Home, Sweet Home

The quiet woke me this morning; no voices in the hallway, no pipes gurgling, no fan chugging away in the corner. The room wasn’t dark with thin streaks of light piercing around the edges of room-darkening curtains. I woke in a room bathed in a golden glow of morning sunlight, surrounded by quiet. I smiled and snuggled down in the blankets. I was home.

The last two days of tour passed quickly in spite of the empty hours that had seemed to stretch endlessly between bus rides and concerts – so close and yet so far.

Thursday night the sponsors treated us to a lovely catered meal before the concert, refilling the tables at intermission. The concert was in a lovely old hall filled with columns, detailed woodwork, and a beautifully done ceiling. The stage extension had some mobility issues, but Charles and Karl managed to decrease the amount of movement with gaffer’s tape. Excellent stuff, gaffer’s tape; when the sole of my shoe decided to part ways with the upper during intermission, Sgt. Martins was able to put it back together with a little strategically placed gaffer’s tape – it held through the last concert.

The final concert was played on Halloween; we had an excellent crowd in spite of the holiday. Rich Heffler came to the edge of the stage and was swarmed by most of the clarinet section and those of us that knew him before his retirement. The crew was introduced after intermission; we can’t thank them enough for all they do for us.

Following the concert, we had one last pizza party. It was time to say goodbye to tour, and to pay tribute to Gail on the last night of her last tour. She gave the first of what she said would be the “longest goodbye ever”, since she isn’t leaving for another seven months.

Saturday morning started early; buses departed for D.C. at 0800 for an expected arrival at the Annex around 1230. It was a quiet ride, most people sleeping, finishing movies, or listening to music during the first part of the ride. Once we hit commuting distance from the Annex, people began to stir, making phone calls and packing up the last minute odds and ends around them.

As pulled through the Annex gate, we were greeted by beaming spouses and eager children with signs to welcome home Mommy or Daddy. We unloaded quickly, lines of people moving on and off the bus like ants, anxious to load vehicles and get home. The buses still needed to stop at Bolling everyone would be reunited. Goodbyes and hugs were given swiftly, anxious to get home and enjoy the rest of the weekend before reality and make-jobs set in on Monday morning.

Another Tour complete; it is now the differences will become obvious in comparing it to the old seven and a half week tours. November without a HomeGuard/Tour split – Birthday Balls and funerals shared equally, PTADs never before undertaken, a trip to Singapore for the Colonel and the Principal players. The White House Holiday Season is before us, and the Inaugural season heralds a new administration. The details of the immediate future are unknown, but time will march on with the Marine Band holding firmly to its place in History.

Almost Home

The geography of Tour gets a little hazy for me, even with Andy’s tour map. I stopped looking at it long ago; the single sheet is frayed beyond recognition. On past Tours, Max would whip out his laptop each day, pull up his handy Atlas application and try to figure our routing without the help of the Tour Coordinators’ directions. Michigan morphed into Ohio somewhere along Tuesday’s drive. It cheered everyone to be one state closer to home.

Tuesday’s concert was a run-out from Maumee, Ohio. Long enough for most people to fall asleep as we hummed down the highway, the downshifting on the exit ramp had everyone stirring and reaching for jackets. Looking out the windows, we saw farmland with barns and silos, grain elevators, and livestock. We knew the concert was a gym job, but barring the grain elevators and barns, there didn’t seem to be anything large enough to hold a band concert.

The clouds hung low to the horizon, but a thin strip of brilliant orange glowed just below the clouds. Gradually a town emerged in front of us, with American Four Squares and Victorian homes giving way to an elegant County Court House centered in the Town Square of Bryan, a gem of a town in rural Ohio. Played to a packed gymnasium, the end of the concert was something of a milestone – only one of each program left before we reach home.

The longer drive and run-out gave us a free day in Maumee. Most people spent the day in the work-out room or in the pool, crossing the road to visit the Meijer (stocking up for Friday where we’ve been warned about “slim pickings” for dinner), catching up on phone calls, and taking care of business.

