Tour Journals & Stuff

Cover Girl?

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:15:00 GMT

I'm so excited to be featured on the cover of VC Buzz, our amazing new magazine highlighting everything that's cool in and around Ventura County! The featured story speaks to everything from my Multiple Sclerosis, my medical marijuana work, my great dog Steve and the new love in my life. Certainly the most exposed I've ever been in print! The photo shoot was so much fun at the Acacia Mansion in Ojai with rock photographer Amanda Peacock, Danielle White as stylist and Tiffany Hughes doing my makeup. I felt like a true star! Now I am looking forward to my future in a number of ways and have started working on geting recordings of some of the newer songs that I have yet to bring into the studio. So I'm looking forward to seeing what you think of my newer stuff, I'll be posting some tracks just as soon as they're ready for public consumption and hope to see you singing along at some show soon!

A lengthier update....

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 22:31:33 GMT

I have been staying close to home here in Ventura and have been loving the house I rented last December, even harvested some yummy veggies in my garden! This was before Steve came along. He's just about 11 months old, (not the two years I originally bargained for), an already about 70 lb. Vizla Hound. I adopted him from the National Search Dog Foundation from Ojai, right here in the county. A flunkie from the program to train dogs for rescue, he has some training and is learning fast. My biggest challenge is keeping up with his exercise needs as my health limits my sprinting and ironman abilities. We've been using the WalkyDog which hooks to my bike and is amazing! Still a challenge and a bit dangerous but it's doin the trick. But if you find yourself out and about on Ventura's Westside, break wide! ;) Earlier in the year, I decided to stay off the road and keep my bus "Patience" parked, except for a few regional, quick weekend trips. We've had a great time with the bus this year and at this point in my life, I think I'm about done with her. I will be selling my bus and moving on to something more manageable for me. I have had the bus for 12 years and it has just become too much of a burden to bear alone with my health issues and such. I'm not giving up, just movin forward. I am hoping to find some cool band or famliy that can make as many amazing trips and memories as I did aboard the 1971 GMC Bus. She's been wonderful and I've seen almost 25,000 miles of US roads and 8 of her National Parks in my cozy home on wheels. She has kept me safe and with the exception of only a couple dates over the years, had gotten me to the stage on time. So it's been a great summer but I am ready for the fall with it's rain to water plants and yard. Hearty homemade soups with bread from the breadmaker and early morning coffee at Surfer's Point with Steve the dog. So, with lots of fodder for some new music, I am snugggling up with my laptop to try and bring some of what's swimming in my head to the page and then to sound. I have also started a chapter of Americans For Safe Access here in Ventura. I have been involved in the medical marijuana movement since the early 90's, thrilled to be able to get active again here in Vemtura. I am so excited to see the kind of interest and enthusiasm about protecting patient rights, educating the community and defending safe access to medical cannabis for patients and caregivers. Please read more about it, they are an amazing national group and the largest patient advocate organization in the country. Look for the Medical Cannabis page here on my website for some really excellent info I'd like to pass along. So, basically, that's what I'm up to, playing lots of music around locally, crafting and working in the family business during the day for my mother at tthe canvas shop in Oxnard. I'd love to hear from you if you read this far, I am always flattered when I see you and you tell me you've been keeping up. Fare you well, may we meet again soon!

Fall Greetings Music Friends!

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 23:35:00 GMT

I hope this message finds you well and with song in your heart. I am feeling pretty good these days with more ups than downs and am in and still entering a transformation of sorts in so many ways. I have been nesting for the past 10 months in the house on the Westside of Ventura and raising the young hound dog I adopted a couple of months ago. Juggling the dog, garden, work, social life and music, it’s been a very busy summer!

The biggest change coming is that I have decided to sell my beautiful school bus “Patience”. I have just come to the realization that I can no longer support and maintain the bus as she needs to be. This causes mechanical issues. The bus is a machine, much like a mathematical problem. Clearly cause and effect. I am the imperfect, unreliable, human factor in the equation. So, after 12 years, 20 states, 8 national parks and thousands of wonderful new friends from all over the country, I will find her a new home.

This decision comes after the burn up of my transmission on a 16% grade in Monterey where we were up for the Furthur shows. Stuck in the middle of the road entering Laguna Seca Speedway where we camped after the show. This road I have traveled has been a hard one, for not just me but for my friends and family who have watched me struggle on this journey over the years, at times putting my health at risk by overburdening myself with this 40 year old, 35’ steel albatross. My dedication and pursuit of this life I have lived is just not possible as a single person living with multiple sclerosis as I do. The ride was worth every tear and I will not regret any of it as I move ahead with a clean slate and hope for exciting new things in my future. I know she will make an amazing bus for some band or family who can carry her on more than one set of shoulders. Thanks to everyone who supported me for all these years, you made it possible for me to fulfill some of my dreams and see so much of this beautiful country. I will forever have those times, the good, bad and the ugly to remember as such a huge part of my education in life’s lessons. I am still learning. I will be adding info about the bus to the Patience page on my website posting about the sale of the bus soon. So, spread the word, I’d love to keep her in the family.

