Prince Rupert, A Warm Welcome

I'm on my own to check out of Kim and Doug's place in Terrace, BC. It's still pretty cold out, and the Lincoln is looking pretty ratty today. I visit the local cafe, do coffee, muffins, internet, lunch. Then I'm off to gas up, get an extra large coffee and hit the highway. It's a pretty short run from here to Prince Rupert, and the weather is good. I've done this run before, and it is a pretty nice drive.

A little sprawl on the town edges, and then...

Over the hump with these mountains, and suddenly the snow is gone. The temperature is all at once much warmer. Nice!

Rolling into Prince Rupert is like rolling into spring. The temperature is plus 10 or better today. No snow! No cold! No gloves! I like this.

I can't resist introducing this White Angel to her evil twin!

I stroll the downtown, visit the thrift shops, and take in the City Hall district.

The Haida influence is strong here... I finish my stroll and I head up to the address of tonight's concert to meet Anna, who is to be my host for the evening. The house is a 1930's structure, nicely renovated, with a splendid performance space inside. I am treated to some venison stew and then help Anna move furniture in preparation for the evening's show.

Local CBC radio arrives to cover the show. The roving reporter interviews Anna and I about house concerts– why she hosts them, why I play them– and records part of the evening.

It's a pretty nice crowd that turns out for tonight's show– including several people who had seen me play the Tom Rooney Theatre last year. There's a cool dude with a National Steel Tour jacket. We have fun. This is good!

Of course I raffle off a Tour Jacket! The camera acts up, but I keep snapping with it (and at it) until I have recorded the lucky winner! Wow! Cool!

Before I know it the night is over. I'm encored. There are handshakes and hugs, and the place is empty again. I have a glass of wine, some cookies. I do the Tour Books. I'll pack my gear down in the morning. This was the last Home Routes show on my schedule, and they've all been quite successful and fun.

In the morning, I'll be off to Haida Gwaii. I've done— what– maybe 80 shows to get here, to Prince Rupert with a reservation for the ship. The rain drums on the roof and walls of the house as I drift off to sleep. I hope the ocean is calm tomorrow. I'm still heading west. I feel like my adventure is just beginning, or maybe my adventure simply feels renewed.

Doctor in the House, Terrace, BC

Days like this make it all worth while. I sleep in a bit this morning, get up, pack gear, have coffee and conversation with Beth. I can still talk this morning, maybe a bit better than yesterday. So things are looking up. This part of British Columbia is particularly beautiful.

Two-tone Lincoln. She's a road warrior, with her air shocks frozen in the down position she's more of a low rider, a California car. California. Huh. Haven't thought of California in a while. I'm not California dreaming today. I like it here way too much. But it might be nice to blast out of this ice. I bet I could make 29 Palms in... what, three days? The West is West. Just a fleeting thought. I'm still driving west on this blue highway, and this is a great highway, I've been on this road before.

It's dry. A smooth ride on a near private highway. The miles go by easily. Before I know it I'm in Terrace, BC, and rolling up to tonight's stop. I'm met by a big, friendly dog as I let myself in and work at setting up. My hosts, Doug and Kim, arrive shortly, and we settle into chatting and set up for the concert. I've got a young helper– Solai shows me around the place.

Showtime! I've got a big cup of hot honey water, NeoCiteron, and Halls. It seems to help, but I'm pretty sure it's going to be alright. The first set goes by all too quickly! The voice is working, and I've got a really good crowd here tonight!

Here's the Tour jacket winner!! Remember her? Lucy! From Prince George! She didn't win the jacket at her own Home Routes concert, so she came to Terrace and tried again! Congrats, Lucy! Too cool.

The show ends on an encore. I'm a little rough in the voice, but this crowd won't leave– so I croak out one more. Doug and Kim and I have a pleasant time relaxing post show. I eat too many treats, enjoy some home made beer, and then it's time to shut down. Everyone but me will be up and away before the winter sun comes up. Thanks, folks, this was a very, very nice evening.

