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  May 9th, 2004 - Reporting from Cuba, MO. Almost halfway across the state!

Got away early this morning (or tried to at least). Mother's day in the hotel café was slammed and we ended up with our usual late getaway. No biggie though, no gigs to rush off to. Happy Mom's Day to all.

Hey…we made the front page of the Springfield paper, the State Journal Register…above the fold. A picture of Dan aka Cozy Dog carrying his bass into the Friday night hit and there was a long story about us…wow. I'll bet it's online: www.sj-r.com The headline: COWboy beBOP

Took the historic route, Pammy rode in the biggest horse carriage in the world with a larger than life Abe Lincoln ( I know that sounds redundant, but check out the photo). Found patches of roadway decrepit with neglect, and a few burgs and establishments that had endured the same, yet, the ghosts still talk to you as you pass by.

Walked across the Chain of Rocks Bridge, over the Mississippi, it is a really big bridge over a big river, the old route 66 bridge, not for cars anymore. We walked for about twenty minutes before we even saw water. There are these old turrets in the river, be a tough commute after a late gig and a few cocktails. Saw the skyline of St. Louis in the distance, the gateway arch framing the east side of the city. Felt like we had made that westward turn that so many before us have taken, on the very same cement.

Decided to blast through St. Louis w/o stopping, the open road seemed to call, too many friends and places there, it might have been like Springfield, and we got to get back home eventually. See it another time, that's the St. Louis blues.

Ate this frozen custard that is served in a style called concrete (and I didn't make this up, although I wish I had) and frankly it kinda felt that way in my stomach, especially on a hot day-was in the 90s today, muggy too-and sitting for hours down like we had been.

Wound our way into the heartland of Missouri, everything is a brilliant deep shade of green, gently rolling terrain, wooded forests, horse and cow pastures, very picturesque and inviting. Ended up at Meramec Caverns, took the tour. Big cave, but believe me, until you have experienced Kate Smith belting out God Bless America as our flag is projected onto a 70-million year-old stalagmite, you haven't lived. It was the kind of act that is really hard to follow, so we decided to take the rest of the day off.

Only one thing left to do, that's right, Cozy Dog's favorite-and lately, only-pastime…greezing. We stopped into the Missouri Hick Bar-B-Que (I didn't make that up either, I promise) and CD ordered the full slab. They took a picture-so did we, it's on the pix page-to put him on the wall of fame for making the whole way through a full slab of ribs. They are optimists around here, they take the picture when the order arrives (I guess it's a sly type of psychic extortion). He almost didn't make it, but saved the day by walking to the counter to get the take-out box. I guess the reshuffling or exercise opened up some space and he gorged and lumbered across the finish line…way to go Cozy Dog! Had to get him a room to sleep it off, see y'all tomorrow, I promise we'll get back to work…maybe.

Quote of the day:

"It's not the heat, it's the humility!" Big Chief Mike McKinley, waxing poetic."

Click here to check out pictures from May 9th