Wednesday’s concert was just down the road in Toledo. It was the last performance of the “C” Program; we say goodbye to Festive Overture, the horn concerto, Variants on a Medieval Tune, and The Perfect Fool. Michelle and I are happy to be done with “the note”.

Traditionally, towards the end of Tour, the MasterGunny’s take the crew out for a nice dinner on a Sunday evening. The shorter Tour and the scheduling of the Pizza Parties created a conflict, so the Crew Party was held after the concert Wednesday night. We gathered in the lobby once they returned from the concert site and chatted over pizza and ice cream cake. The evening ended with Charles and Sgt. Madachik in a little contest to see who could keep their full arm submerged in the tub of icy water used to chill the beverages.

People were pretty anxious to move on from Maumee – we had pretty much run out of things to do in the area. The drive to Youngstown was quiet, most people dozing or listening to their iPods. The sunshine was warm through the windows, but patches of snow caught our eye as we took the exit for Youngstown.

The Last Page

We’re on the last page of the itinerary now; well, next to last, but only because the day with the drive home didn’t quite fit. People are counting the “lasts” – last Sunday, last Monday. We haven’t made it to the “last” of any particular program yet, but it won’t be long now. I’m not sure when the last TAD happens, but I think Joe, Michelle, Betsy, and Ivy will win the “last TAD” award for their appearance at Baldwin-Wallace College on Friday.

For most people, “lasts” are about getting home. For Gail, she is counting the “lasts” of her career. Even though she won’t retire until June, this is the last tour of her career with the Band. Each night has been increasingly difficult for her – the audiences here in Michigan have been more responsive to the patriotic tunes, and she is near tears when they stand for God Bless America. She has already asked the rest of the flute section to play a little louder on Stars and Stripes her last night because she isn’t sure she’ll be able to play. It certainly won’t be the last time she plays Stars and Stripes, but there’s a heightened level of emotion on Tour not present at regular concerts.

For our final night off, in Muskegon, we were treated to an outrageous thunder storm and lightning show, with rain, sleet, and wind gusts that had trees bending over. It made the decision to stay in for the evening a no-brainer. I had hoped for an early night, but the slush filled parking lots of the shopping center behind the hotel became the drag strip for trucks and cars, revving their engines beneath my window around midnight. This went on for quite some time; it was after 1:45 before quiet reigned outside my window. For a while I gave up and leaned on the window sill to watch, half hoping to see a little demolition derby action. The late night and lack of sleep had me turning of the alarm; sleep was needed more than a walk.

The high winds continued to departure; the skies alternated between ominous clouds and brilliant flashes of sunlight. The skies were bright as we arrived in East Lansing, so I dropped my luggage in the room and left to explore the surrounding neighborhood. After walking awhile, I ducked into CVS to pick up a few small items. No more than fifteen minutes later I walked out the door to find myself standing under dark skies, a mix of rain and hail falling on my head. I trotted back to the hotel to drop off my purchases and meet Michelle for dinner. By the time we left the hotel, the sun was shining and fine, misty rain fell.

The concert was at the Wharton Center for Performing Arts on the MSU campus. Large and spacious, it was a treat to play the B program in a nice hall, and the program change to substitute La Fiesta was a refreshing change of pace.

The winter-like temperatures have me wondering if it was a good idea to leave the winter coat at home. Fortunately, I have plenty of layers to wear under the raincoat, and walking keeps me warm.

The First Last

On past tours, I was sometimes frustrated by two or three night stays in one location; too many and they made me feel as though we weren’t making progress toward home. Our three night stay in Ann Arbor was quite welcome, though (even with less than stellar internet access). Tour is tour while you’re on it, regardless of length…the day-to-day aspects are tiring, and I suspect it won’t really feel shorter until we’re home.

Thursday was a run-out day – no boarding the bus until mid-afternoon. Our 60+ mile “run-out” was in Clinton Township, somewhere near Detroit. Chris and I prepared for the long drive by using our morning walk to go to a Trader Joe’s nearly three and a half miles from the hotel. The return drives from long run-outs usually involve food; the long trip and the calories expended during the concert make everyone noshy; Trader Joe’s carries a wide variety of somewhat healthy, out of the ordinary snacks. Everyone brings something to share.

