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PostPosted: Thu Mar 04, 2021 7:33 am
  

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The Folkslinger

Joined: Nov 23, 1999
Posts: 1128
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Location: Housatonic, MA
March 4, 2021 - After the "Group W Bench" series, and just at the beginning of mud season, I'm getting ready for something different. It would be great to get the church's Troubadour Series back this coming summer. We'll see what happens. With no plans to get back on the road, I'm wondering what to do - I mean, ya gotta do something even if it's not much. I've been holed up, mostly indoors for months. Last year we were playing a few gigs until it all came to a sudden halt almost exactly one year ago (March 6th).

So for the first time in memory, I'll be up here in The Berkshires playing in the mud - wrestling shrubs. It could be worse. This was always time for a run to the west coast. Early March we'd typically take the southern route west, and return to the east coast along the northern big roads, playing gigs along the way, trying to get back in time for events at the church in May. We did that for decades, or something along those lines.

It took a whole lot of logistical support to do the tours we did. Everything had to be planned far in advance. You can't just drive two tour buses into a hotel or a restaurant and expect to be accommodated. There was a million little things like that we planned for, so I became a person familiar with plans. It was just simply necessary.

With those days behind me, there are no big travel plans to consider. I'm not looking at road maps and thinking about milage - No going through my list of decent hotels and restaurants. Playing the gigs was always the easy part. Getting to and from them was the work (at least for me). I worked with the best crew imaginable - People who loved what they did, and did it well. Too many to name individually, but you know them if you're reading this.

This spring will be no different for the forests, streams and mountains, but for me it's a whole 'nother thing. It'll be what it used to be, but that was so long ago I can hardly remember. It's life back on the farm without plans to go anywhere or do anything. This is not a complaint, just an observation. I guess I have to plan on getting used to not making plans - Not in the way I did anyway.


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 05, 2021 12:54 am
  

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Joined: Feb 19, 2001
Posts: 1742
Location: ottawa.ontario.canada
Well when you are done with/in? the bushes Throw some air in the scenic cruiser's tires and a fresh cardboard pine tree on the dash and head a lil north and bring a guitar or two.Perhaps check on R.B. on the way through.If the customs man hassles ya just tell them I said your were essentiial!!.


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PostPosted: Mon Mar 15, 2021 9:11 am
  

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The Folkslinger

Joined: Nov 23, 1999
Posts: 1128
Images: 42
Location: Housatonic, MA
Hahaha air in the tires won't help! We don't call it mud season for nothing. The frame itself is buried in mud, not just from this year, but from the years it's been there. There's a couple of others in the same condition. It'd take someone like Bill Gates to help get that thing on the road again. But, there's probably more important things to do. Meanwhile we get to look at it and remember. :)


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PostPosted: Mon Mar 15, 2021 8:14 pm
  

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Joined: Feb 19, 2001
Posts: 1742
Location: ottawa.ontario.canada
Mud? well being in middle of city surrounded by the gov's farm fields I can see the color of mud in some spots but we still have a fair bit of snow to melt off.The last week or so has brought some daytime melting temperatures. 8)
LOL yeah i bet there is at least a albums worth of road trip adventures and misadventures in each of those buses.The scenics looked so cool.I knew some freaks back in the 70's that made one into a camper/rv,its previous life was a voyageur.Loads of fun in that thing and although underpowered and well used the motor never let them down.


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PostPosted: Sun Mar 21, 2021 9:40 am
  

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The Folkslinger

Joined: Nov 23, 1999
Posts: 1128
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Location: Housatonic, MA
All but one of the buses we've had over the years and decades are still around. The one no longer here is the one we got in 2000, a Prevost XL, that sat for years at my friend, Doug's place in Sanford, FL. That was sold a couple of years ago, but we got a good 15 years out of it. There's a Newell in Florida on a lot somewhere, and another Prevost in Nashville. Because of the pandemic they haven't been used much as all the venues have been shuttered for so long. They're just beginning to open again. There are 3 here at the farm - The old '54 scenic cruiser, and 2 Eagles (both from the '70s). We began using buses for touring when the band and crew outgrew the cars and vans we had before that. It was a great life on the road for decades, and the buses changed with the times.


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PostPosted: Mon Mar 22, 2021 10:52 pm
  

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Joined: Feb 19, 2001
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Location: ottawa.ontario.canada
The Scenics are cool but yeesh,you are so right about Bill Gates or someone with deep pockets.I read about the one where over a million bucks was put into it.I've seen some neat vids on youtube of one being worked on by "bus grease monkey" or something like that.


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PostPosted: Tue Mar 23, 2021 6:18 am
  

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The Folkslinger

Joined: Nov 23, 1999
Posts: 1128
Images: 42
Location: Housatonic, MA
Yeah it'd take more than what we've got to restore any of 'em. But, ya never say never. That's why they're there. :)


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PostPosted: Tue Mar 23, 2021 9:00 pm
  

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Joined: Feb 19, 2001
Posts: 1742
Location: ottawa.ontario.canada
Well maybe we could start a movement..for one of those reality networks to do a "Bring back the blundered bus" show.


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