It was a BEARY good day!

Before leaving Ogden, UT this morning, there was something I just had to do. My groupie mobile was a bit dirty, thanks to the dust of Monument Valley and the overnight snow in Monticello, UT. I did a Google search and found a pretty good car wash just a few miles from my hotel. Ten minutes and $7 later, the Blazer looked great! They do things right at Supersonic Car Wash!

I drove north on boring I-15...yes, most interstate freeways are boring...then switched to the more pleasant Hwy 26. I stopped briefly in Idaho Falls for gas, and picked up a salad for lunch. I wasn't quite ready to eat, so I continued on until I reached the town of St Anthony. Right off the highway, I found a quiet little park. I ate my salad with the sight of the raging Henrys Fork...a tributary of the Snake River...roaring in front of me.

I pulled into West Yellowstone, MT mid-afternoon and headed over to the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center. This facility houses grizzly bears and grey wolves. The bears featured here were either orphaned after their mothers were killed or abandoned them, or were captured after they became habituated to human food and failed relocation efforts. There are also two wolf packs whose members were all captive bred. I had never seen such beautiful specimens of both species up close. I guess it helps when they're living basically in their native environment. Plus, the center makes extra effort to feed them properly. For example, the wolves eat elk and deer meat.

I have a big day tomorrow. Yellowstone National Park is officially opening their west entrance and the northern half of the park to vehicles for the season. And, I'll be there at 8:00 am when that happens. The last (and only) time I visited Yellowstone, I was only 12 or 13 years old. I remember very little...Old Faithful, paint pots and another geyser or two. That's it! I'm expecting to see so much more tomorrow. And, I think I'll appreciate what I'm seeing a lot better than before. My LONG wait to see Yellowstone again will finally come to an end!

Guns and railroads

I took things easy today. After three straight days of visiting parks...and a lot of walking...I needed a break. I just did a little bit of walking today...through a few museums. I left Green River, UT this morning and headed north to Ogden. My destination was Ogden Union Station, a once railroad depot built by the Union Pacific Railroad. It currently houses three museums...the Utah State Railroad Museum, the John M. Browning Firearms Museum and the Browning-Kimball Classic Car Museum. Admission for all the museums was easy on the pocketbook...only $5.

I walked through the car museum first, which was the smallest of the three. It only consisted of 9 classic automobiles...all donated to the city of Ogden by the Browning family. I've always appreciated old cars, especially the REALLY old stuff. The autos in his small collection were in wonderful condition, and a few of them even appear in local parades. Next, I checked out the firearms museum. I don't consider myself a gun afficionado, but I AM familiar with certain makes and models, especially those used in battle. John M. Browning is one of the big names in the gun world. His firearm designs later appeared in models of other gun manufacturers such as Remington, Winchester and Colt. And, if you are a World War II enthusiast, I'm sure you've heard of the Browning Automatic Rifle or BAR.

I spent the longest amount of time in the railroad museum. I love museums that deal with historical events, and this museum did not disappoint. The bulk of exhibits dealt with the building of the first Transcontinental Railroad, which originated in the Midwest and terminated on the West Coast. Also known as the Overland Route, the railroad line was built from 1863-1869 by the Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads. It was quite an amazing feat, considering all the work was done by hand!

Tomorrow is another easy travel day...nothing really big planned. I think I may even wake up a little later than usual. Oh, in case you were wondering, my sore neck is quite a bit better. The pain is bearable, but hasn't gone away completely. Since I haven't done much city driving lately, less need to turn my head side to side...that's the killer. Not that this would prevent me from being at the stage...and looking up...at a future Five For Fighting concert!

The REAL golden arches!