With a day off in sight, the Band cheerfully suited up to give the audience a great show. Even when we’re tired, the merry anticipation of the audience will keep us going. Clinton Township was no different.

Friday stretched before me, free hours to fill as I wished. Michelle, Leslye, and Chris rented a car to drive to Interlochen for the day; we wouldn’t see them until the next hotel in Gaylord. (If Michelle or Leslye sends me an account of her time in Interlochen, I’ll post it – my first Guest Blogger!) My plan for the day was to find a way into downtown Ann Arbor to putter around, my ultimate goal being a specialty yarn store on Main Street.

As luck would have it, I found a ride from Matt, who was taking Kristin to the north campus. He dropped me off near Hill Auditorium, giving me brief instructions on how to make my way back by bus. It was too early for most stores to be open, but I found the Borders and wandered through the books happily for a little while before deciding to walk to Main Street.

Ann Arbor is full of eclectic shops and a multitude of galleries. I browsed through several glass galleries, thinking of Jamey and his love of art glass. I fell in love with an Arts and Crafts mantel clock that I had absolutely no place to put and therefore no reason to buy, thus saving myself a hefty hunk of change. I found another woman peering in the window at the yarn store – we were both disappointed to find it wouldn’t open until noon. I strolled up and down Main Street, wandering in and out of shops before parking myself in Starbucks (sorry Jenna!) to read and have a skinny chai latte.

I spent a very pleasant 90 minutes or so in the yarn store, exploring the sock yarns and needlework kits. I chatted with the woman at the counter as she unpacked a shipment of books, explaining some of the finer points of certain crochet books (she was a non-crocheting knitter). A couple pattern books and several skeins of yarn later, I left to find a late lunch. It was starting to drizzle, so I ate quickly and headed for the bus stop.

Matt’s instructions were somewhat incomplete, so after some trial and error I found myself on the right bus going back to the hotel. The walk back from the bus stop was cold and wet – the drizzle had become a steady rain. My pants and socks were thoroughly soaked; I would need to warm up and dry out before venturing out again.

The weather turned steadily worse, and the darkening gloom kept me indoors the rest of the day. The internet had ceased to function after the Clinton Township Concert, so little (okay, nothing) could be done on line. I finished one book and moved on to the next, making dinner in the room. I spent some time consolidating and repacking – replacing warm weather clothing with sweaters from the bus.

We said goodbye to Ann Arbor as we drove “up north” to Gaylord. The skies remained a persistent gray as the wind picked up and the temperatures dropped. Gaylord is one of the new opportunities with the shorter tour – we have fewer states to cover, so we have the time to travel into parts of the state never before reached by the Band.

The concert was a gym job in an unusual configuration. The eager sponsor welcomed us with fresh fruit and nibbles for intermission, and plenty of water to go around. I think the Band was as curious about the audience as the audience was about the band.

One of the biggest differences for me this tour is my music reading glasses – I don’t need regular reading glasses, but my glasses are for distance vision and don’t work for the short distance to the music stand. While I no longer have to worry about misreading accidentals, I can no longer clearly see the faces of the audience. I miss being able to see the smiles and nudges in the audience, or the pride on the faces of the veterans when their song is played.

In Gaylord, though, the audience was set up quiet close to the Band, with the patrons in wheel chairs in the first row. There was no mistaking the pride in the face and body language of the wheel chair bound Coast Guard Veteran who struggled to his feet with the help of his wife during the Coast Guard song – he barely made it upright before having to lower himself once again, while I blinked tears from my eyes. An elderly gentleman helped his wife from her wheel chair, untangling her oxygen lines, as they stood for the Marines’ Hymn. During God Bless America, I all but lost it as the audience rose to their feet to sing along; strangely, on this tour, the audience has stayed seated, with maybe one or two patrons singing softly. Most seemed content to sit back and enjoy the encore, listening to Sara. Ann Arbor was the only other audience to fully stand for God Bless America, singing loud enough for us to hear. Somehow, though, out here in Gaylord, a place we’d never yet performed, it meant more to see the audience come to their feet and sing with all their heart. It made every mile of the long, cold, drive worth it.

