Chapter 24 - NORMAL PEOPLE
We'd
completed our journey through the great southwest, did our
concert in Redwood City and now we had a real day off. However,
our hotel, though very nice, was located in the epicenter
of a sprawling Silicon Valley industrial park with nothing
around except an occasional strip mall for entertainment.
Not good. Boring, to say the least. I think it's road rule
#25 that states; "There is always a one in three chance
that your real day off will be somewhere where nothing is
happening." This was a perfect example.
Things
were looking pretty bleak until McEntee called. Robert's mom,
who lived nearby, had attended last night's concert and graciously
loaned her car to him for the afternoon. Photoglo and I figured
anything was better than staying where we were so we jumped
at the chance for a mini-road trip, it didn't matter where.
So, we climbed into the car and figured we could make a plan
as we went.
We really
had no special plans. It was just a great day with no schedule,
no tour bus and no show. We headed east over the coastal mountain
range and ended up in the beach town of Santa Cruz, grabbed
an ice cream cone and continued to the coast highway for a
beautiful view of the Pacific. Of course, we had to stop long
enough to walk down to the beach for closer look. On the way
back, we stopped at a roadside produce stand and picked up
some freshly harvested fruit to snack on. Like I said, nothing
special but,on the other hand, for us it was something we
had not seen and enjoyed for quite a while. But with limited
time, we decided it was time to get back on the road.
It was
so pleasant to just be like normal people doing normal things.
After a while you become so used to the routine and lifestyle
of the tour that you almost forget the simple pleasures of
anonymity and a day that hasn't been completely planned out
for you. So, you can imagine how refreshing it was to be able
to just goof the whole day away and take some time to recharge
our batteries. It was also a subtle but sobering reminder
that the tour would soon be coming to an end and I would again
be back in the normal world with normal people doing normal
things.
It's strange
kind of dichotomy, life at home with 'normal people' and life
on the road with 'Roadzilla.' It reminds me of my feelings
when I did some long distance sailing, when I was at sea I
longed to return to the land and when I was on land I longed
to return to the sea. It's the same way with touring. When
I'm out on the road I want to get back home but once I've
been home for a while, the old road dog, the gypsy in me,
makes me want get back out there again, traveling across America
in a land yacht and playing some great music with some great
people. I've been very fortunate to have the best of both
worlds.
After
we returned the car to Robert's mom and were back at the hotel,
we ended our wonderfully normal day by going out for a normal
sit down dinner at a nearby Chinese restaurant. A simple pleasure,
I know, but I also knew that we'd be back in the land of Roadzilla
tomorrow morning and that the next few days would have some
long, long runs. I had thoroughly enjoyed my normal day, but
now it was time for some sleep before I had to face an abnormal
day and get reacquainted with bouncing bunks, flat meat sandwiches,
mobile Gin & Tonics, and The Chair.