So we High tailed it out of Columbia last night after a 90 degree day with mucho humidity made things "fun".  We stayed inside as much as possible, playing Big Buck Hunter Safari and drinking giant 22oz $2 PBR's.   It was perfect.  We watched a little of the Summerfest with Tab Benoit, but to be honest wasn't as impressed with him as I was the opener, Mike Zito.  That guy flat out shreds.  It was something to behold.  Anyway,  We bid our farewells after sunset and set the A/C on Max and pointed Horchata firmly West.  We went abougt 25miles out of town and settled into a completely packed truck stop right around midnight.  Squeezed into literally the LAST spot in the lot, between a bunch of trucks, all idling to run the A/C.  Stepping outside and realizing that it was still mid 80's with super high humidity and that comfortable sleep wasn't going to be an option otherwise, we capitulated and ran the engine and A/C as well. 
Wow.  That was the best decision we have made in a while. 

Some time late in the night, another wicked storm descended upon us, with torrential rain, high winds and lightning touching down in all the fields around us.  A magnificent display of power to view up close, and I sat in the front seat for about a half an hour in the middle of the night to take some of it in.  Unfortunately our dear old bus is anything but waterproof and its many leaks were pointed out in painstaking detail by the storm.  Watching through the side window, I saw a steady stream of big rigs pouring into the parking lot as if ship seeking harbor in a storm.  There was probably 2+ inches of standing water in this giagantic parking lot and the waves being pushed aside by the prows of the trucks were leaving literal wakes behinds them.  Crazy. 

We pushed in towards Kansas City, stopping about 25 miles out at "PT's" our once every couple of years Crazy Pork Tenderloin Sandwich diner.  The largest sandwiches you have ever seen.  Ever.  Ryan had promised to order the full size PT sandwich, and he didn't dissappoint.  This sandwich overhung the margin of the bun by as much as 6inches on two sides.  Pictures to be added soon on that. 

After thoroughly hurting ourselves at PT's we continued to head west and rolled into Lawrence KS this afternoon, where I now seek shelter from the stifling heat in another coffee shop.  Tonight we will destroy the Replay Lounge.  I have a bit of an internal conflict with Lawrence.  I want to like the town, because its pleasant and cool, but the shows here have always been a challenge.  This time being no exception; we were told just before leaving on tour that despite having been told we had a great show being put together when it was initially booked months earlier, suddenly they were telling us we had no supporting act, yet the same booker managed to put together a great show across the street with a couple of very popular local bands.  That hand grenade was thrown in our lap and we scrambled to get a few bands on board for tonight.  We got "I Love You" to play with us, whom we played with in KC a few tours back...they should be great and the show goes on.   Tonight we play with a fire in our belly.  Be warned Lawrencians. 

I'll leave you with an ominous shot from the other night in Columbia before our set, when I was convinced the bus was going to be carried away into the clouds.

Cheers,
Ross & SPF100