I was expecting a little precipitation overnight, but I wasn't expecting SNOW! I woke up to about an inch on my Blazer. But, I was prepared...I brought my scraper-snow brush! I also have my chains, just in case...better safe than sorry! Thankfully, the roads were clear as I left Monticello, UT on my way to my only destination of the day... Arches National Park! When I arrived in Moab, I decided to grab some lunch from a local supermarket. I was getting a bit tired of eating out and was craving some REAL food. I grabbed some string cheese, a couple of bananas and a container of enticing smoked salmon pasta salad.

When I arrived at the park, I flashed my annual pass, and continued on. I decided to do what is normally recommended at tourist attractions. Instead of starting at the sights closest to the entrance, I drove to the ones farthest away. The logic is that most people do the opposite, and I think I was correct. I had done some research ahead of time and decided I would try to see as many arches as I could in one day. That meant leaving out the ones that required the most walking to see...or the more strenuous hikes. With plan in place, I did six arches before breaking for lunch. Afterwards, I saw 5 more, including the most famous Delicate Arch. I opted not to attempt the 7 mile hike to get closest to it. Instead, it was the easier .6 mile walk...at least I thought it would be easy! It would prove to be the most strenuous of the day. The trail was fairly level at first, but soon turned into a rock staircase...that went up and up and up! I had to rest for a few seconds at each "landing," but I did better than some. After I reached the top and took photos of the arch...and got a good breather...I started down. As I descended, I tried to encourage those still on their way up. Comments like, "There's no shame in resting," and "It's not too much farther." One guy with his wife was pretty tired, and I told him, "There was nothing in the literature about the steep part, huh?" He laughed and agreed with me!

I would have to say that Arches is the most awesome park I've ever visited, Grand Canyon included. But, the best is yet to come...I think you might guess which park I'm talking about. Tomorrow, will be a sort of rest day...museums only! I'm looking forward to feeding my mind.

Rocks, rocks...and more rocks

My morning began with a rather abrupt and unexpected awakening at 5:30 am. No, it wasn't MY alarm clock...it was the HOTEL alarm clock. And, I didn't even set it! I never check the alarm clock before I go bed because I assume it's not activated. Well, this one was! So, I lost a half hour of sleep. I was planning to get up at 6:00 am anyway...which in reality was 7:00 am. Confused? Turns out the state of Arizona doesn't believe in Daylight Savings time! But, I still needed to account for it since I was traveling to Utah...which DID change their clocks last month!

My first destination of the day... Monument Valley, which is a Navajo Tribal Park. I had never been to this famous park, location of many old western flicks and more recent films like National Lampoon's Vacation, Forrest Gump and Thelma And Louise. Visitors can drive a loop road through the park to see the unique rock formations. I knew ahead of time the road was going to be rough...dirt and rock. I wasn't wrong about that. But, my Blazer negotiated things with ease. I wonder what the other folks in their sedans were thinking as they bounced along the roads on their street tires? The scenery was breath taking...well worth getting my ride covered with red dust! It was VERY windy, too, which blew that same dust into my hair! Yuk!

When I got back to the visitor parking lot, I decided to eat my lunch in my car. As I did so, I noticed a couple of cute mutts walking around, looking for handouts. They walked up to a car where an older man was eating chips. He threw some on the ground, and they gobbled up the treat. After I was done eating, I got out of my vehicle to dispose of my trash. The dogs walked up to me expectedly. I didn't have any more lunch, but I DID have some beef jerky. I gave each of them a couple of pieces, which they greatly appreciated! Such nice, well-mannered dogs!

Next, I traveled a short distance north to a small, but impressive state park... Goosenecks. This park is notable for their rock formations known as entrenched meander which resembles curved goose necks...hence the park's name. After snapping some photos, I took the quickest route to my last park of the day, Natural Bridges. What I didn't realize was that this road would prove to be the most challenging of the day. Utah's Hwy 261 has a 4-mile stretch of gravel road. Not only that, the road is a series of wicked switchbacks and no guardrails as you travel up a steep grade. I handled this challenge with ease, but as I was driving up, I couldn't help but think this is one road you wouldn't want to take at night!

