Sort of in a fog during the weeks after Dad passed, we were in OKC for the end of the basketball season.
There were a series of home games, and we had the chance to see them (a welcome distraction) and spend some time with family. At some point, Chet asked if we were staying for the playoffs…I told him we had some other commitments up thru the finals, but we intended to be back for that! In fact, I had already booked a spot in OKC!!! I suggested he had some work to do, but we were confident we would see him in June!!! He promised to do his best!
Obviously, that plan, seemingly optimistic at the time, has turned out as hoped/expected!!!
We needed to head towards Ft. Walton Beach, Florida, where we had tickets for a three-day music festival. This festival featured one of our favorite Bands – Tedeschi Trucks Band (TTB) – and others included Bonnie Raitt and Los Lobos. A blockbuster lineup, to be sure!!! And a perfect example of Social Media “marketing,” which I think has moved beyond targeted messages to folks in the right demographic who might be interested. This is a case where Social media literally CREATED a customer out of whole cloth…we no longer have any free will!!! Lemme ‘splain…
In about February or so, I started seeing ads for this festival on my various feeds. I ASSUME these came to the fore because one of my Pandora stations includes TTB. So, my interests and likes ARE being mined for commercial benefit…not really a surprise. The first time I saw an ad, my immediate thought was,” Geez…that would be a GR8 Festival…too bad we have Doc Appts in Chicago…” The ads kept coming. One evening, I posited: “I could reschedule our Doc appts…” And we did, and we went, and we enjoyed! So, Social Media would NOT TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER!!! Basically, that ads kept coming until I realized I had no choice in the matter! RESISTANCE IS FUTILE!
Getting TO the festival from OKC , we had the chance to stop and see a bunch of folks while transiting Tennessee and Georgia. First we had some “Bidnez” to attend to. Time to renew License Plates for the car. Which requires an EMISSION TEST. Which requires visiting a testing station…In Illinois!! We decided this could be done in Southern Illinois, more or less on the way between OKC and Memphis. Easy, Peasy. NOT!
Pulled into the test station. FAILED the test. What? The Clerk explained: The engine computer is queried by the test equipment, and can lose its stored data if it has a power interruption. Maybe we have a bad battery, she posited. SUCH AS WHEN WE DISCONNECT SEVERAL FUSES, every time we tow the car, which is basically every day!! I asked the agent how long we needed to NOT disconnect. She said that it varies…about a week, she said. No waivers possible. So, unfulfilled (from an emissions point of view), we decided to try again after we were in Chicago, seeing Docs and driving the car for almost 2 weeks. Next stop, Memphis!!!
In Memphis, we managed a musical afternoon at BB Kings club on Beale Street and a FINE dinner with former Magnolia neighbor Brian Walsh.
Also a food truck festival on the riverfront, where one truck offered a deeply Southern Delicacy…you cannot make this sh*t up!!!! Love Memphis, for all those reasons AND excellent BBQ!!! Memphis is one of our favorite stopping points almost anytime we transit east/west OR north/south.
Memphis might even be the place we settle, when we stop running from the law!!!
Next stop, near Nashville, to visit Kathy and Steve Enfinger, road buddies (fellow fugitives?) on our escape to/thru Alaska a few years back.
Steve had just had back surgery (I mean JUST), so our time there was spent yacking (always enjoyable), eating and walking with Steve to and from the end of the driveway as part of his rehab.
We did also manage a visit to a local Distillery, where we procured some delightful Bourbon, Kentucky Whiskey and a locally produced Gin. ”Kentucky” refers to a style, not a location.
Next, we stopped to see the McKeehans in Athens, Tn. (not far from Chattanooga). Peggy and Charlie were two of the brave souls that accepted our invitation and came to the Blue Bird rally we held in Chicago in 2024. And, even after spending quality time with us, they STILL mentioned that we should stop by and see them!
Liz always warns people when they offer such foolishness: “DON’T SAY THAT TO DAN, CUZ HE WILL!!!” Anyway, I assume if an offer is made , and especially if made BY A BLUE BIRD OWNER, there would be no shock when Good Trouble appears in their driveway!!!
While with the McKeehans, we watched (with them) multiple Thunder Playoff Games. From fairly reserved to start, they became rabid fans…
…so much so that Charlie continued the “Good Luck Ice Cream” tradition well after we had moved on. Either that or it became a good excuse for Charlie to eat more ice cream than might be healthy.
Our next stop on the way to TTB Festival was in Elijay, Ga., where Sydney and Vic Willis now live. Sydney used to work with me back in another lifetime; we’ve seen each other on a couple of swings thru Florida, and keep in touch online. Out of the blue, Sydney wrote, mentioned they had moved to Elijay, and hoped we would stop sometime. (Once again, Liz rolled her eyes). Little did Sydney realize that our path took us within 50 miles of their house, with a couple extra days on the schedule!!! And, we watched a couple more B-Ball playoff games.
