like ZZ Top's stunt double was going to find out that I vote Democrat. At least gas was cheap. Back in the car we encountered more rain, only finding refuge in the tunnels that cut through the Allegheny mountains. Finally we started to head downhill towards the bustling metropolis that is Pittsburgh.
I've been to Pittsburgh twice now, both times it was overcast in the summer. Something tells me this is the norm. I couldn't imagine working in a steel mill your whole life with that climate. It doesn't surprise me that they are so sports obsessed and eat food that would choke a billygoat. Art's parents live on the outside of town, we cruised through what looked like the set of Deliverance and suddenly we were in the middle of a housing development. I don't really understand the economies of Western PA, apparently Pittsburgh is on the upswing (where else could it go, there already is a Camden). New stadiums and suburbanization I guess is what is happening. I think Art's mom tried to feed us when we stepped out of the car, it didn't stop until we left. We relaxed watching sports center till Matt and Erin got home, they left a day earlier, smart move. Grazing on the parental smorgasbord just before we had to head to the show.
Robert Randolph has lived in Morristown for a few years now, I met him at the Office bar a while back. We hang out when he is in town, I try not to bring up the usual fan stuff, just talk about how work is going and things. We've had a couple of late night adventures that I can't really relay here. So it was cool to have to opportunity to hang with him outside of home base. We parked the car at the back of the lot, picked up our tickets and passes and headed over to Robert's tour bus. There were flat panel TVs everywhere, nice couches and the free food and drinks from the venue. Pretty sweet. The last time I was in Pittsburgh, I was on tour with Joanie Loves Trotsky, crammed into a van that smelled like socks. I kind of sat there for a second and wished I practiced the guitar more, oh well, free beer washed away the sorrow. So 20 minutes before Robert hit the stage, we headed in to the venue to buy overpriced beer. Robert hit the stage and we forced our way up front. Great show, did his version of Voodoo Chile, showed off the multi instrumental capability of the band. Right before he headed off he waved and gave shouts to Jersey. We hung out a bit, the Crowes came on the actually played a good mix of old and new, we only caught the first hour because we headed back to the tour bus. Robert told me that the Crowes wanted him to come out and sing on Instant Karma during the encore, but he decided not to. I offered to go out in disguise, but I think we all realized that I am a large white man and there isn't a way to camouflage that. We hung out on the bus drinking beers and catching up. Eventually we started pulling girls aboard, which is what tour busses are for. I remember why I love rock and roll when three hot girls got on the bus with their hot mom. I guess one of the girls was into Robert's guitar player I really don't want to know how that whole system works, I think I'd just be depressed. We got some Duquesne students on board, and Art and I played security when these two guys came around, fun. We spent a fair amount of time hanging out while Robert played iPod DJ. Heavy on the Party Rap, which was excellent because it made the hot mom uncomfortable. Robert couldn't hang out because they had to get on the road to Nashville. We dropped Erin off at the house because she wasn't feeling good, and Matt, Art and I headed down to the college bars which were actually empty since it was Sunday in the summer.
This one bar Casey's has a midget, it even has a sign in the window claiming so. I'm not sure how much exploitation I could handle, and I guess I'll never know because they were closed. We hit Jack's which seemed to be popular and had a beer there, then after looking down the street and realizing that we were the only degenerates out, we stopped into the Smiling Moose, which seems to be a metal bar. They had a few skulls around and it looked like we missed a band. There were some cookie monster sounding bands on the jukebox. I think Art and Matt were scared, I didn't mind it. We had the local brew, Iron City Beer there. Unfortunately we realized too late that they had Mickey's wide mouths in the cooler. We bailed before they were even close to throwing us out, we had other business to attend to.
There is a Pittsburgh institution called Primanti Brothers sandwiches. Rumor has it, it started on the strip where truckers making their deliveries didn't have a lot of time, so everything goes on the sandwich. Meat and cheese topped with cole slaw and french fries. I've had one before, and the anticipation of having one after a night of drinking was almost unbearable. Horror of horrors Art ordered them to go, so we had to drive 10 minutes home with the smell of the most delicious drunk food imaginable, overstuffed hot sandwiches and an order of cheese fries. I'm not sure what happened when I opened the bag, the next thing I know all the sandwiches were gone and I felt at peace with the world. I saw my body as I drifted toward the light, only to come crashing back to finish the cheese fries. There isn't a word to describe that sort of perfection. I rolled upstairs to dream of groupies feeding me sandwiches.
