Tour 2011, Days 10-14
Distressingly, the single-level Amtrak cars don't really have a good place to play harp, darnit, so I didn't play on the train from Albany to Chicago. Got off the train, and into the hands of my Sword Brother, Kharmin, and off we went.
First stop was lunch (took an extra half-hour getting out of the restaurant, as all of the waitresses needed to have a look at my nifty shoes). Pulled into Tomah, WI, and had a wonderful time playing for Matt, Sue, and friends. This was lovely.
From Tomah (where, incidently, my *current* train is just pulling into as I write this), we drove up to Hawk's place in Bemidji, WI. Folks said that "peak colors" on the trees were about one-two weeks ago. I can't imagine, as the colorations on this trip have been spectacular.
In Bemidji, I played a concert at the Rail River Folk School, a lovely venue and a wonderful crowd.
We drove Hawk up to Grand Portage, MN (just about ten miles from the Canadian Border), and stayed overnight - I was exceptionally crunchy that evening, a bit better the following morning.
And....they're off! We had written in Kharmin's book that we should be at the Acoustic Cafe in Winona, MN, by 6. Somehow, this got translated in our brains to "Starts at 6". So she drove (and drove, and drove) us down to Winona (about 7 hours), and indeed, we missed the "deadline", and arrived at the Acoustic at about 6:15, feeling awful about being late, only to see the poster I'd sent them on the door: "7pm until they make me stop". Three members of the local Harper's Circle made it to the event, and so we did "Harp Tonic" for a while, showing them what technique bits I have that have manifested themselves in the last few years (how to use the pinkie finger, which is "NOT USED!" to achieve the third or fourth interval at the end of a descending cadence, for example), and sharing stories about how we each got started playing. It was beautiful, and there were a number of coincidences (one of the ladies had lived in Lyndhurst, one of the nearer suburbs to Cleveland Heights, were I grew up) and one of the others has been told she should explore Boulder. Followed this up with a bit of performance, and the Acoustic wants me back next time I'm through (hooray!).
Left my wallet near the piano at the Acoustic, and fretted all night. Slept surprisingly well, under the circumstances. I believe this is because I was staying at the Carriage House Bed & Breakfast, in the Toy Room, and there were lots of Teddy Bears. It truly helped. Called in the morning, and there it was, and all safe and better when we stopped by. Kharmin dropped me at Amtrak, waited with me for the train, held my coffeemug until I got stowed and came back down to fetch it and a hug, and now I'm off again, this time through Chicago (with a couple hours' layover) to Memphis (where I will arrive at OhMyGhodThirty in the morning. Fortunately, my previous experiences let me know just where to go; Bluff City Coffee is usually open by the time we pull in, and the Folk Alliance Office is right across the street. I'll hang out until Folk Alliance opens, then go bug play for Caleb and Anna for a couple of hours.
Edit: now safely ensconced at Caribou, with a bit less than an hour until they close, just about an hour after that I board for Memphis.
I do miss altitude.
Wish me luck.