Finally, we stopped in Atlanta for Liz’s brother’s 60th B-Day. An awesome time with Fambly, eating, drinking and being fairkly merry!!! David and Stephanie had arranged for us to park the bus in the lot at their Kid’s swim club, which was not yet open for the year…very quiet and an easy walk to party central!
We also delivered a Chet-signed B-Ball for Nephew Eddie…a very special ball, stolen from Chet’s backyard. I mean, ANYONE (well, anyone with a checkbook) can have a signed ball, but one lying on the ground under the hoop in Chet’s driveway? PRICELESS. So the other nephews didn’t feel left out, we also grabbed a couple of shirts left over from one of Chet’s B-Ball camps. We made an outline of Chet’s shoe on the back, and Chet graciously signed therein. Also a pretty unique item!!
As for the festival, we booked an RV spot in a park immediately adjacent to the grounds. I also coerced a couple college buddies into coming – they rented a condo ON the grounds. They arrived on two different flites a few hours apart, so the first wave stopped at “Florida’s Best Dive Bar” for Oysters while awaiting the next flite.
And we spent three days reminiscing, enjoying a few good meals, swimming in the gulf, Artisan Agave Spirits (AKA Mezcal) we had acquired in Texas and some FABULOUS entertainment.
The festival had a very unique way of accommodating attendees…The grounds were divided by ropes into “Coves.” These are like box seats…an area reserved for you for the duration of the festival. Chairs provided. NO jockeying for position, dropping blankets to prevent encroachment, etc.
You could even use an app to order food and drink to be delivered directly to the Cove…at the same price as offered if you wait in line at the concession stands.
All of this created a VERY PLEASANT fan experience.
And the MUSIC DID NOT DISAPPOINT!!!
There were a lot of Festival-adjacent activities. For example, an establishment that featured Axe Throwing and Ice Cream…you cannot make this sh*t up.
A bit of BBQ and Adult Beverages by the Bus. Mickey Mouse Waffles for Brekkie each day.
We also had our first incident of severely inclement weather…a persistent issue this spring, as you’ll learn in this and the next post…
There was a VERY strong line of storms that raced across the Panhandle of Florida, and as a result of this storm, and lots of associated lightning, coupled with an absolute curfew of 10PM imposed by the community, the final day’s program was cancelled. I was very pleased that the organizer refunded a substantial amt of money due to the weather…that was a pleasant, and very ethical surprise!! They offered the chance to roll that refund into tickets for next year – and we are very seriously considering reprising the festival, but we don’t plan that far ahead. We took the Money and Ran!
After The Music Festival, we needed to make our way back to Chicago for the Doc Appointments that we had rescheduled to accommodate the festival.
Before this was a brief bit in the Twin Cities to empty dad’s apartment and distribute or dispose of his few possessions. It was a collective effort…for example my niece made contact with the Disabled American Veterans to donate his powerchair, while I listed a variety of things on FB Marketplace. Chet asked a few of his high school buddies to help us with a rental truck and furniture distribution. A few pieces of art were allocated (we grabbed on pic of Dad and Don Quijote painted by niece Alexandra).
Once that was done, we headed to Chicago, where we planned visits to all our favorite restaurants, sometimes just ourselves and sometimes with friends and relatives we miss when we are “away.” In Chicago, we had dinner with our former Magnolia neighbors, watched a Playoff Game with Liz’s brother, John.
Along the way, we stopped at a Walmart for provisions (and an overnight). There I discovered a FANTASTIC SALE PRICE .
On what, I have absolutely NO IDEA.
In Chicago, where we had pretty much back-to-back Doc Appointments, Liz had her FIRST “Medicare Wellness” Visit. What a treat! She especially loved answering this question:
“Do you need to hold on to furniture to steady yourself as you walk around your house”
Liz’s answer: “Yes, of course I do. After all our House goes 60mph and have you SEEN the condition of the roads?”
The Docs just don’t understand our lifestyle AT ALL!!! But they are starting to understand the logistics of it. For example, my cardiologist decided I needed a test and a visit with yet ANOTHER Cardiologist. Who knew that the Species “Cardiologist” has THREE Subspecies, all of whom apparently need to make boat payments. I have seen two of the types to date, as my cardio described: The Electrician and the Plumber. The third one is the “Structural Engineer.”
In deference to our lifestyle, they were able to organize ONE visit for both an Echo and Consult on a date that we could swing back thru Chicago. As of this writing, that visit is still pending…
Leaving Chicago, we had a BIG TIME appointment with destiny in OKC. Chet had delivered on my request to advance through three rounds of the NBA playoffs to the Finals!!!! So, we needed to drive like H*ll to get there for game 1!!!! Driving like h*ll for us means 4 hours a day for 3 days! The Next Post highlights the whole experience, plus some more!!!
