Local Band Tour Diary: Update 6

[Chaz Prymek Tour] After Chico we headed up for Arcata, we got so close and it turned out the forest was alive and on fire, so we had to turn around and take a 5 hour detour. Thank goodness our schedule isn't as grueling as some bands tend to organize. I say day off every other day. So we took our detour and plowed throught the beautiful and smokey mountains till we hit the coast again. It always feels good to "hit" the coast. Refreshing air, your lungs love you, your eyes love you, your spirit always soars. All good things come from the coast.

We drove through Eureka and finally made it to Arcata. Garrick used to live here, so he was my tour guide, and what a wonderful place it is. A small port-esque town with hippies, super chillers, and bros running amuck. We wandered the town quietly and eventually made our way to the beach to find a good spot to crash, made a small fire and did our best to avoid the local law enforcement.

The morning was a delight to wake up covered in sand next to your best friend on a beach in a town you've never been to, only to be invited in for breakfast from some fellow travelers, Cosmo and Love. We took our sweet time and headed up to the Redwoods. I'd never seen anything like it, I finally truly understood why all those people tie themselves to these things, they are some of the most pure, beautiful, enormously wonderous things I've ever seen. I felt like I was on Endor. It really put me in check as to how insignificant I am as a single being. I'm nothing compared to these trees and the lush life around them. These trees know a wisdom that no human will ever know, but if you listen close enough and are open, they will share it with you.

We got back to town and played at Big Pete's Pizza. It was cool and we got some free pizza. Everyone in Arcata that we ran into was super generous and into the best music. Thanks Arcata. After the show we drove to this spot where we had learned was free camping, met some groovy couple (the parents of Justin Gordon, who is currently on tour with The Avett Bros....woah) and they were so kind. We crashed under a tree to keep us as dry as we could get. With the sounds of the ocean below us, seals around us, the redwoods right behind us, the eclipse just over head, we slept like gods.

We headed up towards Eugene, Or where our next show was. The night was long and we had alot of trouble finding a legit camping spot that wasn't near a creek a creek with names like JumpOff Joe Creek, or Butcher's Knife River, Slathe Lake, I mean, who thought it was a good idea to name it those things. That whole area had the biggest "Deliverance" vibe going on, so we headed further away. We found a spot and were met with the two kindest ex addicts there ever was. They gave us fresh fish, firewood, home-grown veggies, coffee in the morning, and bought a few CDs. What Luck.

Off to Eugene! (Chaz Prymek)