When I arrived at Natural Bridges National Monument, I was admitted with the annual pass that I bought at Grand Canyon yesterday. After getting a park map, I drove their loop road. Natural Bridges has only three stone arches...unlike Arches National Park, which has many more. I had never seen a natural bridge...or arch, if you prefer...in my life, so three was impressive. There were actually trails leading to each bridge, but I only walked to one... Owachomo Bridge. I really didn't have time to hike to the other two, and it was only a quarter mile to this one. There was no one around as I trekked down the stone steps and over rocks to the bottom. It was nice to just have the bridge to myself.

Going to the parks during the slow part of the year is great...hardly anyone around! And, it's not too hot yet. But, it's supposed to cool off and rain overnight! Hopefully, the weather will be favorable for more park visits tomorrow!

It's a GRAND canyon!

The sun was shining as I left Kingman, AZ this morning. When I left Las Vegas after a great Five For Fighting show at Pet-a-Palooza yesterday, I drove over Hoover Dam. Naturally, such an important structure requires a certain sense of security. Before reaching the dam, there was a security checkpoint. I was asked what I had in my vehicle, and it was no surprise with all the stuff I had for my road trip that I was selected for inspection. I opened the back for the female security officer and after looking over my multiple bags...much of it clothes, some of it dirty...she was satisfied and I was on my way.

Today, there was only one activity on the agenda...visit Grand Canyon National Park. In a previous blog, I mentioned that I hadn't been here since I was a kid. I was excited to see what I couldn't remember. When I reached the entrance to the South Rim of the park, I opted to purchase the multi-agency annual pass. Considering it can cost up to $25 per park, it's a steal at $80. And, not only can you use it for the National Park Service, it's also good for other federal areas, such as Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Since I'm planning to visit other parks during my road trip, it made sense to get the annual pass.

It took a few hours to drive from Kingman to Grand Canyon, so it didn't leave me as much time as I wanted. Still, I didn't want to rush things too much, so I elected to start my day by walking the popular Rim trail. It was a beautiful day...mid-60s, sunny and breezy. Plus, there weren't a whole lot of people either...I came at the right time of the year! That allowed me to walk the trail with little disruption and enjoy the serenity. I stopped often to survey the scenery from different viewpoints, and I took a lot of photos. I was surprised how many access points there were to the cliff edges...with no fences or railings! It's amazing that there are not more accidents...people falling over the edge! As for myself, the closest I got was a few feet, and I was VERY, VERY careful with my movements. That's one LONG drop!

When I reached the Bright Angel trailhead, I saw the famous mules waiting to take the next group of visitors down the trail. Initially, I had wanted to walk all the rim trails. But, being short of time, I decided to take the free park shuttle to various viewpoints along the rest of the Rim trail. While walking the trails and riding the shuttles, I encountered a lot of foreign visitors. Considering the Grand Canyon is one of the natural wonders of the world, it attracts a lot of tourists, both foreign and domestic. I did make one humorous observation. I saw a Korean family enjoying their day at the park. The dad was taking photos with a rather small digital camera...attached to a full-sized tripod! I guess it made it easier to take a steady picture, but it sure looked funny!

Tomorrow, I continue my park adventures. Crossing my fingers the good weather holds!

Doggone it...it's Pet-a-Palooza!

I made the 2-hour drive from St. George, UT back the way I had come yesterday...Las Vegas. I was returning specifically to attend Mix 94.1's Pet-a-Palooza, an event to raise money for local animal organizations. I had with me a couple of cans of pet food, which would give me $2 off the admission price. Orianthi was the first musical act to perform, at 11:30. Since I had some time to kill, I checked out the informational booths and grabbed some lunch. I didn't see the Five For Fighting bus parked anywhere nearby, so I assumed they hadn't arrived yet.

