Ok, so it's a quick blog entry tonight because I'm really tired, and have a lot of driving to do tomorrow!! First of all, leaving PA was fine, but I was a little sad that I didn't see any Amish buggies along the interstate. (Believe me, I was looking...for some reason I've loved the Amish since I was a little kid.) So, when I pulled into the "Welcome to Ohio" rest stop, you can imagine how excited I was when I found some Amish Cheddar Cheese Corn...a.k.a. cheese popcorn. It was delicious! I tried to eat the entire bag, but couldn't quite finish, so I'll see if I can finish it up tomorrow.
While I was driving, I also had another HUGE driving reminder that I was no longer in New England...I saw my first Waffle House sighting of the trip! I didn't stop in, because I really wanted to get into town, but I snapped a quick photo out of the window.
The drive from Pittsburgh to Cleveland isn't that long, and it's really quite easy. But I took my time and stopped to get gas, lunch, etc. I made sure that I was feeling wide awake. When I arrived in Painesville (which is where I played, just outside of Cleveland) I stopped in to visit the couple that I was staying with. Now I've never met these people before, they're friends of friends, so I was a little nervous at first. But I was put to ease instantly when a man (closely resembling David Crosby) walked out of the door to welcome me. There's a photo coming up, but you're not going to believe the likeness between this guy and Crosby. Amazing. Anyway, he told me to unload my stuff when I could because there was a parade in town and he wanted to make sure that I would be able to park and unload my stuff at the venue. Everything worked out well, I unloaded my duffle bag at his house and then brought my guitar and keyboard over to The Rider Inn so that we could start getting set up.
As I was getting set up, again, the parade was mentioned to me, so I decided to head out and see what I was missing. Am I glad that I did? Absolutely. I took TONS of photos. A guy that was sitting next to me, actually asked me if I knew someone in the parade because I was taking so many. Whatever.
This first photo is just amazing...have you ever seen a 4-H group pulled in a parade by a huge tractor?!
Ok, photo #2, also amazing...have you ever seen a State Representative promote his/her office with a huge silver rocket ship?
Photo #3, if I love the Amish, it's partly because I love horses so much, so I just had to take this photo...they're so pretty!!
Ok, and the last parade photo was completely necessary...this town has it's own department of mosquito control. Seriously. The guy who asked me why I was taking so many pictures let me know how important this department was. I am now informed as to why Painesville, OH needs mosquito control.
Soon after the parade the show started. I had a great time. This is a cool place (The Rider Inn) with a lounge/tavern room and that's where I played. Upon speaking with some of the workers I found out that this place used to be a part of the Underground Railroad. Now, again, if you know me at all, the fact that I saw Amish popcorn, horses, and hung out in a place that was a part of the Underground Railroad, you know that by this point I was going nuts! Harriet Tubman was one of my heroes as a child!! I know it may make me strange, but I don't care.
Besides that, they believe that the place is haunted. It was built in 1812, and the innkeeper's third wife, Suzanne, mysteriously died near the fireplace (where I was playing!!). They have had ghost hunters come and stay with them (even the show came and filmed there, including filming in the old underground railroad tunnels...which by the way the manager goes into all of the time, but can't bring me under there because they aren't up to code...believe me, I asked) and as many as 10 different spirits have been detected there. I don't believe in ghosts, but I'd love to see one, so the manager showed me some photos. It was pretty cool.
Back to my new friends Charlie and Jackie Brown. I mentioned Charlie earlier (the David Crosby look-a-like). We had a great time since Charlie has been a professional musician for almost 50 years! That's how he has made his living his entire life. Amazing. He played a few songs tonight, and I was blown away. This man just suffered a stroke a few months ago, so he can't play with a pick anymore (his right hand just can't grip that way) but his finger-picking will blow your mind. I have a video if you want to see it when I'm back in town. His advice to me at the end of the night..."keep fightin' the good fight, kid." Anyway, here I am with my new friend Charlie, he was making me laugh really hard. Doesn't he just seem like someone that you want to meet?!?!
Last photo, I promise. The host of the evening, and the man who made my visit possible...Jim Snively (www.jimsnively.com). I met him last year in Cleveland, and I'm so happy that I did. He brought in an audience for me to play for, he hooked me up with Charlie and Jackie Brown, and he walked around with a tip jar to help me make some gas $$. He's a good guy, and I'm so lucky to know him!
Off to Chicago tomorrow....whew...that's a long drive!
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