Philly

I can't believe I'm in the city, Philadelphia.

Here's the street my gig is on, I can't believe my eyes

Imagine Rolling into this, after Rolling off the Blue Ridge Parkway and through the hills of northern Pennsylvania.

where it all went down

Hey Sean

(one of the very talented musicians that performed at Lickedy Splits with me that night) The show was a blast, I met a lot of interesting people that night, and I enjoyed watching the other bands play.

no matter where I am, I find room for my tent OUTside, even in this inner city backyard.

Wow! it's a lot to be in the city after all those mountains. I feel my senses are heightened and my surroundings are so intense. Lovely to be here. Penn. was a fun state to come across. Lots and lots of rolling hills and Landscapes imprinted in my mind. textures created deep below the surface.
I really liked this city. But it was much different from the south, and I was taking it in. It felt abrupt. Yesterday I'm in the hills, today I spent over 3 hours at the Sprint store getting a phone repair. The women was astonished that I waited there for so long. She couldn't believe I was smiling. She couldn't believe I wasn't angry.

My father often flys through Philly and has a friend that works at the airport. In their many conversations he had mentioned to him that I'd be traveling through Philly as part of my Tour. Rob extended the offer to host me while I was there. Thanks to Rob and friends.

The morning I headed out for New York, I was having coffee and felt overwhelmed by a sensation of some kind of media happening. I texted a friend about the feeling. When I walked out of the shop I met Ronnie Polaneczky. She and began to chat. I walked with her a few blocks to her office at the Philadelphia Daily News:
http://www.philly.com/dailynews/multimedia/19889339.html

Blue Ridge

see that, in the back, that's the Smokey Mtns!

On my way to sky line drive! ah! it's so beautiful

camping, leave no trace

on fire

un real. this place is amazing. sky line drive. I slept in the deep woods off of this trail, the Appalachian Trail. It was real quiet. I feel apart of everything around me.

Richmond

in the park earlier, warming up

the stage at rocks
nice downtown area, cobble stone road and sidewalk prompted me to walk my loaded Jamis instead of ride. There was a great brewery I stumbled upon, and as I was taking off my helmet I met my new friend Micheal, who ended up being my host the 2nd night I was there.

that night I stayed with a friend of a friend of a friend, and met Chances. I ended up trading one of his custom made shirts for a CD. It's a black tank with a large Buddha head and the words consciousness. There is a lot to say about this house, more on this later...

At 6am the streets of Richmond were empty, and I walked a far way to get my first cup of Java.
Later I met Evan at Richmond Recycles Bike Shop. He traded me a CD for the tuning up of my bike, and a brand new chain. Thanks Evan!

The show was at Rocks!
Thanks to Mission Mason, that played first and hung out to watch my performance after. They were a neat group of musicians that were kind and funny. Great show!

The next morning I had
The best coffee I've had on my trip, french pressed, and the realization I was gonna blow out of Richmond for the Blue Ridge, he he . the Baltimore show was a no go, so I took the scenic route to Philly, the Great Smokey Mountains

Angels

Danell

Yikes! my chain broke and as I struggled on the side of the road to fix it. I pulled all the bags off the bike and tipped her upside down. Now I just need to figure out how these things go together. pay attention. there isn't a lot around here, I'm in front of an old abandon building. Next thing i look up and see a sheriff pull in. I asked the women if it was really necessary to get out my id , she said yes, they had a call about suspicious behavior. She was doing her job. After running my file she asked if there was anything she could do. I said no and thanked her. After a few people pulled up to help. My friend Danell finalized my solution by"flaring" the chain. It was a pleasure to meet him. And to think, a handful of people in previous towns tried convincing me not to go through this "neighborhood" to get to Richmond. Thank you Danell for helping me out, and teaching how to fix a chain!

BCHQ

the concert at the BCHQ

check out the Durham Bike Coop

after the show, we had a bbq
see the gal with the stash? That's Lu, and she is working on a cure for cancer. and she plays a mean guitar and sings. Leslie, in the green, plays a kitchen sink! Leslie and Dave hosted me and really inspired me with their composting, I've started a composting pile in many towns now, thanks guys!

Dave made a stupendous breakfast extravaganza and is a percussionist singer
Bull City Head Quarters

After the show we went on a bike ride and got ice cream, this place had cheeseburger flavored, but I stuck with some chocolate double delight blend

the children
sue and company, gettin down

Skies heading into Greensboro

My fabulous hostess, Sue
I pulled up to pick up some dinner and notice my friend Farmer D's new line of Organics Biodynamic Blend Compost. I smiled as I read the sign, "Closing the loop" turned behind me and asked the first person I saw to snap a photo. I met Farmer D in Savannah.

The show was lots of fun. Sue also performed with a friend, and a few other acts. We were gonna play out in the back and when it started pouring we did our best to put a "tarp" for the equipment, but ended up using the inside stage. I met a lot of wonderful people that day, and the children came to watch too!

peace and pondering

Hagan-stone Park

Sponsered my stay for 2 nights. I was so greatful. The gentleman that helped me also told his daughter, and she showed up at Greensboro concert with a bicycle donation for the Greensboro Hive



this was an amazing 2 days for me. Lots of reflection, lots of peace, lots of energy.

Albermare

Hail
I met this boy at a cafe on Mother's Day, than later that afternoon ran into him at the grocery before the hail storm. If I had not been chatting with him, I would have been with out shelterin the hail.


Hey! Check out these storms, what a fun time frolicking with mother nature.

Welcome to the Jar!

On stage

see that teeter tauter in the back?
the garden and wild animals

This was a lot to take in. I may have to sit and think about how I really felt in this city. Lots happening. Thanks to Billy for scooping me off the main drag leading me through the ferocious stay alive and into the quiet quarters of his safe palace in Dooley.


ah Dooley
all the doors flew open and there was Carson, the pathfinder
She guided me through the gardens showing me where to find things, taught me about the honeysuckle, and eventually showed me a secret passage way that ended up in Ethiopia. Jordan led me through a forest of fresh new aromas, preparing for the feast, Alyssa was a beautiful hostess, and mysteriously every time I reached for my glass it was full again. and Billy, his words his thoughts streamlining into the waves of a question, provoking the heart of existence. He was full of truth and knowledge. At dark a fire on a sacred spot. The warmth it gave, the serenity. the grounding.

I performed a short set at the Charlotte bike-a-thon in the morn, and later a house party that Jordy set up. The afternoon was full of relaxation, reflection, and reality. The atmosphere at the cafe was truly inspiring, and I could have stayed there for days.

There was great talent at the house party later that day. Thanks to the other musicians that played and to Jordy for bringing it all together!

Asheville

i look to my right

i look to my left

this women, Tanja, an amazing gal with an adventurous story to tell. met her at a pub, where they were having a couch surfer meeting. I am signed up with couch surfer, but had never used network, until this day when I accidentally ended up at the right place at the right time.


Wow! The view coming up to Asheville where outrageous. I am staying at a home where my friends Deanne and David couch surfers and hosts, in fact last night they had both myself and Tanja, a German cyclists that had traveled all the way from South America!! It was a true inspiration to meet her, she has done most of the travel alone, and is heading north as well. What a great time. It feels invigorating to be here in these mountains cycling. They are both challenging and rewarding, all though I do have to break down these hills with all this weight. Well, tomorrow I head out for Charlotte.