Day Twenty-Six: Buffalo, NY > Pennsylvania > Ohio > Indiana > Chicago, IL

Let the return journey begin... it's been a helluva great month on the road and the adventure is far from over with fifteen-hundred miles still to go, but I'm getting psyched to go home to Denver. And, I'll be joined by my kid sister Krissie for the return trip as well... she's moving to Colorado, once and for all! Papa and Nana helped load us up (Papa with stuff, Nana with food) before we hit the road...




We had a beautiful travel day and made it all the way to Chicago, despite several breaks to get my eyes out of the sun and my pup some time to run...

Day Twenty-Five: Rochester, NY

Today marks the last day in Rochester, the last day with my east coast friends, and my last Phish show for a while...

Luna and Roy and I went to Wegmans for lunch and then hit Ellison Park for a little disc golf and time in the sun. Then, we went over to help Bryan rip out all of his carpets to prep for the new carpets rolling in tomorrow. Dude sure does have a lot on his plate... trying to get his house in order while heading out of town for work tomorrow morning; we just had to make sure there was no way he'd have to miss the show tonight... it was fun to go over there and do some demo work...

Tonight... my eighty-eighth Phish show and indefinitely holding... Naturally, it was great to meet up with so many old Fredonia allies, especially Stacey and Napoli... who I've caught many shows with over the years... And, wow, Phish offered the most special cover of the summer for my last show: The Beatles' I Am The Walrus... a first-time for me, but also a first-time for Phish, and everyone else!

Day Twenty-Four: Rochester, NY

After a long hard haul for the past few weeks, it makes sense to get a quick oil change / tune-up for Vina today and I found a great VW mechanic at Vintage Auto in Scottsville... he provided just the piece of mind I needed for the trip back home in a few days... done and done.

Next, on to Rochester... I want to check out Bryan and Sarah's new place, hang with Campanella, and Chops, etc. and gear up for the show in Canandaigua tomorrow... I got to town and I went to Aman's Market (Roy's grandparent's local farmer's market) with Chops and Camp for some Magic Hats and strip steaks... we went back to their place, grilled out, and watched the Mets... just my speed tonight...

After supper, Roy took me to his fire house (Quint 7)... pretty freaking cool. Dig this pic with him, his fireman mustache, and his engine... what a super-hero! We went over to Bryan and Sarah's new place afterward and had did some unwinding on the back patio. I'm happy for them that they found such a rad house in Rochester, but sad for me that they found this place in Rochester... I still miss them all the time... (I'm not worried though, I still think they'll move back to join the Denver Family again someday)

Day Twenty-Three: Buffalo, NY

Today, we celebrate Cassie's graduation from Williamsville South, and her new beginning at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA this fall. I'm proud of my oldest cousin and know she'll do great things in Pittsburgh (and far beyond).

Also, I should thank her for giving us another reason to get together and party with the family! The family-time is what makes this insane summer tour all worth it; it was great getting to see Uncle Joe, Aunt Roz, Uncle Fran, Aunt Claire, Uncle John, Aunt Mar, Uncle Mike, Papa, Nana, and all my cousins... so much fun!

Aunt Mar and Uncle Mike lived up to their norm, throwing the biggest bash in town... they have the pool, the party tents, the DJ equipment, the sound system, the lights, even the inflatable jump house... but they also have something no other grad party is going to have... Nana's famous baked ziti for 300!

Day Twenty-Two: Syracuse, NY > Buffalo, NY

Waking up in the western New York clouds and gloom, I wonder how it can still be muggy... Ha, oh well... I went to Syracuse to see Aunt Gail and Emily and Gramma Lo today. It's been a long time since I've seen them and it was great to get to pay them a visit! Gramma had all sorts of food ordered including some bomb gourmet breakfast pizza from a local joint, and resumed the gramma-treatment from last I saw her. She is so great and always takes such great care of me; it was so cool to finally catch up with her in 'Cuse and to see Emily and Aunt Gail...

Aunt Gail has been so awesome to let me keep so much rubbish in her attic for the past seven years... and today I finally hauled it out! I was finally able to actually throw much of it away, and packed a bunch of it into my bus to bring back home too (along with stuff for Joey, of course)... the bus is starting to fill up pretty quick and I still have another week on the road... hope it all fits in okay and travels okay...

