In preparing for the arduous bus ride (and to attend my sister’s wedding), I drove my un-air-conditioned boat of a car from Greensboro to the approximate middle of this country last week.  1500 miles round trip.  A bout of restless leg syndrome. Sing-a-longs with an antiquated collection of cassette tapes.  (Namely The King and I soundtrack and an obscure Dan Fogelberg album.)  It wasn’t unbearable, but I believe body conditioning of the static variety should take a high priority in our last two weeks before departing.

Both Ian and I are continuing to work on the bus and the itinerary.  Struggle on both ends.  It seems that there are some mechanical complications with the vehicle, primarily pertaining to the WVO system.  At the other end of the spectrum, I’ve struck a dense network of red pipelines to navigate in order to receive a permit for occupying public spaces.  Part of the problem is the height of the tents (15-22 feet), which towers over the standard 10 foot allotment.  The other part remains ambiguous, but I’ve been told by officials that they haven’t had a proposal like this before, and I’ve concluded that we’ll just have to avoid using land under the tight control of  intricate government systems.  But not to be a downer, because I’m not.

We’ve been greeted with heaps of luck and punctuated proclamations from welcoming arms.  For example:  4th of July weekend we’ll be in City Park, New Orleans and have a smaller cluster of tipis at The Front Gallery.  And from there we’ll find ourselves in Austin, Texas, where we’re partnering with Austin Green Art and the MASS Gallery.  I am very excited, in the plainest of terms. (!!!)

In other news:

1.  Ian and I are having a bamboo roast in his field this Sunday.  We still have a few sets to cure before the trip.  All are welcome.  (This is also my birthday, so the event will double as an excuse to eat cake.)  Camping, roasting, aging, sweating over a very large open fire pit.  A “birthboo.” What more could one want?   Except a donut. (!)

2.  I love donuts.  This is a recent discovery of mine.  I’m thinking about adding a donut hunt to tipi tour, which would give me permission to have a few in each destination.  Also, if you’re ever in the South Elm neighborhood, please bring a dozen or two over to Elsewhere.

3.  We’re still looking for in-kind donations, particularly of the solar-panel kind.  We’re not sure it’s an asset we can afford, but we would definitely be grateful recipients of such items.  Contact ian@plasticparade.org for specifications or if you have any ideas to offer.

4.  Dinner is ready.

(Greensboro, Center City Park, Earth Day 2009)

My fingers are cranky, knuckles numb.  As I exercise these underused phalanges, I realize the process of getting them back into shape won’t be long in coming.  In fact, I could potentially beef up these atrophied muscles today.  Dear friends, we have to catch up.

But in an effort to prevent information overload, and allow these digits to develop at a healthy rate, I’ll control myself and allow this story to unfurl at a digestible pace.

I suppose the most pertinent of announcements is the release of our official tour itinerary.  (Geographically speaking.)  Please visit the events page for dates and locations.  If you live in or near or simply like any of these places, we’d love to see you.  To meet you.  To play and ponder with you.  I can’t wait.

Another announcement topic includes bus development.

1.  Ian found a bird’s nest tucked into a front corner of the vehicle.  We were concerned with disturbing this maternal process, but also realized we can’t have pets on this trip.  Because he has a tender heart, Ian built a house for her and her nest on a nearby bus window, hoping to transition the bird back into nature.  But this move seemingly was too abrupt and we haven’t seen her since.  I feel odd about displacing the bird; but at the same time, it wouldn’t been cruel to continue bus rehab with a resting family on site.

2.  Speaking of reconstruction, Bertha’s getting a make-over.  The acquisition of new tires for Bertha/Barnabus (the bus) will certainly make our ride smoother.   And we now have a roof-top rack that extends the length of the bus.  Which means we have a lot of storage space to compensate for lack of space inside the bus.  After many moments of dispute, we’ve determined that our tipi poles have to be situated indoors for myriad reasons.  I really opposed this occupation of space, but I had to relinquish up my emotional, space-needing side to logic.  Ian pointed out to me that our bundles of poles, 17 apiece, weigh about 100 pounds.  And the process of removing them from the roof and replacing them on the roof every 2 days is not a smart idea.  Besides the (more) backbreaking labor that method would institute, he explained that our poles will weather faster and should our rack burst, we might take out some cars and their passengers on the road.  Safety is number 1 in my book.  That’s all I needed to hear.

3.  We’ve been collecting buckets of WVO from local restaurants in Greensboro.  I was really hoping Krispy Kreme fried their donuts in oil, because any opportunity to get a doughnut is a golden one in my mind.  (Alas, shortening will prevent bi-weekly fill-ups.  On fuel.  And doughnuts.) Conversion underway.

4.  Ian has a beard.

5.  Sarah got a haircut.

6.  It’s raining.