Roadside Toolboxes & Sake Detours – Pre-Tour
Yesterday’s tour kickoff took me from Seattle to Olympia to swap out the last strut on my Burning Man van at the home of my drummer and mechanic, Jake from Now or Ever.
On the country road to Jake’s place, I watched a toolbox tumble out of the back of a truck that wasn’t secured properly. I tried to flag the driver down, but they didn’t notice—so I turned around, moved it off the road, and rescued it from becoming an accident hazard. Inside? A full set of useful tools, many of which will come in handy for my handyman work.
With the van fixed, I hit the road for Sutherlin, OR—a good halfway point before tonight’s gig in Medford at Rockafairy with It & I and Arthur Buezo. Along the way, I stopped at a rest area where a man in his 60s was playing live music for travelers headed to and from the bathrooms. Guess this trip is going to start and end with music.
After checking into a Motel 6 (not the best night’s sleep), I decided to use the downtime to practice—and wound up writing a brand new song. No title or lyrics yet, but I’ve got five distinct parts recorded into my Boss RC-600 Loop Station. I’ll keep shaping it during the tour whenever I get free moments.
This morning’s bright spot: being just 10 minutes from one of my favorite hidden gems in Oregon—The Wine Society in Oakland. The owner is a true connoisseur of fine spirits, especially sake, with rare bottles sourced from his visits to Japanese distilleries. Oakland is a quiet, unassuming town, but if you ever pass through, check their hours and stop in. You won’t regret it.
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.