Jumpin' Time in New Hazelton, BC

Smithers at Last

My cold is no better this morning. I take more vitamin C. I can't stop sneezing. Damn! A head cold. I wonder how brutal this is going to be. Remedies. Kleenex. Sneezing. Fluids. Vitamin C... Keep at it. I sing a few bars. OK, good. Can sing. Eyes are a little puffy. I've got NeoCiteron in my pack, and I'll drink it before the show tonight. I wish I could stop sneezing!

A quick stop at a roadside auto glass, and the Lincoln's windshield looks a little better. Fifty bucks to repair two evil looking chips. I was afraid they were going to spread quickly to total the windshield altogether. There are auto glass places all up and down this highway. The sand/gravel compound they pour on the roads gets picked up and tossed by the big trucks. Heck, it gets tossed by the small vehicles, too. Whenever somebody passes, this stuff comes up and heads straight for the glass. Outside of driving crazy fast, what can you do?

It's a pretty nice drive. I like it! Clean, dry road– and I've got clean, dry windows today!

Dropped my camera coming into George and Norma's place... OK, now it works again! Except for my sneezing and sniffing, I feel pretty good. George and I talk like old friends. Sure is nice to meet people that feel so much like friends so quickly. I've been trying to land a show up in these parts for quite some time now. It is a busy little area, with a bunch of festivals, coffeehouses, concerts, plenty of great musicians... So I'm very glad to be here. George and Norma have been connected to all of this stuff since way back, so I've come to the right place!

It's a lovely room. I set up early, and go to my quarters for a short nap before dinner. George is a good cook, and we've got a fine feel before us soon enough. Norma and I are sampling some home made wine. I'll take the "red sorta stuff" and finish it during the show! My sneezing has slowed down, and I'm feeling a little better. Maybe the NeoCiteron is working!

There's a lot of stuff going on in town tonight– concerts and Christmas events– so I'm told my crowd is a little smaller than hoped for. Nevertheless, it's a pretty good size group for the room– probably about 30– and they are all pretty nice. We kick off, and I am feeling good.

Leading into "Bone Train" there is suddenly a note I can't make at all! It's just like the vocal chord collapsed or something! I'm not used to this at all! I don't get sick, and my voice usually destructs slowly over time– not all at once. I manage to fake my way through the song, but I'm a little distracted. What next? How am I going to pull this off? Gently! Manage that voice! Pitch everything lower!

The first set ends reasonably well. I sound a lot like Tom Waits in his roughest vocal period, but I'm working with what I've got, and the songs are mostly working out pretty well.

Hey!! Congrats!! You are stylin' in your new, genuine white stripe tour jacket!!! The second show is getting tougher to sing, and I'm pushing hard towards the end. I normally enjoy playing an encore, but tonight I'm secretly hoping that there won't be one!! There is! Well, gosh, I guess that means the show was probably successful in spite of my "new" voice. Of course, I still have to play the encore! I do– and this crowd is hopeful of yet another! Hey, thanks, "I'm spent," I whisper to them. "Thanks so much! See you next time!"

A long time fan came out to the show tonight and brought me this old Tour poster! Can you guess who these guys are, or which of them played the show tonight?! The poster advertised a show, circa 1971, at the Yellow Door Coffeehouse in Montreal. A three night engagement for Linden and MacLean. Wow! Thanks for the memories, Max!!

Talking Houston, BC

On the road again. It's a short haul today into Houston. I've had a morning of internet catch up, and now it's back to the Lincoln, coffee, tunes, the open road. I'm short on time today, so I'll be back to flesh out this day's adventures when I'm able.

I'm met by Sparky the Dog, have a pleasant dinner with my hosts. It's 7:20 and the place is still empty. Just as I'm thinking, yup, just me and the dog, the place fills up! Rural folks tend to arrive right on time, and these ones are fairly prompt. Thank goodness! In a few minutes all the comfy chairs are filled, and we are getting ready to go!

