Owl and I split from tour and headed back to Saratoga Springs. It was a bit weird, because I could tell he wanted to stick with tour. By the time we got back to the van, most people were on their way, but he could have been asking around for rides. Anyway, we got into Saratoga the next afternoon, so we went downtown.

Saratoga is a Yuppified hippie town that is pretty neat to visit. It still has it's underlying roostish and artsy vibe, but you can tell that the money has moved in. After the cool people made it cool, the rich people who want to be cool bought all the properties, driving up rent, while driving out the very vibe they wanted to buy in to. It's a phenomenon that can be seen in towns across the country, and in neighbourhoods in many cities. Fairfax, CA is an example of this, as is the Queen West area in Toronto. Gentrification happens.

I found the four Seasons, and had a nice vegan and organic meal from their little café. I really like the Four Seasons and other Natural Food Stores in America. Sometimes they are cooperatively owned, or at least independent, and often you can find local organic produce on their shelves. Since food is so central to living, they really become the hub for all of the progressive and inspiring people in a town. I often have extraordinary experiences as a result of eating or shopping in a health food store. Plus, good, healthy food can't be beat!

We rolled into the Santana show nice and early, and proceeded to set up our easy up, and fill the table with stuff. The security was on us in no time! We were told "No selling." to which I replied, "I'm just handing out information!" SPAC is an interesting venue, because you have all of these different jurisdictions overlapping. You got the hired security staff from the venue, then you have the State Park Police, and then you have the regular Police. It's a freakin struggle. The fact that the Dead was here two days ago, and that people were selling things left and right probably made them even more intense. They had no control last time, so tonight, things were going to be a bit different.

We got told to move the easy up to the grass, which we did. Four of us each took a corner. Then we carried the table down. Not five minutes passed, and there was a cop telling us there were no easy-ups allowed. O.K. Let's take the table back to the van. So we set up, handing out info, with the Sun beating down on my head. We accepted donations for papers and for handouts. People were happy to support us, seeing that we were about the only bit of a lot scene in the whole place. It was a different crowd, too. It was more of a family event. It was almost like a Disneyworld crowd or something. Anyway, people were receptive, and happy to hear about Hemp.

After many had gone in, after the music started, and after I got the booth packed up, Owl and I walked up toward the venue in search of tickets. As we approached, a dude asked us if we wanted a ticket for free. I'd made some $, so I pointed to Owl, and he was very grateful. Just as that happened, another dude asked me if I wanted a ticket, so I said sure, and bam, there it was. Two tickets in our hands in no time! Of course, we hooked them up with papers and information, and we were on our way in!

Santanna brings an incredible energy with him. The percussion is outstanding, with each of the Three drummers playing a solo throughout the night. I also love Santanna's melodic jams that just take you out to space. The Latin vibe is so hot, and the way you move to the music is just so great. It's like making Love to the Universe. The many layers of the music keep it dynamic, to say the least.

We met some fun folks after the show, and took them to Lee's campground, where it was much quieter, but there was one guy with a fire we could join, so it was a nice evening. Owl almost went to Vermont with them, but it didn't quite work out. We got along pretty well, but he always seemed to be complaining about something, and it seemed he always had something to complain about. It's an endless circle.

I took him to the Four Seasons for a good meal. I had a bit of coin, so I didn't mind helping him out. I tried to explain to him about the power of positive affirmations and manifesting a positive reality. He claimed to know all about it, reminding me he'd been to fifteen rainbows, and worked cleanup for most of them. He is a full-on brother who intrigued me, but wasn't into helping himself out. It's not Owl's fault though; He was programmed from an early age by his Air Force flying dad who constantly reminded him that he was a "Worthless, good for nothing, piece of shit who'll never amount to anything." Owl could recite the line perfectly, with the proper intonation, and even the accompanying scowl. Owl started drinking early, and hasn't stopped. And in this particular area, it doesn't help that a quarter of his blood is Native.

I would consider it a blessing to be a part of the First Nation, but we all know some of the battles with alcohol that these people are faced with. Someone once explained to me how sensitive a Native's body is to alcohol. They said having one beer is like us having six, or something like that. Native people didn't use to use alcohol, so it's only since contact with the white man that their bodies have been processing this substance, which incidentally, is treated by anybodies body as a poison. Compared to European bodies, which have been processing alcohol for thousands of years, there is a significant genetic difference. I feel compassion toward the First Nations People, knowing that their suffrage is due to a genocidal past, where trust was broken, land was taken, families were separated, language and culture were forbidden, tribes were relocated if they weren't eradicated, and to top it all off, alcohol was introduced. At any point in life, and especially now, it's critically important to not lose sight on what we know to be the bigger picture. And it's also good to not judge people. I haven't lived your life and you haven't lived mine, so let's respect that.

The box of Bush bills was not at the Post Office, although my birthday card from my Aunt and Uncle and cousins did arrive. We left Saratoga begrudgingly empty-handed. I wondered what to do about the box, but nonetheless we strove on, heading for Holmdel New Jersey to catch up with the Dead!

