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Van Trailin': This Past Wkd in NC & VA
Mon., Apr. 30. 2007 8:43am EDT
If you've been following our van saga over the past few years, you know all about "Van Ailin'" ... but what about "Van Trailin'"? Aren't you glad we're getting ready to start traveling by bus soon, so we can ditch all the Van Halen puns?
Might as well jump in and finish what we started, though: Our trailer ran over a curb, bent its rim, and went flat tire early Friday afternoon on its way to concerts this past weekend in Moyock NC (Friday), Franklin NC (Saturday), and Dinwiddie VA (Sunday).
Finding the right tools and replacement parts took quite a bit of time, and so we didn't make it to the venue until it was time to do the show. However, we'd been in touch with the promoter, and he assembled a pit crew who helped us get things rolling quickly. The audience were patient and understanding, and although the show started late, it went off without a hitch ... aside from the one that connected the trailer to the van, of course. :)
Not to be outdone by the trailer, the van started ailin' on Friday, too, and we ain't talkin' 'bout lug nuts. Although the van had just returned from getting a new transmission, the engine was misfiring occasionally, and we had our typical lack of power on the hills of North Carolina and Virginia as we struggled to keep the van from overheating.
Then, on Sunday morning, when Keith "Holy Driver" Haynie started the van, the Terrible Van sprayed all of its transmission fluid all over the parking lot (Check the Dinwiddie, VA pictures on the concert page.). Thankfully, our hotel was located within a few hundred yards of both an Auto Zone store and an Advance Auto Parts store. Unfortunately, neither opened till 9 a.m., and we'd met at 7 a.m. in order to make it on time to the show in Dinwiddie.
Providence prevailed, however, because ApologetiX superfan father-and-daughter team Rich and Marie Polick drove us to the local Wal-Mart to get the necessary part. And down the road we went.
Between vehicular hindrances, we played three concerts to amply appreciative audiences.
Saturday's concert in Franklin NC, the "gem capital of the world," was a benefit concert for Daniel Tomberlin, a local five year old who is battling Neuroblastoma Cancer. Daniel and his mother are currently living in Memphis TN to be near his doctors and treatments at St Jude Children's Hospital. Meanwhile, Daniel's dad and sister remain in Franklin to pay the many bills that are accumulating. They attended the concert, as did Daniel's aunt and cousin. For more about Daniel, please go to:
http://www.caringbridge.org/cb/inputSiteName.do?method=search&siteName=danieltomberlin
Sunday's attendees included, Barry Will, the winner of our recent iPod Nano contest.
Special thanks to:
Our concert coordinators: David Pippin (Moyock), Tim & Candy McSween (Franklin), and Angela Burke (Dinwiddie).
Our merchandise coordinators: Jenn (Moyock, Franklin, and Dinwiddie); Teresa and Tasha (Moyock); Marie, Julie, Allison, and Kelsa (Franklin); and Alexis and Britney (Dinwiddie).
Honorable mention to: Jenn "Superchick" Kipp, who came to all three concerts, and has now seen us in 10 states and one province. Also, to Rich and Marie Polick, who on Saturday made their third ApologetiX road trip from Pittsburgh to North Carolina in five months. They also surprised our drummer, Jimmy "Vegas" Tanner, by bringing his teenage daughter, Julie, along.
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