I got back to Aunt Mar's and Uncle Mike's in Buffalo, just in time for one-hundred wings from Duff's and sheet pies from Bocce's... after all, it'd be absurd to visit Buffalo and not indulge in some extra-crispy, extra-hot wings... I love 'em!

Day Twenty-One: Philadelphia, PA > Rochester, NY

Fifty years ago, today, Papa and Nana tied the knot and invested in the nonpareil model of family I know now: The Scaglione's. I will always admire their relationship and what they have created together. The way they make each other laugh each day proves the importance of staying young and maintaining a healthy sense of humour. Their love for each other, and for life itself, is a constant reminder that it is possible to achieve ultimate happiness; I will always strive to achieve similar success of the heart and spirit and hope to someday be as happy as they still are today!

Today, we celebrate Papa and Nana's fiftieth anniversary in Pittsford at Aunt Claire's house. It's a beautiful day for the most special of occasions... I feel so fortunate to be here for the party and to be part of such a great family. Congratulations to my grandparents, the greatest inspiration to me...

Aunt Claire and Uncle John (and Shae, of course) went all out and prepared quite the dinner and celebration... including cedar-plank salmon, homemade lobster ravioli, and port tenderloin... thanks to the whole family for all of your work in making it happen! Here's my beautiful Nana, Papa (not cooperating for the camera, as usual), and Dad...

Day Twenty: Philadelphia, PA > Camden, NJ

Day two of Philly exploration... First thing's first, we walked down to the open-aire Italian Market near Sherrie's pad and went to the joint that Sherrie and Chris tout as the best Italian sandwiches in Philadelphia. Sure enough, Paesanos is the spot! I had the Bolognese (crispy fried lasagna with classic meat sauce, sweet peppers, fresh mozzarella, sharp provolone, and a fried egg)... and it was outta-sight. Sherrie knows where to take me if she wants to impress me with a city, so this was an easy sell. Naturally, we went to scope some art next...









We picked up my buddy Neal, who flew in for the Phish shows from San Francisco, and went over to Fairmount Park to check out the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Of course, Neal and I raced up the Rocky Steps, and of course, I won... The museum was pretty cool; we got a chance to see all of the modern and contemporary exhibits and they had some rad pieces. Oh, and they had a pretty extensive collection of Duchamp's work, including some of my favourite cubist pieces of his (like Nude Descending a Staircase, No. 2).












We headed back to Sherrie's pad to check in with Luna and the air conditioning... turns out Philadelphia is pretty steamy... the muggiest of all the cities I've traveled this summer! Then, we loaded my bus, grabbed some cheese steaks at Jim's Steaks, and rolled to the Phish show in Camden, NJ! It's been ten years since I went to Camden (last time was to see Phish on 4 July in 2000)... I forgot what a scene this place is, what a mess it is, and what great shows Phish plays here... It was sweet seeing Phish with Sherrie again and when they opened with Bowie, I knew it'd be a show of treats! They played a bunch of once-a-tour songs like Uncle Pen, Crosseyed and Painless, and Gumbo, but best of all, they played (for the first-time ever) The Rover off Physical Graffiti. It's always fun watching Trey pretend to be Jimmy Page... and they freaking killed it!

Day Nineteen: New York, NY > New Jersey > Philadelphia, PA

Twenty-three. Leaving New York (for now, but I'll return in a few days)... I'm heading to Philly to see my other sister, more baseball, and more Phish... I pulled into Sherrie's hood (Washington Square East) in the middle of rush hour and found myself wandering aimlessly searching for a parking spot for forty minutes... not so fun... but I finally found a garage and stashed it for the night. She lives with her boyfriend Chris in a sweet Phila nook in Center City... I dig it. My dad drove down separately from New York; we all met up at Sherrie's and headed down to Citizen's Bank Park to catch the bad guys play the Cleveland Indians.

I don't like Philadelphia sports teams. There, I said it. And, as much as I enjoy being at a ballpark with my dad, it was tough to see the Phillies complete a walk-off win in the bottom of the ninth... but The Mets are still in front (though it's only June)...