From the start, it was obvious Pet-a-Palooza wasn't really about all pets...it was primarily a dog event. And, there were a LOT of dogs there! People proudly parading their prize pooches, purebreds and mixed breeds galore. There were a few other types of animals in the mix. Minatures ponies, wild horses, a donkey...I even saw a couple of people with snakes! But, no cats, which was probably a good thing. When Orianthi hit the stage, I almost immediately lost interest...not my thing. I WAS curious about Kris Allen, though! I had watched him win American Idol last year, and since then, his career is going fine. And, I also think he's kinda cute!

As I was waiting for Kris, I was hanging around the stage when I saw a familiar face...Five For Fighting bass player Joe Karns! I greeted him and he gave me a hug! We talked a bit...Joe wasn't performing today because it was primarily an acoustic show. I assumed that would mean John Ondrasik and guitarist Greg Suran, but Joe told me that drummer Randy Cooke was doing a little percussion today. After Joe left, I went over to the fence where I saw the bus was now parked. I saw Greg and said hello. When I walked back to the stage area, and noticed Kris Allen was being interviewed by a radio station guy. I snapped several pictures of him, and before he left to go backstage, he signed some autographs for people. Rats! I suddenly realized that I forgot his CD in my car! If I had it with me, I probably would have gotten it signed then and there! Oh, well. Soon after, Kris appeared on stage for his performance. It was nice seeing him play live, but I still found myself not that enthused about him either. I guess I was just eager to see John again.

Like Kris, John did a short radio station interview before his performance...I got some photos to capture the moment. By the time John started into his first song, I was roasting in the sun. It got steadily hotter as the day progressed, and my arms were getting pretty dark. In one day, I was getting more sun that I get in a whole summer back home in the Pacific Northwest. At least, it seemed that way! John played for about a half hour, backed up by Greg on acoustic and electric guitar, and Randy on percussion. Here is his abbreviated set list...he played the first two songs on piano, and the rest on guitar, except for his aca pella last song.

World
100 Years
Chances
Slice
65 Mustang
Superman
Hope (Greg on guitar)

Afterwards, I went back to the fence and said goodbye to John as he was returning to the bus. I didn't stay for the autograph session afterwards, but I had done enough of that on the tour. Nor did I hang around for Barenaked Ladies. I have a big day tomorrow...have to drive a few hours and visit Grand Canyon National Park. I haven't been there since I was a child of about 7 or 8, and I remember nothing of it. So, I'm looking forward to this a lot. And, the weather forecast says it will be cooler...low 60s! Fantastic! It was too hot today. Hmm...it looks like my right arm got a little sunburned.

Rockin' at Tuacahn...and red rocks

The last show of the Five For Fighting Slice tour took place at Tuacahn Amphitheatre in Ivins, UT. This might not be the biggest amphitheatre, but it is certainly a beautiful one. Surrounded by a natural red rock background, it seemed to enhance the acoustics of the venue. By the time the show started, the amphitheatre was pretty much full, which was wonderful to see!

I got a second row center seat, which gave me an excellent view of the stage...and, without further straining my neck, which was by the way still giving me pain (read my last blog). I was hoping whoever was sitting in front of me wasn't tall...I wanted an unimpeded view of the stage. I watched as the front row filled...all except three seats in front of me. Well, I didn't have to worry about tall people. Who should sit in those seats but John Ondrasik's wife Carla and the kids! What a nice surprise! I said "Hi" to Carla as they settled in for the show. The set list of the night was the same as the one they performed at the Portland concert (see Right place, right time...and a little luck), The only difference was that since there was no opening act, John played the storyteller to some songs...more so than the previous shows on the tour. When he came to the song, I Just Love You, and started into his experience at The Ashram, I told Carla that it was my favorite story! So funny! She laughed, too! I ended up taking more photos than usual...or trying to, anyway...because this was the last show. And, because more end up NOT coming out than do. Still, I got some great shots of John and the band.