I have a handful of performances coming up in ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties, please check my tour dates,
I would love to see those of you in the areas and play for you!

With love,
Rachel

It's already September!

Sat, 10 Sep 2011 00:30:05 GMT

After hearing from my friend Alicia McGovern, an amazing artist from Utah, I realized I have been, once again, remiss in writing. I assure you I am alive and well, enjoying my summer here on the California coast at home in Ventura. i have been getting settled in my new 3 bed. room that I rented in December and have been able to collect quite a harvest from the half baked musician's garden in my big yard. Then along came Steve. Steve the dog dropped out of the National Search Dog Foundation's training program and has found a job looking after me. So, despite a few unfortunate plants that had the poor forsight to have been planted right in the path of the fast and furious figure eights that Steve has made a practice of burning around the yard, all is well on the home front.

I have been playing lots of music and have been on the bill of some amazing music festivals this summer with my four piece "Scarlet Fire", doing more of a dancy, rock show that what I do alone out on the road. It's been really fun for me and also a challenge, fronting a band with the full sound as opposed to more mellow acoustic stuff I also like to do.

I have handfuls of shows coming up for me locally here at home and it looks like I'll be back on the road next spring with two houseconcerts booked in Utah and inviteds to firm up on the way and along the road home. Hope the summer has been kind where you are, please check in once in a while so I know you can hear me?

xoxox
Rachel

The thick of Summer

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 19:30:00 GMT

Hope you all are enjoying the summertime wherever you may find yourself. I have been staying pretty close to home although I've been having a great time playing several regional festivals and parties and getting my big bus out for long weekend stuff. I have been staying close to home in my new place, working to keep the grass green and the newly planted garden under control and safe from the gophers. I have a whole new appreciation for the movie Caddyshack these days. So far, so good. I have the go ahead on new gates to enclose my big yard and as soon as possible will be bringing home "Steve the Dog", my new buddy! I will be training him as a service dog and as I am adopting him from the National Search Dog Foundation based in Ojai, he is screened for perfect health and proficient in basic obedience. Steve just isn't quite as "focused" as they need him to be for finding survivors and remains. Their policy is to place dogs in a lifetime care home if they fail to complete the entire program for search & rescue work. I am excited, I have been waitng for over seven years now without dawg. I have a handful of good stuff on the calendar right now and find myself keeping busy as always! This weekend, I head out to Dead on the Ponderosa another fun family event by Howard Presents! I am booked for two sets on the air-conditioned indoor stage. Perfect for me as I wilt in the heat. August 7th in Ojai will be a great show as we'll be celebrating "Little Rachel" on her 25th birthday at Big Buddha Lounge in Oak View, just east of Ventura in the Ojai Valley. It is the third "First Sunday:" in my summer series and we've had great reception from the folks there. September brings a couple great listening type venues to the schedule with a fun raiser for VC Clue on Sept. 4th in Ventura and then the amazing, long running series Camarillo Cafe on Sept.16th. I have been focusing on getting things done on the homefront before I embark on the next cross country tour but expect to be back on the road east next spring, returning to some of the venues that I had such a wonderful time at in years past. My health is stable, I am feeling quite well these days and have been so happy at my new place, the last piece that makes me whole after the broken ankle and MS attack of 2009. I am hoping to add to the collection of new songs in the end of the year and get them recorded next year on album #3! I am always looking for the next adventure, please let me know if you'd like me to come sing and play for you, I may just show up in your driveway with guitar and dawg! Please keep in touch, I always love to hear from you on my guestbook or in a more private email, I don't EVER forget you! After all, if a girl sings in a forest and no one hears it, is it still music to the ears? Musically yours, Rachel

Summer on the Westside of Ventura

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 20:47:09 GMT

It has been some time since I've written and I've been staying busy getting settled in my new home. It's always so flattering to see some of you and hear how you actually read my emails and follow my travels from my intermittent emails and blog entries. I'm now on the Westside of Ventura off of "The Avenue" in a great 3 bd. 2 ba house with a huge yard. The yard is so big, my bus "Patience" fits comfortably in it, right outside my bedroom window. I can't really explain the feeling of well being I get from having my bus there at the house. As I plant my garden and fight with the resident gophers, I know this is what I've been needing for years now and it feels good to get back to the homebody I am. There's a reason why I travel in a bus, I like to be home, I'm a nester. ;) I have been super productive since I've been in my new digs, making my "hips", the upcycledpockets that work instead of a purse to keep me organized and sane, my hand dyed hemp dog leashes and collars and fun hair falls that I like to call "Crazy Ponies" that give a fun and instant Fraggle Rock look. The newest development on that front is the electric kiln that just arrived in my garage, thanks to Lynn and Elle Je which I am learning about and working to get hooked up. With the ceramics wheel belonging to Michelle, it seems that I suddenly got ceramics studio once again! I earned my degree in art from Humboldt in studio art but as music moved forward, it took the spotlight for the past 10 years and I had long ago sold my studio as a package in order to fund music and recording projects. Oh, and ALWAYS, my old bus. I am staying close to home this summer, by the cool breezes of the Pacific and focusing on getting some of the material I've been collecting organized into songs. With the new songs I've written over the past year, I'm working to get a new album ready to record in January 2012. To get this done, I have decided to go on hiatus from the road, play some music close to home and catch up on things long overdue. I was planning on heading up north to Seattle and back again as I did last year but have decided that with gas over $4 per gallon and a mere 5 miles to the gallon on average, I don't think anyone could blame me for changing my plan. I think I will make a goal to get back on the road next year with a new album to warrant attention from the press and my beloved music fans and supporters. I am also amazed at the new instruments that have been added to the product line of Luna Guitars and am thrilled to have been endorsing them for over the past 6 years now. I've been putting instruments in the hands of many budding and professional musicians as a dealer artist and am so happy to hear from these players who are in love with their new guitars! Keep it up!! I hope you are well and as always I'd love to hear from you and keep in touch with you and your world. Much love, Rachel