Our concert in Gaylord was our first “last” – last Saturday night concert. Today was our last Sunday matinee, in Muskegon. The hall was a beautiful old theater, home of the West Shore Symphony Orchestra, where Dave once played in his youth. Looking around the hall from the stage, I saw beautiful medallions and wonderful gilded paint work. Michelle pointed up to the blue-lit dome painted like the night sky and said, “It’s like Hogwarts!” The audience filled the hall to the top balcony, smiling and eager in their anticipation of the concert. With God Bless America ringing in our ears, we packed the trunks and loaded the buses for some rest and rejuvenation before facing the last five (and a half) days of Tour.

For more Band news, read here, here, and here.

Pride of the Wolverines

Played to yet another packed house, Tuesday’s concert in Kalamazoo was Program C, the seventh shot at “the note” for Michelle and I. We were rejoicing in the venue – it is so much easier to tune “the note” in a real hall. I love Gym Jobs, but when the piccolo and Eb are left hanging out to dry for nine high, slow, pianissimo measures, give me a real hall every time.

Special guests awaited us backstage. 14 year old Taylor Bratton, a young girl with many health conditions, was waiting anxiously to meet members of the Band. She spends many hours volunteering with wounded soldiers and is often in Washington, D.C. for her own medical treatment. An honorary Gunnery Sergeant, she has always wanted to hear the Band, but her treatment schedule has, until now, made it impossible.

In addition to her mother and brother, Taylor was accompanied by Corporal Dean Cugliotta, a Marine wounded in Iraq. Having separated from the Marine Corps, Cpl. Cugliotta is studying to become a nurse; unable to continue on active duty, he is choosing to serve in another capacity, caring for others like himself.

With the cold here to stay, not many were up and about when I left later than usual for my walk. The front desk provided a walking map with four choices of routes of different lengths. I chose the three mile route, knowing my late start would make time an issue in I wanted to stop at the interesting little food market we found the day before.

Showered and packed, I dodged my way through some sort of librarian (Music? No? I guess Jane won’t be here…) convention, I loaded the bus and walked briskly to the Kalamazoo Building. At the base stood a bank of mailboxes – I chose one and dropped in my absentee ballot.

Not much pomp and circumstance in voting absentee, I smiled as I remembered taking Jenna and Jamey with me to vote in 1992. Jenna was five and Jamey was one. All summer, Jenna (who, at age four, had carried a petition door to door with a friend) was surprisingly interested in politics and the workings of government. She watched the conventions on TV; masses of people, flags waving, bright lights and confetti.

Our polling place was down the street in a church at the edge of our neighborhood. On Election Day, I strapped Jamey in the stroller and took Jenna by the hand for the walk down the hill. Jenna chattered with excitement at being allowed to come along for my vote. We entered the lobby, signed in and entered the small curtained booth, where I made my selections a minute or less. As we walked back up the hill, Jenna had grown very quiet, her face serious as though pondering something of great importance. At the top of the hill she turned to me and said, “But Momma, where were all the people with the flags?” I always think of that whenever I vote, and I mentally wave a flag for Jenna.

There was a sense of anticipation during the drive to Ann Arbor. We’ll be here for three nights. Wednesday’s concert was in Hill Auditorium, a familiar spot for many Band Members. One of the best audiences yet, Sara had the audience in the palm of her hand. Early on I knew we would be playing an encore for this group. The energy level rose even higher when Sara introduced nine members of the Band as former Wolverines.

We’re in single digits now…only nine concerts left!

Many Miles

Rain tapped the windows of the bus, like tears falling from the sky, as though sensing my sadness at leaving Jenna and Evanston behind. It was wonderful to have some “found” time with my daughter, but time flew by so quickly – too quickly. Since our time together was short and minutes precious, I left my computer (and the Blog) at the hotel.

Many miles have passed since Wausau; I’ll do my best to catch up to the present.

