=======================================================================================

Entry Seven: a summary of events from July 29 through July 31, 2004

Dearest Tour Diary,

You have been neglected. It has been over two weeks since my thoughts have been transferred into your being. Much has happened. Our adventures continue as time erodes the days that we have left to live freely and rock in harmony.

After much ado in St. Louis, we ventured back to Kankakee to the McLaren residence, and we partied hard in celebration of Kelsey's 16th birthday. The Democratic Convention was on the television as we read recipe after recipe for savory and unsavory ice creams. My favourite was beet sorbet. Imagine a cold borscht-like flavor with a creamy texture served over pastrami and hams and salamis. Yes, dear readers, the recipe recommended the sorbet be served over cold cuts. Gourmet!

The following day we ventured to play a double header in the rocking city of Cleveland. All opponents of rock were awed at the performances that graced dear Cleveland that day.

Immediately upon arrival in the fair city, the Shaker Heights Library wisely allied itself with the unreckoned force of wizard rockers. They graciously offered the center of their library as a fountain from which rock would pour forth in great volumes. All rockers and librarians rejoiced at this offering. The alliance was sealed.

Next to be rocked was Mac's Back's Bookstore. We rocked the very foundation of the store for the show and all sonic discharge was held in the basement surrounded by hardcovers and softcovers. There were also hard-rockers, but no one that night was a soft-rocker. The rock united the readers and rockers into an entity so powerful that it matched the forces of the gods. And we are dually familiar with the rocking force of the gods.

After the bookstore's foundation was rocked, we got a bite to eat in the restaurant next door. Falafel was consumed with might.

The next day was the last of July. We ventured towards Altoona, Pennsylvania to rock the last library of the month. It rained during our journey. It was as if the gods were weeping for the absence of rock that would fill the world once our tour had halted. Those gods really need something else to worry about.

We arrived in Altoona to a hero's welcome from the local Potter Posse. We received many gifts from the Posse and dear people of Altoona, but we gave only one. It was the gift of rock, and many consider this to be the greatest gift of all.

We were pointed in the direction of Sheets, the Disney World of convenient stores. Yes. This was ULITMATE! Like so many other places on this trip, Sheets reminded me of Back to the Future Part II. The menus were computers and we could only order through these digital waiters. There were robots going around on the floor to deliver food and every time the robot came to your table was always very polite and asked if there was anything else that we needed. He said he wasn't very good with English so we'd have to order through a computer again. But he was one polite robot.
After the future, we decided to go home and put a stop to the destruction and havoc that pretty much destroyed the nation during our 31 days absence from Boston. And thus the destruction stopped - at least for a few days anyway…

Number of Shows: 30
Number of Libraries Destroyed: 10
Number of Miles on the Potter Mobile: 9,220

-Joe 08.15.04