Final and 3rd Chapter of my fall tour 2010 TX, NM, AZ

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 02:06:34 GMT

I have put this off long enough, here's the end of the story. It's Wednesday, October 12th as I wind through Sam Houston National Forest on farm road 1725, I finally pull up to Backwoods Bar & Grill. I know I’m in the right place as my friend Jess is waving me in and onto a waiting space right next to the patio along the side. I hardly recognize the place from my last trip to the Houston area 3 years earlier when the inside was still bare and the place was still just a work in progress. Now, a bustling hub for a big rural community, Backwoods was busy with it’s own family of regulars and a constant stream of bikers passing through on the days ride. On Thursday night, Jess and I ventured down into Houston to meet up with an amazing songwriter and friend of mine through the Folk Alliance, Ken Gaines. He had invited me to be a part of his songwriter night at the legendary club Anderson Fair. This place was amazing and I learned has been hosting the troubadours of the acoustic/folk since the 1960’s. Ken has hosted a night there for years, along with his cohort and fellow member of the Hawaiian shirt club Wayne Wilkerson. Both of these guys are amazing artists and a real treat to share the bill with. Thanks so much! Friday was a special night and I was thrilled to get such a warm welcome from everyone there and also proud to see that over her years of traveling the world, Jessica has really honed her harmonica skills. We had a great night of music and such an amazing time with all gang. I stayed with Jessica and all the folks at Backwoods for about 5 days, taking care of lots of little things needing attention at that point in the trip. A much needed rest in the schedule, I did laundry, vacuumed, washed dishes and cleaned out the fridge, quickly filling it with food as Jessica is not just a bar owner but a trained chef as well. It was so nice to get to those things that keep the road feeling like home. Hoping that my overheating problem was something super simple, Travis replaced the thermostat praying that would do the trick. Unfortunately, I later found out that wasn’t the problem, so on I went, knowing it wasn’t the thermostat at least. I pulled out of town and headed east to my next stop in Austin. Still having issues with the cooling system, I had a not so relaxing but beautifully scenic trip through the beautiful rolling hills of Central Texas. Booking this tour, I figured that Austin is to musicians what Hollywood is to actors. Saturated with talent, I could not get any response from anyone in Austin, even folks that I knew through the Folk Alliance were a dead end. Hmm... Not surprised to see people with cardboard signs asking for change at every, no exaggeration, evry stop light. Happy to stop for the night, as it was a long way to come with a touchy cooling system, I pulled into driveway of Ventura’s own Rusty Villa and his darling wife Kendra at their sweet Austin home. Although I only had a short visit with them en route to southern New Mexico, it was great to reconnect and catch up over whiskey, smoke and burritos. “Rusty Chrome” told me all about his current project, a step van he is busy converting to a burrito bus. Can’t wait to check it out on my next visit to my Texan crew. Viva Burritos!! I was happy to have squeezed in a visit with Bob Sokol and Alan McGill at Bob’s shop. I had crossed paths with Bob online, as he and Alan are both school bus folk and in fact were getting busy with a current bus project of Alan’s. I got a tour of Bob’s shop, met his daughter and a few other friends, and most importantly got a little dog action from the very lovable Ethel, official shop dog. We hmm’d and haw’d about the overheating issue, going over the obvious things and I played a few songs for them before heading back on the road. All in all, I had a wonderful trip through Texas, the lone star state. I feel like that leg of the trip was the most difficult as I had such a long way between shows and was relieved to arrive in Las Cruces, NM with time to relax and prepare for the show at Black Box Theatre that night. The Black Box Theater is home to the No Strings theater group and the stage was a set from the current production. Just a small audience that night as it was an unusual Thursday night show, but we had a great time and I was happy to see that my friend and house concert host Lee Herman showed up for the first set before needing to run off to another commitment. Back on the road I was heading toward the end of my trip when I came across a border patrol checkpoint. They asked me how many people in the bus and when I answered, just me, clearly they had to check for themselves or be negligent. So, although the welcome mat reads, “Come back with a warrant”, I welcomed them to take a look and told them I understand why they need to and appreciate their service. They asked me to step out and stand alongside the road with one officer, while another came up with a dog heading for the bus. I stood there chatting about music and travel with the agent while the dog with the