After the game, we headed back to Sherrie's place and walked down to a local dive: Dirty Frank's. Dirty Frank's is an instant classic and apparently has a way of sucking you in... we intended to have a drink and head back home but found ourselves walking out with the lights going on and the stools going up. It was a great way to kick off the Philly visit though (all but the Phillies winning)... oh, and I really dislike the Philly Fanatic too... he's such a tool.

Day Eighteen: New York, NY

Today I got to hang with my pops for a while in Westchester and Campanella and I took the train into the city for some fun... We met Camping in midtown for a quick beer and some NYC pie and then hopped on the Seven Train to one of my favourite places in New York... Flushing Meadows. Flushing, Queens is, of course, the home of the New York Mets and the new ballpark Citi Field. So, myself, Camp, and Camp got a chance to catch the red hot Mets host the visiting Detroit Tigers in an interleague matchup in New York. And, being that the Mets are rolling right now, they kindly put up fourteen, to beat the Tigers 14-6!

Citi Field is beautiful; it isn't Shea, but it is still The Mets... I came here once last summer, during their inaugural season, and I like it even more now. The throwback tribute to the Brooklyn Dodgers and Jackie Robinson Rotunda is gorgeous and puts us on the map among the hottest new stadiums. During the rain delay, we got a chance to scope out other parts of the stadium, including the Mets Hall of Fame (check out the ball that got thru Buckner's legs, classic!) and clubhouse shoppe so Camping could try on some ridiculous Mets gear like this leather jacket... dude's a character...












We tooled around late-night in Manhattan before heading back out to my dad's place in White Plains. It's always a fun time hanging with the Camps and it's always fun hanging in New York! I love that I still have family roots around the city and can make it back here every year.

Day Seventeen: Saratoga Springs, NY > Bronxville, NY

Well, I got to celebrate National Go Skateboarding Day today... but not exactly by choice. For the third time of the summer, I ran out of gas in the bus and had to track down some petrol. No big deal; that's why I travel with a longboard and gas can... and I conveniently tend to run out of gas within a skate's distance from the pump... so, not part of the plan, but certainly part of the adventure... Campanella came down to the city with me, so he was there to stay by the bus with Luna and to laugh at me and take photos as I retrieved petrol by longboard...

We pulled into Bronxville in the afternoon and had dinner with my ma and sister... always good to have my ma's pasta and homemade sauce. We just chilled out for a while and caught up and started discussing Kristen's plans for her move to Denver! Yes, my kid sister Krissie just got a transfer with Starbucks out to Denver and will be moving back with me in the next couple of weeks when I return to Colourful Colorado... I'm psyched for her; she's finally moving to the place she's wanted to live for years...

Oh, and I met this dude at the pump... classic 'stash...

Day Sixteen: Saratoga Springs, NY

Happy Father's Day! Dad, I'll see you tomorrow to celebrate...

Today, I woke up and drove to Glens Falls, NY to participate in a group art exhibition at a local gallery called 42 Degrees. Jon King, co-owner of the art space, asked me to be in the show and I was honoured to be part of a great exhibition with some incredibly talented artists and chill out with a full morning brunch bar of food and bloody marys. It was cool meeting my new friends Bruce Horan and Susie and catching up with them, their perspectives on art / art school in NYC, printmaking, and life. Bruce just got his MFA from Pratt and his work is beautiful.

The afternoon saw me back in the lots selling prints for day two of SPAC. Thanks to everyone I met in the lots for your generous responses and kind support. The Antelope Stakes print will be available for purchase once I return home to Denver while they last. I sold most of them in the lots and at the art show in Glens Falls, but please just drop me a line if you are still interested in picking one up.

More friends showed up tonight, plus more sun, plus more great live music... perhaps the best of the summer! In honour of Father's Day, Phish opened with Brother and invited all of their children out on stage to sit in a big tub... each of the dads in the band had kids join them up there (only one boy, Jack Fishman)... pretty cool. Plus, we got a Talking Heads tune (Cities), Swept Away > Steep > Makisupa, a big YEM, and they graciously validated my print by playing a ripping Antelope to close the first set.

After the show, we went to Esperanto in Saratoga, a late-night hotspot serving up doughboys... so good! And, back to the campsite at Lee's Campground for an after-party. This is what it looks like when you suddenly wake Chops from his chair by the fire...

