Burning Man Van Repairs, Roadside Tools, and Sake in Small-Town Oregon

Yesterday, I made the drive from Seattle to Olympia to finish swapping out the last strut on my Burning Man van. I was heading to the home of my drummer and trusted mechanic, Jake from Now or Ever, who graciously hosted me for the repair.

While cruising down a rural road near his property, I watched a metal toolbox tumble out of the back of a truck that hadn’t been secured properly. I tried to flag the driver down, but they didn’t notice—so I turned around, cleared it from the road, and salvaged it. Turns out it was packed with useful tools, many of which will definitely come in handy for my handyman work.

With the van fixed, I hit the road toward Sutherlin, OR—a great halfway point before reaching Medford, where I’m playing tonight at Rockafairy alongside It & I and Arthur Buezo.

At one rest stop along the way, I saw a guy—probably in his late 60s—playing guitar for people heading to and from the restrooms. Felt like a reminder that this trip is starting and ending with music, which feels right.

After checking into a Motel 6 (not the best night of sleep, to be honest), I used my downtime to practice my set and ended up writing a brand new song. No title or lyrics yet, but I’ve got five distinct parts recorded into my Boss RC-600. Now it’s just a matter of fleshing it out when I get little pockets of free time.

The bright spot this morning? I’m only 10 minutes from one of my favorite hidden gems in Oregon: The Secret Wine Society in Oakland. The owner is a true connoisseur—not just of wine and spirits, but especially sake. He’s visited several Japanese distilleries and always has a selection I’ve never seen anywhere else.

Oakland’s a quiet, unassuming town, but if you ever find yourself passing through, I highly recommend checking their hours and stopping in. It’s absolutely worth the detour.