After the show was over, John and the guys did their customary meet and greet with the fans. I waited till the line shortened, then situated myself at the end. When I got to the table with the band, I saw that John's daughter Olivia was signing autographs, too. Not wanting to be deprived of a future superstar's signature, I asked her to sign my ticket. Everyone else did, too...John signed the front. I told Randy that I brought a drum for him to sign. At first he didn't get it, but then he remembered he joked at the HOB San Diego show after signing a drumstick I had brought that I would bring a snare drum next time! Ha...gotcha! I got a goodbye hug from Randy, and a last photo with John. I told John how much I liked hearing the old songs, and thanked him for putting up with me for the past week.

And, so, the Five For Fighting spring tour is over. But, it's not quite over for me. I'll be traveling back to Las Vegas tomorrow for Mix 94.1's Pet-a-Palooza, which raises funds for local animal agencies. John and Greg Suran will be doing an acoustic performance, along with Orianthi, Kris Allen and Barenaked Ladies. It should be fun!

The price of being a groupie

My neck is killing me! The right side of my neck from my head to my shoulder aches when I turn it. How did this happen? I have a theory. For the past four Five For Fighting shows, I've been front and center at the stage...right smack in front of John Ondrasik. And, every single stage has been elevated, although the Crystal Ballroom in Portland wasn't so bad. Being that close required a lot of neck craning...look up at opening act Matt Wertz and of course, John. That put a big strain on my neck...that's about 2 1/2 hours straight looking up. I think things went on the wayside after The Wiltern show in Los Angeles. The next day...which was last night...at House of Blues, San Diego, my neck was already hurting pretty good. Was I going to let that stop me from looking up at John? No. So, now, I'm paying the price for my devotion. Aleve barely put a dent in the discomfort. I just hope by NOT looking up anymore, it will slowly get better. Thankfully, tomorrow's show...the last show of the Slice tour...is at a seated amphitheatre. I'll be looking at the stage straight and level. I'm just glad John doesn't hang from wires over the audience like some performers do. My neck just couldn't take it!

Today, I left San Diego later than expected and found there was no time to visit Mojave National Preserve. Oh, well...there will always be other road trips! I'm in Las Vegas this evening, then a short two hour drive to Tuacahn Amphitheatre in Ivins, UT tomorrow. I've never seen John perform outdoors before, so this will be a new experience for me. It's a bit sad that the tour is finally coming to an end, but it's been fun. I'll cherish the final show tomorrow night and look forward to saying goodbye to John and the band.

Sing along with John at the HOB

It was my first really warm day since starting my road trip a week ago. Warm enough to run the air conditioner in my groupie mobile! Like I planned last night, before leaving Los Angeles, I had an early lunch at Pink's. That chili dog really hit the spot. Nothing tastes better than something you really, really wanted!

When I arrived in San Diego, it was too early to check into my hotel, so I walked down to the House of Blues...the site of tonight's Five For Fighting concert. Since I wanted Pass The Line privileges to get into the show...you buy a meal and get to enter ahead of the general public...I had an early dinner there. About halfway through my hot turkey sandwich, a couple of the Five For Fighting crew guys walked by. Ah, the bus must have arrived. When I finished eating, I walked outside and sure enough, they were in the process of unloading the trailer. Hoping my room was ready, I walked back to the hotel...it was!

After freshening up, I returned to the HOB and found out from the security guy where Pass The Line folks should stand. I then took up my position at the front of the imaginary line, since there was absolutely no one there at 4:45 pm. Opening act Matt Wertz's van and trailer were being unloaded, which didn't take very long...both are pretty small compared to the Five For Fighting set up. Then, Matt came walking out of the building toward me. I said "Hello" and told him it was my 4th show...he was impressed! I complimented him on his music and wished him luck on his career...this was his last show with Five For Fighting. Matt was appreciative and thanked me...such a nice guy! Later, his drummer Josh Robinson came outside and I greeted him, too...he remembered me from Portland.

