Big Ride Day 1 Pre-start

Day 1 - Pre-start

Jeff had set the clock for 4:30 and I planned to get up at 5:00 since we needed to head out at 5:30 to make the 6:30 starting meeting. Jeff and I are scurrying around in the morning and I have few “pre-show” butterflies, just like before a load-in at work.

It is about 5:15 and we our down to our last zip -ups and heading out the door. Checking my phone to make sure it is on and good, I read the time as 2:15 not 5:15! What?

I quick look for a second clock and things instantly fall into place. He hasn’t reset his alarm clock form Eastern Time. That is why it is still pitch black dark outside... Why Ali hasn’t woken us up or checked on us... Why there is no movement in the RV. I check the Cable box time. 2:19 a.m. Tme confirmed.

Hey Jeff we are up 3 hours to early! We have a laugh and hte nervous tension between evaporates and we are instantly comrades. As i am repacking I realize I can’t find my camera and for the second time in 12 hours I have lost it at Ali’s. So we spend a 1/2 hour looking for it, unpakcing, repacking etc. Can’t find it. I decide it is more important to sleep. I let it go and chalk it up to a possible loss. As I lay there tyring to go back to sleep I can finally calm down and retrace my steps and think it is outside on the balcony rail.

I put on sandles and dash out in my clothies in the pooring rain to look for my camera on the balcony. I find it!!! Okay. That is our mishap. In every gig, show, trip whatever, there is always one big mishap. Well this is the one for the Big Ride. I head back to the room witha huge smile, knowing we have sidestepped this little mishap, no worse for wear. The ride is ON!

We have trouble getting back to sleep after all this but we manage another 90 minutes or so of rest.

We get up at the right time, ALi checks on us, nothing is missing and we are off to the start.