agent in the bus went berserk. After about 5 minutes, three of the agents, including the dog ask me “You know what the dog is for right?” I said, “Yes, I know what the dog’s for”. I then explained that I am a medical cannabis patient and advocate and feared that they would leave my world piled on the side of the road as I know has happened to many school buses over the years. They informed me that they were not concerned with my small amount of cannabis and really weren’t interested in ruining my night but were working to stop drug smugglers and human trafficking on the border there. I assured them I had nothing else that would be of interest to them. They let me know that they put everything back where it was and asked me to “Next time, take the Interstate 40.” God bless them for not wasting time and money on my bag and me, we all know there are bigger fish to fry along the border. I wished them well and they waved as I pulled off back onto the dark southwestern highway and into the night towards Tucson. Phew! I picked up my friend April at the Greyhound station, she had come down from Phoenix to meet me celebrate her birthday with a lil trip aboard “Patience”. My hosts June & Michael were amazing and I had a perfect spot in the driveway, plugged in and air conditioner on. I had met June several years prior at the Sharlot Hall Folk Festival in Prescott but hadn’t seen her again til that night. This was their first house concert and they did a fabulous job transforming the backyard into a really sweet, intimate venue. We had a diverse crowd of friends show up and most came with a favorite dish for the potluck. Enchilada showdown, Tucson style! We had a colorful spread for dinner and my music and stories were well received by the group leaving us all satisfied and happy at the end of the night. Before leaving town, I played an afternoon show at The Glass Onion, an unlikely little café in Tucson that is decorated with music memorabilia and art. A local musician that frequents the place showed up to make us feel welcome and get a tour of the infamous bus. I played two sets for a thin crowd and was starting to feel the end of the tour was near. After a very difficult time with the bus, we finally made it back to Phoenix, I dropped April back at home and got some R&R that I desperately needed at the nearby Wal-Mart. I greeted Monday morning with a sleepy smile and met April at Denny’s to get her free birthday breakfast and then got some bus chores done, taking the afternoon for just chillin. Just before 5, I headed over to Fiddler’s Dream, an oasis in the desert for singer/songwriters and acoustic music. This tiny listening room is one of my all time favorite venues and as we had before, Annie Moscow and I shared the stage, trading song for song. As always, the crowd that gathers at Fidd’s are true music lovers and readily support travelers like me by putting money in the tip jar and buying CDs among other things. It was the perfect finale show to my six-week journey and I felt like I was ready to head home. Problems with the cooling system made way for electrical issues and by midnight that night, I was down for the count, too tired to climb up on the bus and make heads or tails. I stayed at a rest stop just west of Tonopah that night with choruses of the legendary trucker's anthem "Willin" by Little Feat. The light of the morning found me a bit more able to cope and it seems that the bulk of my problems were stemming from the main bolt holding my alternator to the engine. Old and stripped, this bolt caused so much vibration that it was effecting lots of what was happening under the hood. I limped the bus back to the east and the last truck stop I saw, hoping that the service bay would be able to help me with new bolt and get me home. Sure enough, they had the bolt I needed, just a half an inch too short. (Sigh) As I do when I am overtired and feeling defeated, I had a good cry and then got back out there to find a solution. A trucker walked up with a tiny little Chihuahua and after we talked for a bit, he agreed to take me further east to the Lowe’s for the right bolt. We had good conversation and I got some more dog attention, which made it all worthwhile, and he even insisted on replacing the bolt for me. I jumped back on the interstate by about 5pm; drove til my eyes crossed and finally made it home to my mother’s arms the next afternoon. It’s funny, when people ask about my tours; they want to hear that it was incredible, fabulous and amazing. Truth is, that’s true, it is all those things but it’s also very hard work. It can be exhausting, lonely, painful and boring. I even feel a little traumatized when I get back, feeling like I’d been through a war of sorts. But the friends I meet along the way and the places I see make it all worth it. Now, I think a short hiatus is in order. This spring I will focus on my next project and getting my newest songs recorded in studio. I have just moved to a new house in Ventura where the bus will park along side the house and I feel like all my ducks are in a row, so to speak, for a prosperous 2011. Bless you and your family in this coming year. Rachel

