WARSHINGTON Trip, July 25-28, 2003
It all started at 2 am, EDT, on Thursday at Jen’s house. That was the time that the Limo was
picking us up at. Yes, I did say Limo. You try and get a ride off this dang island in the wee hours of the
morning so that you can catch your 6 AM flight out of Newark, New Jersey. Since we were going first
class, at least the first leg of the journey anyway, we figured why not enjoy a bottle of champagne during
our ride to Newark Airport. The bottle was to be shared, but Jen seemed to enjoy drinking it on her own.
By the time we reached cruising altitude, the pilot told us that we should arrive in Houston (our one-hour
layover) about 5-minutes early. Unfortunately, by the time we landed in Houston, we were over 30-minutes
late. We had to run to make our connection and naturally we landed at one terminal, and we were departing
from another. I was so worried we would miss our connection and not be able to pick up the PVB by 5PM
as scheduled. Luckily another plane coming from RDU had about 50 passengers that were making the same
connection and us. They landed in Houston just after us. That plane was not taking off without 52 of its
passengers. What a re-scheduling nightmare that would have been for the airline.
Now, I could go on about how much fun we had. Trust me, we had an excellent time. We definitely need
to rent one of those things again. It was just great getting to hang out with friends who live so far away
from each other. We talk everyday, if not by phone, through the PC. It’s amazing how close we have
all become, and it was very sad leaving. Washington is a beautiful state, from the sky and from the ground.
It was really worth flying all the way across the country to meet up with good friends, renting the RV and
driving to the two shows and to the Pacific Ocean.
All the pictures I’ve seen of the gorge don’t really do it justice. I took almost as many pictures of
the view there as I did of KC’s blue star guitar. Kenny finished his set at the Gorge just as the sun was
getting ready to set. He found a new way to exit the stage for this show. He didn’t use his elevator.
Instead, he ran off while being chased by Deanna Carter and her water gun.
After the Gorge show, the party went on for hours later. Some of the girls went to sleep only about 90
minutes before I got us on the road to head back to Tacoma to return the PVB and head back to the airport.
A lot of people find it so strange that people from so many different parts of the country get together to go
to a concert in states and cities so far away from where they live. The fact that we make friends with, and
good fiends, people who live so far away and have such varied lives, life styles, all for a concert. It’s
amazing what music is capable of.
These young guys who were at the campsite right by us at the Gorge came over to party with us older
girls. They were so amazed by the fact that 9 girls from NY, FL, CA, WA, AL got together, rented a RV
and drove 1000 miles during the course of a weekend to see two concerts. As they were laughing and
having a good time, I heard one say “Do you always have this much fun at shows? If so, then I can see
why you doit!� That just sums it up right there. He didn’t think we were so strange anymore.
We were so rushed at the airport saying goodbye. Jen and I came really close to missing our plane.
After a long ordeal to get through security and the quick jog from the security checkpoint to our gate, we
finally make it to the plane after they were making the final call for passengers of our flight. When we
were finally settled in our seats, I told Jen that I wasn’t tired. She said the same, that she wasn’t
tired. Next thing I know we’re in the air and all I can see are mountaintops and the sound of Jen
snoring.
It was weird looking down at them mountains. Knowing and wondering which mountains were the ones
I/we drove over getting to and returning from the Gorge. It was weird being less intimidated by them. I
think that maybe the next time I head down I-81 on my way to a KC show, I might not actually have to
keep hitting the break pedal on a downward left turn. Then again, a lot could happen in the eight months
that Kenny has off.
This trip was six months in the planning. The girls who made the trip weren’t exactly the same girls
who were there from the onset. Danae, Kelly, Ally and Jen where there right from the start. Jamie was
there in the beginning but quickly thought it wasn’t do-able. About two weeks before the shows, things
had changed and Jamie was able to join us after all. Necee who had a last minute scheduling problem with
work was truly missed. Julie was always planning to go, but just couldn’t make it work. Nikki had her
kids and school clashing with her social life. Donna joined the guest list about a month into planning. Carol
who wanted to join us on the PVB, but we didn’t have room, at the time, was able to when Julie and
Necee dropped out at the last minute. Sylvia and Sherri kept Jamie company. Actually Sylvia had been
hoping to make it all along, but when her husband wanted to have some time with her, she had to give up
something and the Washington trip was the something. Things changed with her husband’s job, so he
couldn’t get the time off to spend with her. That just meant that she could join us for some fun.
Oh, and the last two guests, were Jim and Spanky. They might not have taken up too much space or eaten
too much food, but the trip wouldn’t have been the same without them. (omg the pictures)
Well, we were never where we wanted to be, when we wanted to be there, including the airport when it
was time to go home, but we did have a lot of fun while trying to get there. With six girls on a PVB with a
pantry filled with alcohol and a cooler filled with beer, how could it not be fun?
It was truly a trip to be remembered and it was very, very sad leaving. Thank you all for the good times
and the ever-lasting memories. Thanks also to Kenny, his band, his crew, and his tourmates. You know
how to put on the best shows. Until next tour or at least for three of us, until South Carolina.