Day Fifteen: Hartford, CT > Massachusetts > Saratoga Springs, NY

I love being back in the Adirondacks, seeing old friends, and returning to good 'ole SPAC for a two-night stand with Phish. I left Hartford early in the morning to allow myself a little hang time in Saratoga Springs before the show. Luna and I explored the town and spent some time in Congress Park, roaming the fountains and playing ball. Now, we're at Uncommon Grounds to check in with cyberworld and pick up an espresso buzz as showtime approaches...

I got to the lots early and unveiled my new prints. I've been so incredibly busy this spring, but I was able to work up one print for one set of Phish shows... this be it! Saratoga Springs is home to the oldest organized sporting venue in the United States (Saratoga Race Course), and so I decided to play with the concept of the Travers Stakes... transposing the horse race into an antelope race coming out of SPAC... naturally. More details about the print can be be found here.

I roamed the lots in the hot hot heat (humid and obviously sunny), slinging art, and meeting up with friends... by the end of the day, I met up with Bryan, Sarah, Jared, Chuck, Hasch, Karlee, Chops, Roy, Brandon, Amy... pretty freaking cool! Turns out that every time I make it back to Saratoga, plenty of the old crew makes it out too... it's just a great place and is a close-enough venue for a lot of the east-coasters to make... works out great for me!

Day Fourteen: Hartford, CT

I rediscovered that the bus isn't exactly temperature-regulated during early morning hours and Luna and I both woke up panting and searching for water. Oh well, it's time to get up and get rolling... day two of this little four-night run... Last night's show was pretty hot, especially the abnormally intense jam in Down With Disease... plus a couple of rarities with Dinner and a Movie and a ripping Walk Away.

I'm slinging Magic Hats in the parking lot, and beer sales seem to be going well... turns out a lot of people love drinking beer but don't bring any to the lots with them. I just ran into a guy who owns an art gallery in Glens Falls, NY and after seeing some of my work, he asked me if I wanted to be part of a group show in upstate New York Sunday... of course, I committed. It's a good opportunity for exposure... plus, well, I find it hard to say no.

Oooh, tonight they opened things up nicely... first set: Fee > Rift; set deux: Halley's Comet. And for closure, two Tweezer Reprises... strange band... gotta love it.

Day Thirteen: Bellows Falls, VT > Massachusetts > Hartford, CT

Well, I've made it this far, and it's awfully early in the day... I might as well spend some time hanging in Vermont this morning and head for Hartford... I'll have myself a little day hike and make it to the Meadows Music Center in time to hop back on the Phish wagon...

Campanella, Haschman, and Chops are in Hartford, so I'll get to hang with them and return to the venue of the best Phish show of the past decade (revisit last summer): 14 August 2009! Looks like I'll catch two here before heading up to Saratoga for another epic two-night run at SPAC...

Day Twelve: Montreal, QC > Connecticut > Bellows Falls, VT

Day two in Montreal brings thunderstorms and wet streets, but we couldn't be rained out! Colleen and Aidan and I went out exploring centre ville and dodged the rain as we bounced from spot to spot. After they headed home, I ended up stumbling upon (though, not totally accidental) the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts... and they had a big exhibition on Miles Davis. We Want Miles: Miles Davis vs. Jazz was a wild multimedia retrospective tribute.

As I walked through the rooms filled of Miles art, music, instruments, memorabilia, and feelings, I traveled the journey of his career - one album at a time. A funny moment: When I walked into the room that showcased the Kind of Blue era, I was wooed by the sweetest sounds of 1959, so much that I sat down to take it all in... well, about forty minutes later I nodded back into consciousness when I dropped my journal and my hat... I woke up to a couple standing next to me dying laughing at my display of napping in the art museum.

Late in the evening, I decided to hit the road and head back to the states. I ended up in Burlington around midnight and chilled out in town for a couple hours... Church Street was pretty happening for a Wednesday night in the summer. I ended my Burlington stint with a capuccino to go from the Radio Bean and hit the road...

I had a beautiful early morning cruise through the mountains and along the Connecticut River... it rained the whole way until the sun started breaking through for the day. I rolled into a town called Bellows Falls for the sunrise over the water... still not tired, I decided to sit by the water with Luna for an hour or so and watch her go for a morning swim...