17 October

Somewhere, USA

My favorite kind of Tour Stop is when we stay in the town instead of out on the strip. While stays on the strip have their high points, they often blend into one another, feeling a little like Anywhere, USA. Staying in town, however, feels like Somewhere, USA.

Fond du Lac is Somewhere; a Main Street with character, Mom and Pop eateries, unusual shops, and a personality.

It was trying hard to rain as we entered Fond du Lac. Ominous clouds hovered overhead, threatening to burst forth with a torrential downpour. My spirits picked up as I spotted coffee shops, antiques stores, a gloriously landscaped park, and a fiber store.

After a woodwind quintet rehearsal in the lounge (appropriately decorated with musical instruments and kindly offered by the front desk as rehearsal space), I went out to explore. I remembered Fond du Lac from the 2003 Tour and was happy to see it still seemed to be a thriving downtown; very few of the empty storefronts we’ve seen in other downtown areas.

I puttered in the gentle misting rain, wandering up and down the main street, eventually wandering into the fiber store. I enjoy the colors and textures in places like this. The owner was sitting at her loom, weaving damask dinner napkins.

After dinner (Room Food – tortellini, organic chicken breast, sun dried tomato in parmesan sauce…mmm); Michelle and decided to stay out of the drizzle and early dark. On the eighth floor, the room was quiet with little street noise. Out of the quiet I heard drums and then the sounds of a marching band. Looking out the window, I saw a street parade passing in front of the hotel.

Grabbing cameras, we raced for the stairs. Fortunately, the elevator was waiting. We missed the band, but caught the end of the Homecoming Parade. (My pictures didn’t come out well, but other Band Members promised to send me photos.) The poor students looked miserable, riding in the chilly drizzle. Chris, Pat, and Harry cheered them on, calling out the names written on each car; the students smiled and waved, perking up at the sound of their names.

The concert was held in a basketball arena, pretty much filled to the rafters and across the floor. One of our larger groups of Marine Corps League members sat in the front row, snapping to attention for the Colonel and Major, crisply saluting during the anthem. This crowd was working hard to earn their encore that night.

18 October

On to Illinois

Departure from Fond du Lac was early – we had a lot of miles to cover and a chance to check in before a very early run-out departure. I spent a good deal of my ride fielding phone calls from home as unexpected events unfolded in Annapolis. Arriving in Evanston early (and only a few minutes behind Jenna’s return from Great Lakes Naval Station), I time to kill before Jenna would be able to come to the hotel after her lesson. I picked up dinner for the ride to Frankfort, and she made it in plenty of time for the long drive down.

Long lines awaited us in Frankfort; the sponsors added an overflow room to hold as many as three or four hundred people to watch the concert on a video feed. With the number of Band Members from this part of the country, family members are starting to appear in the audience. Jay’s Mom, Mark’s Mom, Roger’s niece – it’s as close to the family visits of stand down most people will get.

Returning to Evanston, Jenna and I made a brief stop in my room to pick up my overnight tote and some laundry before heading to her house/apartment for the night. Taking our time Sunday morning, we wandered out for breakfast and shopping. A quick lunch before the concert and then off to Pick-Staiger.

Pick-Staiger is familiar to most band members – on previous tours it has been our home-away-from-home for stand down (the first ever band stand down was here). The Band has a pretty strong connection with Northwestern; the trumpet section is sprinkled with alumni as well as other sections. The audience held some familiar faces beyond family. Both John Hagstrom and Tage Larsen (former members of the band now in the Chicago Symphony) came to the edge of the stage at intermission.

20 October

Time to Say Goodbye

Monday morning found us at Regenstein for another TAD. A little miscommunication regarding room assignments for the multiple performances and master classes was eventually sorted out. Our woodwind quintet played in the instrument storage room directly off the band offices. Our audience was small, but the esteemed Walfrid Kujala, piccolo extraordinaire formerly of the Chicago Symphony attended. He remembered the flute section taking him to lunch during a previous Tour; it was delightful to see him again. I only wish time and circumstances had allowed us to have lunch once more, or maybe even a lesson.