I've started to get a little sniffly these past couple of hours. I duck upstairs and blow my nose before the show, tuck a Halls into my cheek, and I'm good for the night. It's a little worrisome, I sure don't need a cold. The show is really fun. When I'm done this crowd won't leave, so I have to play a couple more. I tease them that it's the quietest encore I've ever had!

Lucky Tour jacket winner!!

A simple but effective space. With the lights out, a few candles spread around, and some comfortable chairs and couches, this becomes as nice a concert space as you'd find yourself in anywhere.

After the show we hang around, have a beer, chat. Now it's time for the wrapper. My hosts are going to a hockey tournament early in the morning. I'm to sleep in as late as I please. That's good, my nose is now running steadily. I take a several vitamin C caps, and a bunch of herbal remedies, and I'm soon in bed with a kleenex box. This is not good. Being sick on the road is the worst thing! Maybe it will end gracefully without going into my chest or throat?

Vanderhoof, BC

The sun is creeping down by mid-afternoon. Three o'clock dusk here. Pretty though, isn't it? I have an easy drive from Prince George on a mostly dry highway.

Vanderhoof, BC. A mill town. Here's one corner of the room at Jay's place. It's actually a pretty good sized room, and we'll fill it up with people soon enough!

It's a nice crowd, and I enjoy hearing these loggers, millworkers, ranchers, and managers tell me their stories of life on the backroads. Everybody comes from somewhere else, and it's kind of neat to learn how people have made their way here, and carved out places for themselves in this wild and beautiful country.

The concert goes off really well. I'm coming down with a cold, and I'm not feeling my best, but I believe I have delivered one of my best shows of the Tour here tonight. I just enjoy playing to these folks so much! It all comes around I guess. Thanks for a great night. Jay took some pics and I'll post 'em here when I get them!

Thanks, Jay! I appreciate when folks take the time to send me a few snaps. I'm sometimes too busy to take these myself!!

Prince George, BC- A Festive Event!

Ian and I have a lengthy breakfast, after which I head back into town to gas up for the trip to Prince George. It's an overcast day, trying to snow some more. Still cold here, and the roads are a little icy. I could make the trip on what I've got in the tank, but I like to go out full on these mountain roads in case of trouble. I can tell it is not going to be a fast drive today, but it seems pretty good out on the 97 Hwy. I sip my coffee and take in the view. There's some serious construction going on along this highway. They need to build up the infrastructure so that they can move people and equipment in here to flood the Peace Valley. I think those opposed to the dam need to slow this highway improvement up as much as possible. Environmental assessments for every new bridge, every twinning, every new road shoulder. Once that road and it's bridges are expanded it may be difficult to stop the flood.

I'm taking in the glory of this great country, paying attention to the often slick and winding road.

I'm over the continental divide now, and have also slipped over another time line. My journey is now an hour shorter! Nonetheless, I am far enough north that in this season the days are quite short, and these are growing even shorter. It's quite grey in these mountains until the sun clears the peaks in mid morning. By about 3 or 3:30 in the afternoon it begins its descent into afternoon glare, and then hides behind the peaks again.

I make Prince George in good time, and find my way to my venue. It is to be a house concert tonight at Jim and Lucy's place. Their home is decorated brightly to say the least! I make my way in, set up, and have time for a nap and a shower before dinner. Guests are arriving, and there is a pleasant little buzz in the kitchen.

After dinner it is showtime! I've got about 35 guests in the audience– all this room can hold, and they are with me. Nice folks. Fun show!

And, of course, the jacket winner. Odds were pretty good here tonight! Congrats! I was hoping to see some of my friends from the Blues Underground here, but I guess this show was pretty much sold out already. Next time, OK?

After the guests have departed Jim and Lucy and I sit around for a while and have snacks and home made wine. A nice way to wind down a nice day. A quick update of the Tour books, and it is sleepy time.