The Stars At Night Are Big And Bright . . .

"Deep within my heart lies a melody,
A song of old San Antone.
Where in dreams I live with a memory,
Beneath the stars, all alone."

-Bob Wills



Wide - Open - Spaces-- spread out before us in an endless, unbroken vista, as we sped down I=20 across the border into the great state of Texas. Immediately after crossing the state line, Brent looked out the window exclaiming: "WOW! Everything really is bigger in Texas!" Though his enthusiasm might have temporarily overshadowed his judgment (there really wasn't anything to see yet), it was a great way to start our adventures in Tejas.

The first thing we noticed was that the roads improved considerably and there was a huge presence of Texas flags flying everywhere. The ever-observant Nate Beckman pointed out that the Texas flag was flying at the same height as the American flag, which was not supposed to be allowed . . . until Erin informed him that Texas had been a sovereign nation for 13 years, and therefore was the only state in the union with the right to fly their colors on par with Old Glory. This was the first of many fun Texas facts to be tossed about over the next week.

Our first stop was Abilene, which proved to be a perfect introduction to classic Texan culture. That night Brent and Meg got dressed to the nines and made a trip out to Guitars and Cadillacs, a true honky-tonk dance hall that Brent had read about somewhere and was dying to experience. It proved to be everything he had hoped for and more. It was a large club, filled with people of all ages, many decked out in wranglers, Cowboy boots and steamed Stetsons. They learned how to line dance, and an enterprising Cowboy put Meg through the paces on the dance floor, twirling and two-stepping her with wild abandon. Brent held his own as well, showing the cowboys a few urban moves whenever an R&B track was played. At two-o'clock it was last call, and the speakers blared Dwight Yoakum's Guitars & Cadillacs, from whence the building took its name. Meg and Brent returned bedazzled by the sights and sounds, convinced it was the coolest and most unique night out on tour so far.

Abilene also began my homecoming, as I had family and friends lined up all over Texas to visit while we were there. My aunt and uncle took Brent and I out to dinner Sunday night, treating us to the very best of Texan delicacies. I had an exquisite 10 oz Rib eye while Brent experienced jalapeño poppers and chicken fried steak for the first time. Delicious!

The next morning we played at the Abilene Civic Center, which had by far the most incredible green room any of us had ever seen. Normally the green room is a small affair, with a fridge and a coffee pot, maybe a couch or two. This one was enormous, and furnished like a cattle baron's living room. It had huge paintings of the Texas prairie, a table made out of a wagon wheel, leather recliners, sofas and a giant oak conference table. Not a bad way to start the day.

That afternoon we were headed to Lubbock, Tx. I was at the wheel, an honor I had claimed months ago back in Boston. In the navigator's seat was Erin Whipkey, who had also grown up in Lubbock (strangely enough). As I guided us down the highway, the familiar sights were also interspersed with some new ones, the most notable of which was the huge amount of wind turbines along the highway outside of Abilene. We had been told that the top portion of a large wind farm (the largest in the world as a matter of fact) had recently been completed, and you could see hundreds of the gigantic turbines atop the hills for miles.

As we approached Post, Tx I pulled off for detour to a little cemetery that I knew about, with an incredibly scenic view. Its perched on a bluff overlooking a limitless prairie landscape, a sight that did not fail to impress my fellow travelers.



That evening we arrived at my parent's house in Lubbock, for an evening of merrymaking. The house was filled with friends and family, as well as a veritable cornucopia of culinary delights. The gang fell to, feasting on my mom's famous pork ribs, beef brisket, and myriad other delicacies while I made the rounds catching up with many people I hadn't seen in ages. The evening culminated with an impromptu ping-pong tournament in the game room, and a stately march of desserts, each more exciting than the last. When, finally the guest had left and my fellow actors headed back to the hotel, snuggled in for a night in my own bed. Mmmmmmmm!

The next morning we played the municipal auditorium. After the performance I came out to see my junior high theater teacher Karen Ray, who had attended with 100 of her students. I talked to them briefly and then to another friend, Liz Wilson, who was now a teacher in Amarillo and had brought four of her students down as well. After load out, we all went out to lunch with my parents as well as Kate's parents who had driven in from Santa Fe to see the show. Bread was broken once again, and finally we took our leave of family and friends, back to the open road.

The day's destination was Wichita Falls, Tx, and the drive was remarkable only in its absence of civilization. The wind-swept grasslands of north-central Texas opened around us as we made our way eastward.

The next morning got started off with a bang (literally) as the truck blew a tire on our way to the venue. Luckily Ryder was extremely expedient in repairing the wheel, and had someone there working on it before we finished loading in. That job was made especially interesting by the presence of a three-story outdoor loading elevator which we had to use to transport the set up to the stage space.

Once we had negotiated the elevator, the performance, and the elevator again, we loaded up and breezed down to Cattle town, USA: Fort Worth, Texas.

That night, after settling in to the hotel and getting ourselves spruced up for an evening out, we met up with Erin's friend Clarissa and checked out downtown Fort Worth. First we had to stuff ourselves in to Clarissa's two-door (so that we could make it downtown into the parking garage. Sadly, Matilda was just too ungainly), which made for an interesting ride:





We enjoyed the sights of the lovely Sundance Square, especially the marvelous alabaster angels that adorn the Bass Performance Hall. The Flying Saucer, and its selection of over 100 beers, awaited us. Meg remarked how wonderful it was to be in a proper city again, with all the amenities, and we all had to agree.

The next morning we played the Will Rogers Theater and then headed back out on the highway, bearing south towards San Antonio. We were all excited about the weekend in SA, especially Meg who's best friend was coming to see her, and also happens to be named Meg (strange?). After performing at Trinity University Friday morning, Meg went off with Meg (confused yet?) for the weekend, and we all prepared to hit the Riverwalk. We arrived downtown where we met up with my cousin Kelcey who's currently in dental school in SA, and proceeded to amuse ourselves among the enchanting environs of the Riverwalk: a stretch of restaurants, bars and shops laid out along the San Antonio river, flourishing with greenery of all kinds and elegantly lighted for nighttime enjoyment. We ate at the County Line restaurant, where we had the most AMAZING barbecue of all time. Tender turkey cutlets, excellent sausage, and killer ribs in awe-inspiring quantity. Brent couldn't restrain himself and went wild on the pork ribs, double fisting and wallowing in the tender juicy goodness.



By the next morning everyone was a big fan of San Antonio, and it was time for a little history and more sites, as we headed to the Alamo. Wandering the grounds of the historic mission, we all learned a little Texas history, while Erin, Nate and I then headed to the IMAX to see The Alamo: The Price of Freedom.



This was a fun little dramatized documentary about the Alamo's history. Afterwards, the gang took in the sights of the Ripley's Believe It Or Not Wax Museum.



It was a beautiful day, and we continued to stroll the downtown area, taking in the Texas scenery and enjoying the weather. That night sitting poolside at the hotel, we fought off the unexpected chill with Margaritas, and talked into the night.

Next morning, Sunday, we loaded up once again and reluctantly prepared to take our leave of San Antonio. Meg bid Meg farewell (Freud anyone?), and we rode out of town, headed for Carthage, Tx, in the eastern hinterlands. The drive ahead was long, and as the road opened up our minds were dancing with the magical weekend we had left behind us. Brent turned to me in the car and said: "Brian, I'm really smitten with your state. I never knew its really like its own little country." I couldn't agree more.

-ICHABOD