Back at the hotel I packed quickly and loaded the bus to be able to spend the last precious minutes with Jenna once she was out of class and had to be at the next one. Our time together was all too short, but I remind myself I am lucky – if I was on Home Guard, I wouldn’t see her until Thanksgiving, maybe even Christmas.

The weather and my mood didn’t improve on the drive to Warsaw. The dreariness of the drive didn’t sit well with my stomach, so I curled up in my seat and huddled under the blanket. We were warmly welcomed, though, with wonderful Midwestern hospitality. We played the B Program for the packed Warsaw audience. The generosity of the sponsor and the enthusiasm of the audience was what we needed after the moodiness of the departure from Evanston.

21 October

Onwards and Upwards

Fall arrived with a vengeance; we woke to frosty, crisp temperatures. Michelle and I followed the directions given by the front desk through a less than pedestrian friendly area to find the Lake Winona Greenway, a wonderful trail along the lake and through the forest. Sculptures and benches appeared at intervals along the trail, winding through the woods and crossing marked hiking trails. We have been lucky to find so many well kept trails on this tour.

The itinerary told us we had a mere 85 or so miles to drive to get to Kalamazoo. I picked up my crochet project (or should I say Kira’s crochet project – hi, Kira!), but soon had to put it down when we seemed to make a turn every mile or so. I finally asked Mark if we were driving in circles. Apparently there isn’t a direct route to Kalamazoo from Warsaw; we were working our way around a large lake.

I took down the coats hanging in my window to watch the scenery roll by. We were in Amish Country, and the farms were plentiful. Growing up, fields of corn or wheat would stretch endlessly, as far as the eye could see. Few trees were found on the farms, mostly sheltering the houses or lining a creek bed. Here the farms were broken into smaller, rolling fields, edged with windbreaks of trees. The foliage is peaking here, with brilliant scarlet and flame orange crowding the last of the green trees. The crisp blue sky was the perfect backdrop, the cold sun casting shadows across lush green fields. Traffic slowed for the occasional horse and buggy on the narrow roads; life is a slower tempo here.

Fireworks!

Educational Outreach has become an important part of our concert tours, more so with the absence of Stand Down. Most mornings a few members of the Band are found waiting in the lobby for transportation to a local school or university to conduct a master class or perform in a chamber ensemble. Given the Super Sponsor we had in the Wausau area, multiple groups gathered in the lobby only to disperse to a variety of locations. Jay parked in the lobby early to coordinate groups with hosts, making sure everyone departed safely.

Michelle and I were part of a small group headed to Rothschild Elementary School. Our PTAD was unique in that we would be performing in uniform for an audience of school children, newspaper reporters, and television cameras. More of a mini-MITS program, we were using Monday’s State Dinner to illustrate our relationship with the President and the White House.

Teachers chose three students for us, to play the part of President Bush, Mrs. Laura Bush, and the Prime Minister of Italy, the guest of honor for the State Dinner. Andy led our quirky little group (piccolo, oboe, clarinet, trumpet, and bass trombone) in 4 Ruffles and Flourishes. Mr. Foreman, the principal, read the official announcement; on cue, we played Hail to the Chief as our guest participants entered from a side door, walking across the front of the gym, waving to their classmates.

Michelle, Joe, and I played three short pieces, introducing our instruments in between pieces, demonstrating sound production. Andy and Daniel followed suit with a mini brass class, and we ended with a question and answer session. One of the first questions was a request to play the National Anthem; happy to oblige, our little flea band belted it out as the students stood tall.

The enthusiastic response we received was overwhelmed by the response to Mr. Foreman’s offer of an extra recess for their good behavior. We met the teachers and staff in the lounge for a brief reception before heading back to the hotel to change and load the buses.

