I’ve been from Stacy, Minnesota all the way to…….
Posted on Thursday, October 30th, 2008
Okay, okay. So I’ve been a bit behind and have only myself to blame for that. But, I’m not going to let that stop me from catching up and getting back on track. There has been so much going on that I think it’s best for me to break this blog into two parts and begin where I left off.
After the North Dakota show, we headed east to Stacy, Minnesota for an evening show at the Sacred Grounds Espresso Cafe (10/21). Susan and her husband Max own the coffee house and have been open for a few years. She had forgotten that it was the day we were coming (as we often forget the date or day of the week), but she quickly had us set up to play and served us hot soup, coffee and panini’s to get us started. The music was met with questions, applause and friendly smiles as we played for the setting sun over Stacy.
Playing Sacred Grounds ~ Stacy, Minnesota
Max and Susie closed up the coffee house and brought in dinner to share over conversation. They told us stories about all of the awesome traveling they had done throughout the US, gave us some tips about where to play (and where not to play) and Max had some great insight on where I can find some needed whitewater. Susie had designed the coffee house to be a warm cozy place where patrons would be able to enjoy coffee, food and fellowship. And that is truly the best way to describe not only the outcome of their hard work as seen in their business, but also was reflected in their personalities and welcoming nature. They stocked us up with mugs, goodies and my new favorite coffee “Velvet Hammer.” Seriously, how could anyone not like a coffee with a name like that? They pointed us in the right direction towards Wisconsin and we were soon on the nighttime road to Rochester. Many thanks to Max & Susan and their wonderful staff.
Susie & Max, owners of Sacred Grounds ~ Stacy, Minnesota
The Sacred Grounds crew
We were on the road that evening for quite sometime and felt like we should have taken Max’s advice as to stopping across the WI border and sleeping in the state park. But we were indecisive and ended up on the road until three in the morning before deciding to take a nap at a truck stop. I’m so glad we ended up where we did because God decided to wake me up from my nap with this beautiful sunrise.
Thanks God, I needed that!
When we pulled into Rochester, Wisconsin for our show last week (10/23), I felt like I had just driven into Mayberry. It’s a quaint town that begins immediately after driving across a bridge above a little ol’ creek. Men were in their front yards burning leaves which left a smell in the air that shouted “Winter is almost here!” And even though I personally didn’t see any, I would bet that a few windows had fresh baked pies resting on their sills. The town has a short main street which made it very easy for us to find the Stir Crazy Coffee house. It is here that we would set up shop for the evening and share our music and stories with the owners Frank & Nancy, and the wonderful people who lived in the area.
Stir Crazy Coffee ~ Rochester, Wisconsin
I was so happy to see my old neighbor Sussie and her son Josh at the show. It has been a long time since I lived across the street from them in Manteca, CA (Josh wasn’t even around at that time), but through the years their family has remained particularly close with ours and it was such a blessing to see their faces. We were able to catch up for a quite a while before the music started and I wish them the very best as they have some big changes on their horizon!
My dear friends Sussie and Josh
The show was so intimate at the Stir Crazy and Nancy filled us up with fresh cookies, pumpkin spice coffee and Frank’s delicious pizza. They had decided to stay open later that their normal business hours and serve pizza and wine for the performance. It was something that really made me feel at home and I was flattered that they would make the evening special for us. Tim, a local firefighter, brought his guitar over and joined me for much of my set. He was great and his lead guitar style added much to the performance. When I was finished playing my set, he entertained us all with his songs while I got to know Frank and Nancy and the many stories that Frank has collected over the years. If you are ever in Rochester, Wisconsin, be sure to stop by ask Nancy for some of her many treats and make sure to ask Frank to tell you a story about true baseball! Everyone we’ve met has been so unique, so friendly, and has taught me so much.
Playing with Tim at the Stir Crazy Coffee House
Nancy & Frank ~ owners of the Stir Crazy coffee house
We decided to make another late night drive after the show in Wisconsin and headed towards Long Beach, Indiana. We drove through the skyline of Chicago but decided to keep going as we wanted to avoid traffic…..and much of this trip is about generally avoiding the big cities as much as possible. We drove into Long Beach at four in the morning and slept in the parking lot of a grocery store. Our spirits were a bit down when we woke up in the morning, but those down moments also brought along a new song I wrote called Welcome to Indiana (and it’s one of my favorites right now).
Our spirits were soon turned around when we met the folks at the Tree House in Long Beach (10/24). This place is freakin’ ridiculously incredibly cool. Not that the other places haven’t been as well, but this place is currently putting in an ice skating rink that goes right up to the bar. What a perfect combination so long as you have a good insurance policy! They have a huge piece of land and what started as a coffee shop has now turned into a full restaurant and bar in addition to the “backyard” type are at that hosts a stage, patio area, huge sand lot for the kids, and even has a boat for hanging out in.
Side view of the Tree House ~ Long Beach, Indiana
Looking in from the back of the Tree House
Ammie & Adam playing the Tree House
John and Casey have had it for about 5 years and though they built the bar around an existing tree, they actually named it the Tree House because they built it from materials donated from the community and found in other places. It looks great! They fences for the property are made from various doors and much of the art is done by John’s brother. They set me up by a comfy spot next to the furnace and I played for a few hours entertaining and being entertained by the people who filled the bar. John was hosting an impromptu birthday party for his nephew and this place is the definition of family friendly. It was inspiring to see how much of the place was really built around family. They also took wonderful care of us and sent us on the road with food in our bellies (and in doggy bags)! If you have a family or enjoy family, or if you just want a beer, or coffee…..then go to the Tree House!!
John ~ owner of the Tree House in Long Beach, Indiana
The Tree House Gang
Now we are sitting here in Granville, New York and we need to hit the road to Waitsfield, Vermont for our show at the Purple Moon Pub tonight. I’m going to do my best to post Part II of the catch-up later on this evening. Thanks for your continuous support. We hope you all have your costumes picked out, your candy bowls filled, and your pumpkins carved. We we wish you could be with us at the Dutch Treat restaurant in Franconia, New Hampshire tomorrow night, but you can be sure you’ll all be in our thoughts. Cheers!