Chapter Two on the 2010 Fall tour, NM, TX, OK , AR

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 09:50:00 GMT

Wow! It’s been over a month since I really felt like I could sit down and recount the trip. After a long trip on the road by myself, there’s a certain amount of processing that needs to be done before the stories can be recorded. That’s how I work anyway. The biggest thing about touring like this, is that itt’s hard work. Everyday it’s something else and it’s mine, all mine and if it weren’t for the exhilaration of live performance for quality audiences I wouldn’t still be be doing this after 10 years. The weariness of the road wears off, the ugliness fades and what’s left is all the good stuff. This is the stuff I like to make a record of. After leaving Chama and heading south, I picked up a couple riders named Juliane & Marc that were going to Albuquerque after completing the Continental Divide Trail and took them to the train station in Santa Fe. I was heading to Anita Broughton’s, a friend of some of my San Luis Obispo / Live Oak music friends who agreed to host me for “dinner and song” with a few friends there in Santa Fe which was a great way to spend a few hours and meet new friends and other musicians. Anita gave me some great advice and I pulled out of there that night to park the bus at the Sandia Casino to watch the first ascent on the morning kicking off the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta for the year. Woke up with sun, made a little coffee and walked over to the area where people were gathered to watch the balloons. Chatted with a few locals who told me that every year, someone dies at the fiesta. What a strange way to die huh? Well, not for a balloonist I suppose. Pet their dog for a while and watched all the different balloons, some were different shapes and some were drifting way off course, these are the ones we tried to keep track of. We amused ourselves making up the conversations that must have been going on with these lost ships. Several hundred balloons, but apparently not near the 1200 balloons that these veterans have seen. I hung out there for about another hour or so and, avoiding the slot machines, headed for Petroglyph National Monument to see some of the evidence that the people of as long ago as 1,000 BC .Did the very short hike as it was still hot there and I was on what would be a continuous battle for shade. After locating and buying a convex side mirror to replace the one I lost (when you see it’s loose, fix it right away), and headed to St. Stephens United Methodist Church in Albuquerque. Every Saturday night, with labor and love of Rosalie Johnston and many dedicated volunteers, Solid Grounds Coffeehouse features acoustic music in the basement which is turned into a listening venue with colorful tablecloths, candles and great stage lighting. What a wonderful and diverse audience of about 60 people! I just had a blast playing my songs for them and showing off the bus at the break. A great night! Love to go back soon! Out of Albuquerque I went eastbound on the 40 into Amarillo, Texas to FriendZ Bar & Grill. The owner Chuck was so much fun and he has definitely made a cool scene there with lots of folks showin up and lovin the show, even on a wild card Tuesday night. Chuck decided he couldn’t live without the Luna Muse Acoustic Bass I had with me and now is a properly stocked bass player. I think every bass player should have at least one acoustic bass. So, he was a happy man and an amazing host with a very cool crew keeping things working there! After several whiskeys with the gang there, I slept there in the bus for the night and headed on to Oklahoma City. About 50 miles east of Amarillo, with nothing much else around, I stopped to visit the humungous cross on the side of the road. Standing 19 stories high, it’s surrounded by the “Stations of the Cross”, incredible bronze sculptures by Mickey Reed that are definitely worth the stop. The ladies in the gift shop were nice and I bought a couple postcards headed on. From there on, it was flat, flat, flat. Had been since Albuquerque but I was really noticing it now. Oklahoma gets greener and greener as you head east and soon the interstate was surrounded by cool water bodies speckling the landscape. I spent the night at a casino just outside of OKC and the next morning headed in. I played Wednesday night at Full Circle Books, a very cool bookstore with beautiful wood bookcases with ladders on rollers and a small café space at the back. It’s in an unlikely spot in a large, partly empty, very modern mall. The crowd was slim as it was a Weds. Which was not their normal music night but the people there browsing gave me smiles and thumbs up. Dana, the manager paid me generously and Shellsea fed me a fresh healthy soup and salad from the café. It was just what I needed. I parked at Wal-Mart for the night and the next day visited the Oklahoma City National Memorial at the site of the former Murrah building downtown near Bricktown. I spent about an hour there and walked through the memorial looking at pictures and video, audio recordings that caught the explosion on cassette tape that was keeping record of a water department meeting. The memorial has rows of chairs, each one representing one of the 168 lives lost that day including 19 children. On April 19, 2000, the Oklahoma City National Memorial was dedicated on the site of the Murrah Federal Building, commemorating the victims of the bombing. Thursday the 7th of October I headed south to Norman to play a house concert hosted by a local musician and student of U of Oklahoma. I was grateful to have a quick visit with an old friend from Humboldt named Sean O’Neil and have the chance to meet his wife Misha and his son Theo. They couldn’t make the house concert but I was proud to know that some of the guys at the house concert were actually in his class as he teaches anthropology among other things at the University. An amazing musician himself, he showed me the instruments he has started making and he is certainly a meticulous luthier as well. The house concert was small as it was a school night but I met several really great folks and left there with a smile on my face and an all over good opinion of the people of