After a few arena and gym jobs, we were delighted to find ourselves performing in Appleton’s Fox Cities Performing Arts Center. Tonight’s concert was the A Program; I was looking forward to being able to hear better. I had fun with La Fiesta in the hall; my top notes popped easily, the sound soaring up to the third balcony (which was full, by the way – the floor seating, the loge, and three balconies were easily filled). It was the perfect place for Sara’s vocal, the Bolero from Verdi’s Sicilian Vespers. Most fun, though was her encore, There Won’t Be Trumpets. Betsy calls it my Peepo Piece (as in Peepo the Piccolo from Tubby the Tuba); I get to play all the trumpets fanfares in the piccolo stratosphere. Tons of fun!

The humorous highlight of the concert came during Stravinsky’s Fireworks. Near the end of the work, Major Fettig’s baton caught his sleeve during a cue, breaking the shaft near the grip. The audience burst into laughter. Taking his bow, the Major smiled sheepishly at the audience and tossed the rest of the baton to the stage floor, bringing more laughter from the audience.

Turning Toward Home

It can be a little difficult getting back into the Tour Groove following a Maintenance Day; Tuesday morning, after all the text messages rolled in, it seemed I was walking alone.

The path along the lake shore was filled with students jogging, walking to class, or biking. I scuffed along, kicking up leaves, stopping here and there to take photos. I could almost envy the students living in the dorms along the lakeside – winter must be a different story, though.

All good things must come to an end, though, and soon we were back on the highway, heading north to colder temperatures. The sky was overcast and rain threatened; by the time we arrived in Eau Claire, jackets and fleeces were making an appearance. It was a night for soup in the room.

The second leg of Tour started with the C program, just like the beginning of Tour. The venue was an Arena; Michelle and I looked at each other, reading each other’s mind. The last note on The Perfect Fool would be what it would be – there’s only so much you can do in an Arena.

The audience more than made up for the venue – once again the level of enthusiasm gave the Band a burst of needed energy. I imagine the Colonel welcomed it – he spent his Maintenance Day back in Washington handling all the details involved in a State Dinner before stepping back into Tour.

Morning brought cloudy skies and wet pavement. By the time I headed to the lobby to see if anyone was up for our regular 0800 walk, the rain had stopped. We were fortunate in more ways than one; Eau Claire boasted a beautiful trail following the river.

Today we traveled in an easterly direction – we’ve made the Turn Around! The general direction of Tour now takes us a little closer to home each day.

The concert in Weston was a repeat sponsor and venue from our 2003 Tour. DC Everest Area School District is our Super Sponsor; the concert was “Sold Out”. Arriving at the concert site, the line to enter went from one end of the building to the other – the police officers on patrol had to clear a path so the Band could make their way to the stage door.

The 7:30 concert start time was delayed at least ten minutes; the line was now around the building. Every available seat filled, the applause was thunderous as we came out on stage. Fortunately for the crew, the high school band members were on hand to assist with security at the stage’s perimeter.

Intermission was extended to twenty minutes to accommodate the feast provided by the sponsor. We had received a similar treat five years ago; it is an amazing gesture on the part of our sponsors, and greatly appreciated.

Thursday’s concert marks the half-way point (intermission, to be exact!) of Tour. Normally, we would just be approaching Stand-Down, ready for a rest and anxious for a change of music. We’re moving into different territory now – the old “normal” no longer applies. It will be interesting to see what the next week brings.

Making Memories

One of our favorite family trips is to drive north to Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Eating at Good n’ Plenty, whoopee pies, shoo-fly pie, mmm…nothing like making memories with food. I remember taking the kids to the Sturgis Pretzel Bakery and the Wilbur Chocolate Factory when they were much younger. They learned the history of pretzels and everyone had a chance to twist their own. At the Wilbur Chocolate factory, we found Wilbur Buds, remarkably creamy chocolates with a marked resemblance to Hershey Kisses, although Wilbur Buds were around long before Hershey Kisses.

When I learned Freeport, Illinois was known as Pretzel City, USA, I was hoping to find a pretzel factory, or maybe even a shop. I found neither, but I wasn’t terribly disappointed; Freeport had other charms in store for me.

Freeport was one of seven sites chosen for the Lincoln-Douglas debates in 1858. It seemed appropriate, in the month of presidential debates, to visit the site and re-read history learned years ago. The “Freeport Doctrine” lost Douglas the South in the presidential election two years later.