Surprisingly I was the first one up the next day. I headed downstairs for water, and waited while everyone rolled out of bed. Art's mom got breakfast out of course. I haven't had Sugar Crisp in probably 20 years. Sugar Bear is looking good, and I sang the jingle along with him, you really can't get enough of that Sugar Crisp. We got packed and headed back down to the strip, by night it is clubs and after hours bars and the home of culinary perfection. By day they have lots of interesting stores, Like the Pennsylvania Macaroni company. We wandered checking out the fresh food that we know wouldn't keep on the 6 hour trip home, but it was fun just to poke around. I stopped in a spice store, looking at the rubs and marinades until I realized that my cooking during the week consists of opening a can of soup. It was fun to imagine that I would use spices...yes my life is pathetic. Back in the car, and lucky for us we didn't hit rain until the mid point of Pennsylvania. We stopped at a rest stop while listening to Cheap Trick on Howard Stern. Headed into the Bob's Big Boy, because I'm pretty sure if you stop at a rest stop and there is a Bob's Big Boy you have to go there. Apparently their steamer was down, so meatloaf was not available, after Art pried my hands from the waitress' neck I ordered the hot turkey sandwich. White bread and gravy is where its at. Before getting back on the road, I hit the men's room and on the way out I stopped to pay a quarter to get my weight and my lucky number, I think the machine was broken because it just blinked "URGNNADIE". We stopped back in Carlisle again to get gas, there were far fewer unsavory characters this time. Art wanted me to drive, so I ended up white knuckling an unfamiliar car through the rest of the rain. If you are wondering Art snores in the car also. We got a little relief from the weather after crossing the Delaware, and I relaxed once we were on 287.
12 hours of driving in the rain during a 36 hour trip isn't exactly relaxing. Thankfully we got some good stories out of it. Not too many hi jinks, but you have to remember what happens on the tour bus stays on the tour bus. Robert, if you ever read this, thanks for the hospitality. I don't have a whole lot to write about this week, so I might just make something up over the weekend. Hopefully there will be a fireworks mishap or some sort of binge drinking going on over the holiday for me to report on.
Stay tuned.
Morristown was kind of gray as we pulled out of town, down 287 to 78. Through the verdant pastures that are west Jersey. Its not all smokestacks and warehouses you know, there are lots and lots of farms out in yonder Jersey. Once we crossed the Delaware things started getting a little darker. The rain started about 5 miles into Pennsylvania. The highways in Pennsylvania in a word, blow. Nothing is smooth, most of it is four lane highway, with dividers on either side. When your visibility is cut in half and throw in a populace that apparently all sell fireworks, driving can be a little hairy. Thankfully we had the satellite radio to keep us company, I highly recommend Sirius' hair metal station. If you are going to be careening through a 400 mile thunderstorm you might as well listen to Quiet Riot. We stopped in Carlisle for gas, its a big truck transfer to get off of 78 to the Pennsylvania Turnpike. I encountered a bathroom I don't think you would want to overdose in, let alone use the facilities. Unsurprisingly they had a condom machine above the urinals. Did you know that rough riders were the worlds first studded condom? I didn't. I emerged slightly puzzled, but after seeing the clientele of the gas station convenience store I was glad they sold condoms, because god forbid these web footed mongoloids breed. I grabbed my chex mix and a water and hurried back to the car, I think I was afraid that the guy that looked like ZZ Top's stunt double was going to find out that I vote Democrat. At least gas was cheap. Back in the car we encountered more rain, only finding refuge in the tunnels that cut through the Allegheny mountains. Finally we started to head downhill towards the bustling metropolis that is Pittsburgh.
I've been to Pittsburgh twice now, both times it was overcast in the summer. Something tells me this is the norm. I couldn't imagine working in a steel mill your whole life with that climate. It doesn't surprise me that they are so sports obsessed and eat food that would choke a billygoat. Art's parents live on the outside of town, we cruised through what looked like the set of Deliverance and suddenly we were in the middle of a housing development. I don't really understand the economies of Western PA, apparently Pittsburgh is on the upswing (where else could it go, there already is a Camden). New stadiums and suburbanization I guess is what is happening. I think Art's mom tried to feed us when we stepped out of the car, it didn't stop until we left. We relaxed watching sports center till Matt and Erin got home, they left a day earlier, smart move. Grazing on the parental smorgasbord just before we had to head to the show.