Oklahoma. From OKC east, it just gets prettier! As I traveled east toward Fort Smith, Arkansas, I crossed over Lake Eufaula and the big state park there. Done with the dry dusty plains and on with lush, green land and more tall trees, meaning more shade, me likey. I turned north at Fort Smith and after stopping for a nap under some of these very trees, decided to spend the night at an RV camp about halfway between Fayetteville and my destination Eureka Springs. After speaking with Esther, the nice lady who owns Pilgrim’s Rest RV Park in yep, Pilgrim’s Rest, AR, I pulled in there as the sun went down, got plugged in and after checking email, took a nice warm shower and did some picking up and organizing in the bus. The next morning I went and paid my fee and had a nice visit with Esther and her daughter over a cup of coffee and a smoke. The property was just breathtaking and alive with the sounds of all the wildlife around. I played my three favorite new songs for them, said thank you, did laundry, dumped the holding tanks and other chores I hadn’t finished and headed out feeling fresh and rested. I arrived in Eureka Springs coming through the middle of town, a town all together too small for big Patience. But I carefully wound through it’s streets to Mill Hollow Road and The Studio of Lorna and Craig Trigg Hirsch, Fire Om Earth , my very colorful hosts for the night’s house concert. This land and these people are magical! They make incredible ceramic flutes and drums and offer all kinds of special musical events, classes and spiritual retreats. The weather was just beautiful and after relaxing in the bus, tucked underneath a canopy of trees, I was ready for the night. A small group of about a dozen made it to the show as the health fair had conflicted for many of the regulars, but we all had a wonderful time and my reception was just so sweet. A little afterparty in the bus and I slept like a baby that night. Heaven on earth for sure and it reflects brightly in the couple that keep the dream alive there. The next day was a Sunday and Lorna gave me a lift into town where I played at the 1905 Basin Park Hotel on a balcony looking over the street and Basin Park. I booked two sets there that day from 12-3p and then 5-8p and had a great time meeting lots of different people throughout the day, mostly tourists, actually all tourists, like me. Lots of bikes as it’s really nice riding all around that part of the country. I made some fine connections with people there that day and had a good time playing for them high above the streets at the Balcony Bar & Grill. My friend Michelle’s aunt Karen and uncle Tom live just outside of Eureka Springs and Karen responsible for my interest in visiting Eureka after we met at Michelle’s graduation from Brooks. She was the one who insisted Eureka Springs would love me and connected me with Craig & Lorna. After seeing her at the house concert, we made a plan for adventure and decided to do some sightseeing around town and spend the day. We headed out and had veggie grits at the Mud Café in what the locals call "Underground Eureka". This building, built in 1888, had one of the many springs running underneath it, consistently flooding and eventually turning the first level into a basement with a huge, turn of the century bar with beveled mirrors as the showpiece of the room. We took a drive around town and I took pictures with my camera phone and we wound up at Onyx Cave taking a self guided tour through the easy cave with earphones on our heads narrating the tour. It was nice and cool in the cave and I was lovin it! Like being on another planet, the whole environment was different and the formations suggested shapes of animals, growing in handfuls of different formations. Water dripped from the stalactites, a testimony to a live cave and I couldn’t help but think it’d be a great place to play music in those the cool acoustics and we had the cave all to ourselves! Maybe next time… Then we visited the 1886 Crescent Hotel, on the list of most haunted places in the country, and looked around at the opulence of the luxurious resort and all its historical gems. The basement houses what used to be a morgue, rumored to have very active spiritual energies and bringing paranormal investigators from all over the world. Off to the Doggie Thrift Store benefiting the Good Shepherd Humane Society where I found my prize of the trip. We found a folding, nursing rocker, carved wood with a rose on the back behind the head that I could not resist. Double layered cane is in almost perfect shape and Karen got the price from $75 to $50 and I took it back to the bus with me. Happy! Stopped by Karens house and sat for a sandwich and a smoke with Tom and of course, some dog energy (I get it when I can). I hope to return to Eureka Springs, I had no idea how beautiful that part of the country is! Back on the road for Dallas that afternoon I drove til I was ready to stop, backtracking back to Oklahoma City, sticking to the interstates as I had started having some overheating issues and wanted to stay near civilization. I drove south on the 35 to Dallas and arrived at the Fisher House, a family housing unit at the VA Hospital playing a set for a handful of mothers, daughters and wives that had gathered to share some good BBQ. I had planned on leaving that night to get back on the road but they all advised me that it was not a good place to have bus trouble, so I waited til daylight before heading out. I was sure that I had issues with my belt or possibly my thermostat and just needed to get to Bear Creek where my friend Jess owns a roadhouse and lives on family property right at the edge of Sam Houston National Forest. Drove all day on eggshells, trying to figure out what was causing it to heat up and then cool so quick. Practicing patience, I made it to Backwoods Bar & Grill at about 4p and into the arms of one of my oldest friends. Jessica took me to my first Grateful Dead show back in 1990 and although she’s been all over the world and I was wandering all over the country, we kept in touch and have a very special friendship because of it. I am so proud of her! There's a lot to say about Backwoods and I still have one more leg of the trip that I've got to record but for tonight, I'm done.