As I continued to wait, Five For Fighting bass player Joe Karns came out of the restaurant. I told him "Show number 4!," which enthused him! At around 6:00 pm, a van pulled up and out stepped Greg Suran and John Ondrasik. They were coming from a special acoustic performance put on by Sophie @103.7 in San Diego. I said "Hi" to John and told him "I'll see you up in front of the stage!" In response, John gave me the thumbs up! Soon, I could hear the sweet sounds of the Five For Fighting soundchecks through the closed music hall doors. Afterwards, drummer Randy Cooke exited the building, and I called out to him. I asked Randy if he would sign something for me...he was cool about that. At that point, I whipped out a signature Randy Cooke drumstick out of my plastic bag, and Randy started laughing. I told him that he never offered me a drumstick so I just got my own. I asked Randy if he would personalize the stick for me, which he was glad to do. He thanked me again for making the cookies for everyone...I was happy to do it! After Randy left, I was surprised when John popped out of the same door. Before he walked down the street, he told me, "See you later!," to which I replied, "OK." How lame could I be? But, I couldn't think of anything witty to say, considering I was caught unawares and John wasn't stopping.

At around 6:15, people started to finally start lining up for the show, including a few others in the Pass The Line queue. One gal said I looked familiar. Turns out we stood next to each other at the 4th & B show back in 2007! It's amazing how I run into the same people at Five For Fighting shows, but then John has a considerable loyal fan base! When doors opened at 7:00, I was first inside, and got my primo spot at the stage. I was joined by the gal who knew me and her husband and friend, and a couple of Five For Fighting newbies. Like all folks who have never seen a Five For Fighting show, I told the newbies they were going to love John performing live. When Matt and his band started things off, I must say I enjoyed hearing him one last time. Tonight was his final show with John, and he didn't disappoint...great stuff!

As John took the stage, right off the bat it was obvious things were going to be different from the previous 3 shows I had already gone to. For one thing...everyone was singing! World, Chances, The Riddle...the sound of the audience singing in unison with John was truly amazing! John loved it! Nothing is sweeter to a songwriter than knowing that people not only love your music, but take the time to learn the lyrics. John's set for the night was short one song from what I'd been hearing...he didn't sing Bella's Birthday Cake!

World
Chances
The Riddle
Devil In The Wishing Well
65 Mustang
Easy Tonight
NYC Weather Report
Superman
Two Frogs
Freedom Never Cries (solo)
If God Made You (solo)
Augie Nieto (Greg on guitar)
Slice
100 Years

Encore: Disneyland, I Just Love You, Hope

Also missing...John didn't grab a child in the audience to sit with him for Superman because there WERE no children. It was a 21 and older show. And, there was one minor glitch...a malfunction prevented Greg from accompanying John on guitar for Hope. John, ever the professional, went on and finished the song without any music. It was awesome to hear John sing aca pella with no music...he's SO good! After the show, people lined up to get autographs and photos with John and the band. I had something cool to show John, so I let everyone go ahead of me. I was pretty much last when I got to the band table. When Randy saw me, he started laughing. He turned to Greg and told him about the drumstick and joked next time I would bring a snare drum for him to sign! That Randy! Always the funny guy! I told Greg if I had known that he had a turntable on the bus...John tweeted about it...I would have let him borrow some of my vinyl. Finally, when I got to John, I pulled out a vintage Five For Fighting hockey jersey, put out my Sony Music, Canada. It was red and white with white maple leaf on the front with the words "Five For Fighting" inside of it. On the back, it said "Superman" and "5 For Fighting." Randy was impressed with the jersey, and John said it was REALLY old. John signed the back for me, and before leaving, I said I would see him at Tuacahn...the venue of the last Five For Fighting show of the tour.

So, tomorrow I have a free day, which I'll spend doing a bit of sightseeing before spending the night in Las Vegas. No, I don't plan on doing any gambling. I have more constructive ways to utilize my hard-earned dough...going on Five For Fighting groupie road trips!