Next door we found the Union Dairy (now the Alber Ice Cream Parlor), a marvelous old fashioned ice cream parlor with intriguing flavors named “Orange Pudding” and “The Tortoise and The Fair”. Behind the hotel was a little Hole In The Wall popcorn shop with amazing fresh popcorn in a crazy assortment of flavors; cheddar, hazelnut, cinnamon pecan...I wasn't the only Band Member loading the bus with the large brown paper bag filled with crunchy goodness.

Freeport High School (Jamie Schwendinger’s alma mater) adopted the name “Pretzels”. (Ask Jamie about the band forming a pretzel for the pre-game show at football games…) They made ESPN’s Hall of Fame list of unusual names.

The concert was held in the Masonic Temple, in a beautiful, old theater in apricot and soft blue. Old theaters are both a band and a blessing. On the one hand, you have an intimate setting with an elegant atmosphere. On the other, you have an intimate setting with musicians in unusually close proximity. The load-in for the crew is generally far more complex than larger venues.

Saturday’s drive was through rolling countryside and cornfields, the highway rarely curving. The steady hum of the tires on the highway and the gentle sway of the bus made it difficult to stay awake. A mere seven miles across the Illinois border, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, is to Chicago what Newport, Rhode Island was to New York. Fall is making an appearance here, with brilliantly colored trees scattered among the still green ones.

The concert in Lake Geneva was in the Badger High School Gym, played to a packed audience. The highly enthusiastic audience included some familiar faces – Paul Lavender drove out from the Milwaukee area to see the concert and renew the friendships made during our work with John Williams. Cheryl Sager (she retired from the Band in 2000) and her husband Vern drove from suburban Chicago to catch up with old friends and colleagues.

The sponsors for the Lake Geneva concert were determined that Lake Geneva should not be “just another Tour Stop”. Sunday morning they offered us a boat tour of beautiful Lake Geneva. The boat tour was donated by Lake Geneva Cruise Lines, and the coffee and pastries donated by a local coffee shop. The sponsor, Lake Geneva Middle School Band Director Ray Ames, piloted The Walworth around the lake, narrating the history of the lake and the historical estates along the shoreline. There was a misty haze over the lake as we rode over the peaceful waters, nestled in sweatshirts and jackets against the brisk morning breeze.

Not all Band members were aboard The Walworth; Chris and Tracey waved from their kayaks as we cruised near the Wrigley estate. Fishermen dotted the waters; a formation of geese flew low over the lake; a parasail skimmed the treetops before disappearing from view. It was a beautiful start to the day.

Sunday’s concert was in Middleton, Wisconsin, a suburb of Madison. We had a good sized crowd for a matinee program during an unexpected Indian Summer. Even though we were tired and ready for a day off, the exuberant atmosphere in the auditorium energized the Band, earning the audience an encore.

A Sunday night in a college town offers an extensive range of choices for a leisurely meal. Chris, Kristin, Sara, and I stumbled onto an unexpected delight – the Museum of Contemporary Art, galleries closed for the evening, offered a rooftop restaurant. With the lighted Capitol Dome in the distance and the moon glowing overhead, above the noise of the traffic and the crowd of passersby, we dined (in locavore heaven) in peace on the edge of the sculpture garden.

On Maintenance Days, everyone heads in different directions. With three or four lakes nearby, a plethora of museums, walking trails, eclectic shops, and even a laundromat, there was something for everyone. I started my day with a visit to the university’s Red Gym, which houses the information center. Picking up a packet of information for Jamey, I walked through the east half of campus, taking pictures along the way to visit the engineering school.

After lunch and phone calls, I made a trip to the Lakeside Fiber store, looking for unusual yarns and crochet patterns. A fiber artists’ dream, the extensive collection of yarn and other goodies led to a café overlooking Monona Bay and beautiful fall foliage.

Tuesday will find us on the road again, moving to the north and cooler temperatures. Only three days ago we were a third of the way through Tour; in three days, we will be halfway.