Robert Randolph has lived in Morristown for a few years now, I met him at the Office bar a while back. We hang out when he is in town, I try not to bring up the usual fan stuff, just talk about how work is going and things. We've had a couple of late night adventures that I can't really relay here. So it was cool to have to opportunity to hang with him outside of home base. We parked the car at the back of the lot, picked up our tickets and passes and headed over to Robert's tour bus. There were flat panel TVs everywhere, nice couches and the free food and drinks from the venue. Pretty sweet. The last time I was in Pittsburgh, I was on tour with Joanie Loves Trotsky, crammed into a van that smelled like socks. I kind of sat there for a second and wished I practiced the guitar more, oh well, free beer washed away the sorrow. So 20 minutes before Robert hit the stage, we headed in to the venue to buy overpriced beer. Robert hit the stage and we forced our way up front. Great show, did his version of Voodoo Chile, showed off the multi instrumental capability of the band. Right before he headed off he waved and gave shouts to Jersey. We hung out a bit, the Crowes came on the actually played a good mix of old and new, we only caught the first hour because we headed back to the tour bus. Robert told me that the Crowes wanted him to come out and sing on Instant Karma during the encore, but he decided not to. I offered to go out in disguise, but I think we all realized that I am a large white man and there isn't a way to camouflage that. We hung out on the bus drinking beers and catching up. Eventually we started pulling girls aboard, which is what tour busses are for. I remember why I love rock and roll when three hot girls got on the bus with their hot mom. I guess one of the girls was into Robert's guitar player I really don't want to know how that whole system works, I think I'd just be depressed. We got some Duquesne students on board, and Art and I played security when these two guys came around, fun. We spent a fair amount of time hanging out while Robert played iPod DJ. Heavy on the Party Rap, which was excellent because it made the hot mom uncomfortable. Robert couldn't hang out because they had to get on the road to Nashville. We dropped Erin off at the house because she wasn't feeling good, and Matt, Art and I headed down to the college bars which were actually empty since it was Sunday in the summer.
This one bar Casey's has a midget, it even has a sign in the window claiming so. I'm not sure how much exploitation I could handle, and I guess I'll never know because they were closed. We hit Jack's which seemed to be popular and had a beer there, then after looking down the street and realizing that we were the only degenerates out, we stopped into the Smiling Moose, which seems to be a metal bar. They had a few skulls around and it looked like we missed a band. There were some cookie monster sounding bands on the jukebox. I think Art and Matt were scared, I didn't mind it. We had the local brew, Iron City Beer there. Unfortunately we realized too late that they had Mickey's wide mouths in the cooler. We bailed before they were even close to throwing us out, we had other business to attend to.
There is a Pittsburgh institution called Primanti Brothers sandwiches. Rumor has it, it started on the strip where truckers making their deliveries didn't have a lot of time, so everything goes on the sandwich. Meat and cheese topped with cole slaw and french fries. I've had one before, and the anticipation of having one after a night of drinking was almost unbearable. Horror of horrors Art ordered them to go, so we had to drive 10 minutes home with the smell of the most delicious drunk food imaginable, overstuffed hot sandwiches and an order of cheese fries. I'm not sure what happened when I opened the bag, the next thing I know all the sandwiches were gone and I felt at peace with the world. I saw my body as I drifted toward the light, only to come crashing back to finish the cheese fries. There isn't a word to describe that sort of perfection. I rolled upstairs to dream of groupies feeding me sandwiches.
Surprisingly I was the first one up the next day. I headed downstairs for water, and waited while everyone rolled out of bed. Art's mom got breakfast out of course. I haven't had Sugar Crisp in probably 20 years. Sugar Bear is looking good, and I sang the jingle along with him, you really can't get enough of that Sugar Crisp. We got packed and headed back down to the strip, by night it is clubs and after hours bars and the home of culinary perfection. By day they have lots of interesting stores, Like the Pennsylvania Macaroni company. We wandered checking out the fresh food that we know wouldn't keep on the 6 hour trip home, but it was fun just to poke around. I stopped in a spice store, looking at the rubs and marinades until I realized that my cooking during the week consists of opening a can of soup. It was fun to imagine that I would use spices...yes my life is pathetic. Back in the car, and lucky for us we didn't hit rain until the mid point of Pennsylvania. We stopped at a rest stop while listening to Cheap Trick on Howard Stern. Headed into the Bob's Big Boy, because I'm pretty sure if you stop at a rest stop and there is a Bob's Big Boy you have to go there. Apparently their steamer was down, so meatloaf was not available, after Art pried my hands from the waitress' neck I ordered the hot turkey sandwich. White bread and gravy is where its at. Before getting back on the road, I hit the men's room and on the way out I stopped to pay a quarter to get my weight and my lucky number, I think the machine was broken because it just blinked "URGNNADIE". We stopped back in Carlisle again to get gas, there were far fewer unsavory characters this time. Art wanted me to drive, so I ended up white knuckling an unfamiliar car through the rest of the rain. If you are wondering Art snores in the car also. We got a little relief from the weather after crossing the Delaware, and I relaxed once we were on 287.
12 hours of driving in the rain during a 36 hour trip isn't exactly relaxing. Thankfully we got some good stories out of it. Not too many hi jinks, but you have to remember what happens on the tour bus stays on the tour bus. Robert, if you ever read this, thanks for the hospitality. I don't have a whole lot to write about this week, so I might just make something up over the weekend. Hopefully there will be a fireworks mishap or some sort of binge drinking going on over the holiday for me to report on.
Stay tuned.
posted by JD at 1:16 PM
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