What a trip to Western Colorado!

Had a great stay and rode around all around where we stayed (Ridgway, CO) I will make this quick so not to bore anyone.

Lions-Founds Mountain Lion tracks 300 yards from the cabin in which we stayed. Awesome. Also found a Mountain Lion deer kill complete with the deer’s skeleton and one of the lion’s front teeth. Guess we know what he asked for for Christmas that year…

Bears-Returned from a day trip to beautful Telluride Colorado on the bikes. Had a great time there and were upstairs in the cabin letting the bikes cool when we heard a sound in the garage. We rushed to the window and the deck to see a bear cub staring back at us. Wow. He had tried on a helmet in the garage and knocked it over. Guess he won’t be a biker after all.

18 Wheelers-Anyone out there ever tried to physically lift 850 pounds onto the deck of flatbed truck trailer? We did it yesterday most unfortunately. My 38 year old motorcylce officially shit the bed (dropped a valve) in Goodland, KS. Luckily, I met an Angel with 18 Wheels in the truckstop and he gladly agreed to haul the bike back to Topeka and bought me dinner on the way. Loading the bike was a bitch. Unloading it with three people, well, that is another story.

Had a great time despite the mechanical difficulties and met some wonderful people in the mountains. Had a chance to relax, write one song, and write down ideas for six more. Better get to work on that.

Till then,
G

Off to sunny Western Colorado tomorrow AM
Taking a 38 year old motorcycle
Staying in a cabin to which I lost the directions
Drove 600 miles in the past two days
Left Buster’s at 330 Sunday AM
Dodged signs and deer on the way home
1235 Monday AM now and have 73 irons in the fire
Irons melting; have to go

Till then,
g

If you can’t make it to Buster’s this Saturday, make it up to the ATB by going out and supporting live music in Manhattan. See the bulletin below to help raise money of Kirk Rundstrom.
g

Don’t forget about the Kirk Rundstrom benefit tomorrow at Auntie Mae’s.
We
have a ton of cool stuff up for auction and raffle! Some of the items
include:

-One pair of Wakarusa tickets
-Framed autographed Split Lip Rayfield and The Meat Purveyors posters
-Limited edition Slobberbone, Matisyahu, Southern Culture on the Skids,
Heavy Trash posters
-Original artwork from local and regional artists
-Autographed Jon Langford books
-Gift certificates from several local businesses (Stray Cat Tattoo, So
Long
Saloon, Hibachi Hut, 50 min massage from Kristina Kramer)
-Awesome SOS Music gift bags with tons of cds, tshirts, poster and
stickers
-Neon Bare Knuckle Stout sign from Budweiser
-Limited edition SLR cd
-Kickass SCOTS pop-up album (I dare ya to outbid me)
and many more items.

We will also have a merch booth where you can pick up the whole Kirk
Rundstrom/Grain and Demise collection, awesome photos of Kirk and the
SLR
gang, and other goodies.

We will be running the silent auction from ~7 to 11, so get there early
and
bid often. We will accept cash, check or credit card for purchases. You
must
be present or arrange for payment for all auction purchases.

We will have raffles and giveaways throughout the night and a live
auction
at around midnight.

Don’t forget it’s all for a good cause, helping Kirk kick cancer’s ass!!

Thanks to everyone that has made this event possible!

That is where we are playing tonight. Duffy’s in Lawrence. I think someone accidentally listed the show at Harbour Lights on lawrence.com. I will have to have a little chat with him. Aaron said we could divide the band and conquer but we will stick to Duffy’s. Someone else is playing down at the Harbour. I wonder if they are nervous for competition?

I am prepping for my motorcycle trip next week. Heading to Western Colorado to stay in a beautiful cabin. Can’t wait to be out of here for a while. John and Jen Noonan of www.burnoutcycles.net are going along. Should be a great time. This will mark Jen’s first long trip and John’s first trip on his modified bike. I currently have it in my garage as he is working on mine. I promise not to ride it around Manhattan…anymore…My bike on the other hand is 38 years old for this cross country trip. Everything they say about old Harley’s is true.

Buster’s on Saturday. MLHS graduates that day so maybe there will be a crowd from that. Spud said he is coming with lots of people from Pratt. We’ll see.

So…come on down to Duffy tonight and help us get lost in the basement. Last time proved that it was possible.
till then, g

Thanks everyone for coming out to Bobby T’s on a Tuesday. One of the waitresses told me that was the busiest that place has been on a Tuesday in the 4 years she has worked there. Cool stuff and cool bunch of people. Thanks again to Dusty for coming down and sharing his music with us. Check dustymusic.net for more info but several people approached me and complimented him on his voice, style, and playing. Thanks again.

Cherie just sent me information on this Saturday’s benefit for Kirk Rundstrom. Kind of upsets me we have a show in Kiowa cause this sounds like a great deal of fun. Anyway, check it out if you get a chance. Information below.

Then Saturday is String Break, a fundraiser for Kirk Rundstrom. Check it
out:
http://www.myspace.com/stringbreak

May 6 2006 3:00P
Steve Barnes and the Country Money Band rural Kansas, KS
May 6 2006 3:00P
Dewayn Brothers rural Kansas
May 6 2006 3:00P
The Sluggos rural Kansas, KS
May 6 2006 3:00P
Fast Food Junkies rural, Kansas
May 6 2006 3:00P
K.C. Haywood rural Kansas
May 6 2006 3:00P
Grandpa’s .38 rural, Kansas
May 6 2006 3:00P
Softie rural, Kansas
May 6 2006 3:00P
White Ghost Shivers rural Kansas
May 6 2006 3:00P
4th Avenue Blue Grass Band rural, Kansas

Tuesday it is and Bobby T’s is only a few hours away. We are all excited and though our fabulous drummer will not make it tonight, Dusty will and nobody is finer…

If you read this blog, you are invited to another party. Evidently our friends at the Goat House are hosting a pre party from 8-10 for tonight’s show. Come on down to 1830 Elaine Street. Should be a good time.

Saw Dorfus Cracktractor in Medicine Lodge on Saturday night. It was a good deal of fun. Check their website at www.dorfuscracktractor.com for more information and upcoming shows.

Aaron and I opened for Shade of Gray this past Friday in Hays. Neighbars was a rocking little place and we hope to make it back there very soon. I felt like the people in Hays knew and appreciated our music more than most of the venues we have been playing lately. It was good to see people singing along, especially to Aaron’s originals. That was cool. Maybe we should move out West?

For the friends over in lawrence, we just booked another show at Duffy’s. I posted it so it is probably a lot of funny looking symbols etc.

If you have not signed up for the newsletter, go to the bottom of the website www.aarontraffas.com and get signed up.

We are getting all geared up and then Aaron is taking a month off for Harvest. Afterwards though we will go out West again and start gearing up for the busy August and September dates.

Till then,
g