Welcome home, John!

My first order of this fine day...getting my groupie mobile washed. It had picked up a thin film from the dirty rain-soaked roads of Washington and Oregon. With luck, I won't have to get another wash from now till the end of my road trip!

Before heading over to the Five For Fighting show at The Wiltern in the afternoon, I thought I would grab a bite to eat at Pink's Hot Dogs. I was dying for one of their chili dogs! But, my GPS chose the wrong moment to let me down once again. By the time I realized I was heading south on La Brea Blvd instead of north, it was getting late in the afternoon. Traffic was already murder and I wanted to get to the venue early to be first in line. So, I abandoned my quest for chili dog and headed to The Wiltern. McDonald's was conveniently nearby, so I almost reluctantly got something to eat there.

Afterwards, I walked over to the theater and found there was no one in line yet. Feeling the cover shirt I had was inadequate for the slight chill of the shade, I went back to my Blazer to get something a little warmer. But, by the time I returned to start my vigil...there was someone waiting there! Hmm...I was no longer first in line, but it was no big tragedy. To a Five For Fighting fanatic like me, second in line was almost as good as first...if you know what to do with it. I started talking to the gal who was waiting. Her name was Alma, and she had walked over to The Wiltern from work nearby. It was Alma's first Five For Fighting concert, and I told her she was going to enjoy it a lot! She was waiting for the arrival of her husband and a couple of friends. I was also awaiting my friends Lynne and Dave...I had attended John's Largo show last November with the two of them. As the hour grew late, and doors opening was fast approaching, our respective companions finally arrived.

When we entered the theater, my friends and I were in total agreement as to where we would watch the show. Alma and her companions chose the seats, whereas we elected to be right at the stage in the standing only orchestra section. As the section slowly filled up, a guy walked up to us and boldly introduced himself...a Devon something. He wasted no time crowing about opening act Matt Wertz, and basically dissing Five For Fighting. Claimed that Matt was a true singer-songwriter and John was "corporate." Excuse me? Turns out this Devon jerk was not only promoting himself...I think he said he would be touring with Matt...he had never even HEARD Five For Fighting's music! Kind of hard to pass judgment when you don't know what you're talking about. At least I could say that I had listened to Matt...having gone to two previous shows already...but, I just wasn't into his stuff. Needless to say, I had no further interest in listening to the clueless idiot. He has a lot to learn about respect and paying your dues.

After politely listening to Matt's set, there was a brief intermission as the crew set up the stage for Five For Fighting. While I waited, I got into a lot more pleasant conversation with a couple of fellow Five For Fighting fans. That's part of the experience of going to these shows...meeting other nice people who are also admirers of John and his music. I ended up giving out a few of my fan site business cards...hey, the more folks who know about my site, the better! Then, what we were all waiting for...John and the band took the stage. The set list was the same as the Portland show (see Right place, right time...and a little luck blog). As in previous shows, after John finished singing NYC Weather Report, he looked for a child to join him on stage for his next song. Since John was at his home base of Los Angeles, it was no surprise his family was there...wife Carla, his kids Johnny and Olivia, and his parents. And, it was only fitting that John selected one of his own kids to grace the stage...in this case, his son Johnny. It was such a touching moment!

When the show was over, John and the band stationed themselves in the lobby for autographs and photos. I made myself useful by taking pics of my friends, and likewise, Lynne took photos of me with the band and with John. Before parting ways, I thanked John for the pic and told him that I would see him in San Diego tomorrow. John replied, "Manana...have a safe drive!" In case you don't know the Spanish, manana means tomorrow. And, so, I'll be heading south for the 4th show of my 6 show groupie road trip. Since, I'm still wanting that Pink's chili dog, I'm going to make a quick stop there before heading out of town. It opens at 9:30 am! Ahh...the perfect road trip breakfast!