The first leg of my fall tour - NV, UT and CO

Sat, 09 Oct 2010 21:09:02 GMT

Thursday September 30th, 2010 – Chama New Mexico

Well, today marks 13 days on the road and since I was born on the 13th day of November, thought I’d take the night off at an RV park in Chama, NM. I wish I was better at journaling, it is certainly a gift some people have but I have never been very good at keeping a diary of my time. In fact, I rarely take pictures and wish I took more photos of the amazing souls I get to encounter in my travels. It’s all fodder for songwriting I think.

I started out the trip heading for Las Vegas, not realizing the steepness of the grade taking me there on Hwy 15. Drove on Thursday night til my eyes were crossing and pulled into a truck stop to sleep. Arrived at the Floyd Lamb Park just in time for the Farmer’s Market run by Steve & Ginger Johnson on Saturday Morning. Had a great time under the trees which helped me survive the heat. Made new friends Stella & Kelly Jo and bought a few beautiful glass beads from Craig & Cindy.

Saturday night I played Garage-Ma-Hall a music series hosted by Richard & Betty Stewart. They have turned a back garage space into an incredible music venue with a full stage complete with lighting rigs. The walls are covered with music memorabilia and I am honored to have my poster hanging up among so many of my artist friends who I have respected for years. One of their daughters Debbie spent some time with us and we sipped whiskey and chatted into the wee hours. On Sunday, I got some errands and a little gambling done and had the day off browsing thrift stores and casinos til it cooled off. Monday night I had made plans to play at Borders Books to a group of twelve people with their backs to me and their noses in books. I realize that Monday wasn’t a regular night for music there and thinking about all my friends at the Furthur shows in Santa Barbara that night made me even cry a little during a song. I pulled myself through it like a pro and even made a couple of new friends like Ferdie there in LV that night. Tuesday afternoon I played the LV Farmers Market again, tis time at Gardens Park in the SW part of Vegas. The wind ripped the cover off of the vent in the back bedroom but calmed down in time for the market. Las Vegas was good to me, a wonderful visit and wonderful folks! Thank you all!

I left the park Tues at 9pm to find my friends at the Hard Rock Hotel as they were coming into town for the Furthur show. Furthur is the newest project led by Grateful Dead Legends Bob Weir and Phil Lesh (in a nutshell) We wound up with a group of like 22 heads from Ventura and celebrated Lisbet’s 40th birthday in style! I fell asleep and missed the Hummer Limo ride before the show and they all figured I needed the rest. They were right. The show that night was incredible and we all had a real good time, I even saw a long lost friend that somehow I knew I’d run into there after like 12 years. I busted out a tiny ice cream cake I had in the freezer for after the show and we sang that Happy Birthday song as the girls blew out the rainbow flame candles I had found at the store. Yes, the flames were different colors. Look into it. Gray was also celebrating her birthday and I gotta say she was such a sport, getting on the plane at like 5am the next morning to be at school in Santa Cruz by 10? Go get em Gray! ;) So I leave Las Vegas, contented and grateful to have survived the heat.

Headed east into Utah I got a late start out of Vegas and then hit traffic due to an accident so waited on the 15 for an extra hour in the heat. Fatigue set in after we started moving again and as is the rule, no driving the bus with my eyes closed. Mostly uphill on that leg of the trip, after a quick nap I realized there was no way I could make it to Mystic Hot Springs in Monroe that night. Total bummer. It happens. So onward into Provo! Great time at ABG’s in Provo, Dane who manages the place was amazing and met up with Jessica, a friend from home who surprised me by walkin through the door. So nice to have a familiar face in a strange place. People were digging the Rachel show and we had a really fun night. We spent the next day in the Uinta Nat’l Forest and were unable to get tickets to see the Timpanogos Caves as it was free day in the park and it was jammed with people. So we took a nice drive and ended up at a spot called Cascade Springs which was beautiful. We kissed goodbye, I was headed into Salt Lake and Jessica was moving on into Yellowstone on her journey. Fare thee well my friend, see you back by the beach.

I pulled the bus into the neighbor’s driveway which caused a bit of commotion but finally landed in a nice shade spot at my next venue, Magpie Houseconcerts in SLC. Grant and Laurel are an amazing team and it was such a joy to get some time to get to know them. We had a wonderful night of music and then spent some time at breakfast and a little thrift store shopping, my favorite pastime. What a great couple these two are! Also was wonderful to see my friend Alicia McGovern, a singer/songwriter friend who lives there in SLC as well. Played the People’s Market on Sunday and ran into a woman I had met briefly on my 2006 tour in Billings, MT while getting my nails done. Small world. I guess I get around after all.

I headed south then and into Arches National park on Monday and was thankful to finally be out of the heat on the road although it was plenty warm when I got to Arches. Amazing rock formations there that can almost convince you that you’re on another planet. Love that. Then I made what was a very good call and decided to see Mesa Verde National Park. Hadn’t really planned on it and didn’t know much about it but decided since I was there to spend the gas money and see the park. At Mesa Verde I saw and stood on the same spot as ancient ones of over 800 years ago. They built cliff dwellings that were incredibly advanced, some having up to 200 rooms along with cooking areas and ceremonial kivas. It was definitely an experience I am thrilled I did not miss. Wow!

So, today is now Friday, October 01, 2010 and I am headed for Santa Fe for a little dinner and song at Anita’s, a friend of some of my friends from San Luis Obispo and Live Oak Music Festival. Dave-O had sent along my email and she called me. I’ll have a nice chance to hang out, play some music and have a great dinner as til a week ago, I hadn’t been able to book that Friday night. Really looking forward to it. Then I’ll be playing in Albuquerque on Saturday and Monday night, taking Sunday in the hopes of checking out the hot air balloon festival that’s happening this weekend and the following week before I head across the Texas panhandle and into Oklahoma.

That’s the long and short of it for now. I will pipe in sometime next week.

"Dinner and Song"

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 00:22:18 GMT

Fran Snyder who founded ConcertsInYourHome.com wrote to me today with an exciting new concept to stir up some hometown, weeknight support while on the road. "Dinner and Song" is a fabulous and really cool idea that I see as a win/win/win!!! Here's how he described it on his blog:

Brief, relaxing dinner gatherings that feature music and conversation with a traveling artist. The host gathers 6-10 attendees for a low-effort dinner, followed by a short, unplugged concert in the living room. Attendees donate $5-10 each for the artist and also have the opportunity to purchase CDs after the performance.

The host provides dinner and overnight lodging (guest room, etc.) for the artist. The artist delivers a personal, up-close performance for the lucky guests, as well as good vibes and points of conversation for the evening.

Dinner and Song is perfect for you if:
1.you love the idea of house concerts but feel your space or number of friends is too small.
2.you’d like to have dinner parties but need a “Wow!” reason to do it.
3.you’d like to support traveling musicians and see them perform in a special environment - your house.

These events are designed to minimize setup and preparation, so that you can have a wonderful, low-stress event on a weeknight - lasting only 90 minutes from start to finish.

I would love to try this out on this upcoming tour and do have some weeknight dates still unspoken for. Let me know if you might like to see me for "Dinner and Song" at your house, I'll be there with bells on. Write to me at rachel@rachelsedacca.com

A letter regarding medical cannabis

Sat, 31 Jul 2010 00:21:17 GMT

Here is a copy of a letter I sent to a physician's assistant based in Fresno that took part in a presentation breakfast I attended last Saturday 6/24/10 in Santa Barbara. It was hosted by the drug company that makes Copaxone, the daily injectable therapy I am currently on for Multiple Sclerosis. Thought I'd share it with you.

Mr. Baker-
It was great to meet you at the Shared Solutions meeting in Santa Barbara, I was pleased to gain a better understanding of the way my copaxone is working for me in my fight against MS, good job! I was glad I attended, thank you. I was concerned that you weren't more familiar with the benefits of medical cannabis in the treatment of symptoms related to MS. Over the years I have spoken with many MS patients of different ages and had worked to get the California Compassionate Use Act on the ballot, which was enacted by the voters and took effect on Nov. 6, 1996. This was long before my own diagnosis of MS in 2005 after a second incident of blindness due to a lesion on the brain.

On the subject of research, as I said there has been extensive research done over the years and yes, as you said, most of it has been done outside the US. This is not to say that we haven't done research here, it has just not been recognized by Health and Human Services. In 1970, the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act was passed, including the Controlled Substances Act, and two federal agencies, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Food and Drug Administration classified marijuana as a schedule 1 drug (reserved for the most dangerous drugs that have no recognized medical use). As we know, federal agencies are loathe to change. There is an inexhaustible list of patient stories to be heard and

Americans for Safe Access (ASA) is the largest national member-based organization of patients, medical professionals, scientists and concerned citizens promoting safe and legal access to cannabis for therapeutic use and research. ASA works to overcome political and legal barriers by creating policies that improve access to medical cannabis for patients and researchers through legislation, education, litigation, grassroots actions, advocacy and services for patients and the caregivers. ASA has over 30,000 active members with chapters and affiliates in more than 40 states.

Please take the time to explore this wonderful resource of information as they have downloadable pdf files of booklets the group has published for specific conditions and findings regarding the therapeutic uses of medical cannabis. http://www.safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4558

Here's an except that I find particularly interesting.
"A 2003 study that the American MS Society calls "interesting and potentially exciting" demonstrated that cannabinoids were able to slow the disease process in mice by offering neuroprotection against EAE(experimental allergic encephalomyelitits). After analyzing the findings, authors at London's Institute of Neurology concluded, "In addition to symptom management, cannabis may also slow down the neurodegenerative processes that ultimately lead to chronic disability in multiple sclerosis and probably other diseases."
(All notes and sources are available on the website http://www.safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=4558#research)

As a regular marijuana smoker for over 20 years, I truly believe that I have benefited from it's use in the suppression of the auto immune attacks that can be so crippling. Having done my own research and also having spoken with hundreds of other patients with a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis I find that I am doing incredibly well compared with others my age, looking at number of attacks, severity and also degree of remission.

Marijuana use seems to be the one factor I can single out that sets me apart from so many others and, I expect, is responsible for my continuing good health. I hope to share what I have learned and pass information on to those who work in the medical field as I believe that the medical community truly does want to help people relieve their suffering and gain a better quality of life.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this and hope you will share and discuss with your colleagues as well.
Thank you for your time,

Rachel Sedacca

--
Rachel Sedacca http://www.rachelsedacca.com
Soulful, Bluesy Americana
Award winning songwriter & Luna Guitars Artist
Ventura County, CA