June Holmdel, NJ

We arrived a little later than we'd hoped, but driving anywhere near New York City at rush-hour and you're asking for traffic, and that's just what we got. I must say, though; sitting in traffic in Hemphry is usually a pleasure, because everyone just cannot believe that someone is driving around in that van. The slow speed makes it easier for people to read the bumper stickers, so that suits me just fine. We got to the show, parked Hemphry in a pretty good spot near the front, although it was a tight fit, we made it in there. Immediately, we went toward the gate. I saw that girl Christine? who makes burritos. She gave me one to eat while we were standing there talking, and that was cool. When I finished, I ran over to the trash that was beside the gate, to throw out the tin foil that wrapped the burrito. Inside the trash were some neat-looking tickets. They said, Emergency Re-admittance, and they were stamped with Tuesday, June 24, today's date on it! Sweet! I picked them out of the trash and there must have been about ten of them. I gave two to Christine for her and her friend, and I was looking for Owl. I couldn't find him and I was getting antsy to go into the show, so I kicked down all but two to some kids hanging out, saying they might work! I passed through the search part, and was heading to the next part as Owl called my name! I ran over to him with the extra ticket, gave it to him and said good luck. When I got to the gate, they redirected me to the re-admittance door, and the next thing you knew, I was through the gate and walking into the venue. Yippie! I watched Owl come in, and I heard from others that they worked for them too. Yesss! Give Thanks! These big Clear Channel venues are full of cracks!

We got in during set-break, and we went to the grass to get our heads adjusted. I asked Owl if he wanted to come up, but he wanted to hang out at the beer tent, so I was off on my own. Going to shows is like unlocking a safe or cracking a code or something. I just have to go and be where I'm meant to be and it always works out. I just have to be receptive to the gentle nudges from Spirit that guide me here and there. I decided I'd go down into the pavilion and pay the boys a visit. It was a great second set for me. The first checkpoint, going into the pavilion was sort of busy, and I was talking to these guys, then I stalled for a moment as both ticket checkers were checking, I went between them, gently gliding by, barely causing a ripple, moving slowly and not looking back. At those moments, it's like becoming a part of the music, and I love it. Somehow, through this and that, I got further down to the walkway that spans the width of the seats. It was hopping, with all kinds of people dancing and grooving. The security came through and cleared everyone out, and I just kind of went this way and that, until I got a comfy spot dancing near the wheelchairs at the far left side. I danced beside this one dude who was in a wheelchair, accompanied by his mom and maybe sister. He was wearing a tye-die, and I could only wonder how he got in that chair. His mom liked me dancing there, and I think he did too. I felt grateful for my working legs, and tried to share the feeling of dancing with him. We were behind a railing which kept us out of the lower section. There was lots of security around, but when the time was right, I quickly hopped into the next level, danced for a bit down there and continued onward. I went down the aisle back on the right side of the stage because there was no one checking tickets when I got there. It was pretty nice to be right up there, feeling the intensity of all the energy swirling around in there. I noticed a bunch of people dancing in the middle aisle, so I excuse me, pardon me'd myself back to the centre aisle, where I stayed for the rest of the show. It was great! They played Sugar Magnolia, and we were all dancing, and we were looking up to see the band! It was cool! That's like the best when you're that close and there's room to move, and the vibe is chill, and you don't even have a ticket in your pocket! I love it!

Owl found out the place to be was Cheesquake State Park. We found our way in through the secret passage, down the dark roads, past the picnic area, past the hiking trails to the campground, which was raging! There was a bit of a shakedown, people were everywhere, and I found a fire with some drummers, and I was happy. It had been a good night!

Wednesday, June 25, Holmdel, PNC Centre

I got on the lot rather early for the next day's show, and set up just off of the shakedown. Hemphry was a hit, and so were the papers, and I got a bunch of information out that day. Hemp, Hemp, Hooray!

The show was good. I got in with a receipt ticket and a stub from yesterday stuck on it with bubblegum. The guy said hey, there's gum all over this, and I was like; "yeah, it got all fucked up", as I walked through the turnstile. He just looked at me with a smile, as I continued on into the show. He was the one guy with long hair out of all the ticket takers. I'll take that as a lesson.

The show was fun, I danced with all the beautiful dancers on the left side of the grass, and we all had lots of fun. I'm starting to get to know folks on tour, so it's good to spend time with them on the inside. I think that was the night of DarkStar into Terrapin into Peggy O, back into Terrapin, back into Dark Star, or something like that. There was a little swift of The Other One, and it was a nice show, although it could be said it was a little slow. I think they encored with Bid you good night.

We went back to the campground, where I soon met a friend, Carly and we massaged, and chilled, and then she told me where they were camped, and I showed up there the next day, and it turned out good, because we went swimming in the Ocean. I was surprised, because I hadn't really expected to go swimming, nor did I think any water on the coast of New Jersey would be clean enough to actually swim in. The jury's still out on the clean thing, but I was totally happy to frolic around in the water, and on the beach naked with a few other naked free spirits.

Friday, June 27th, Tweeter Center, Camden New Jersey

Carly and a bro named Pete joined me in Hemphry for the jaunt down to Camden. Parking was a pain, and the shakedown was a little dis-jointed. The shows there were great. For sure.

On the first night, I got a ticket for $30 and a box of papers from some young dudes I think from Road Island. At first he was a bit leary on the box of Papes, but I know that they grew on them. The ticket was for a 200 level seat, which is quite nice, because I like being close. I have my eyes shut a lot of time, but I like to feel all the people behind me, and the energy of the band before me. It's also neat to see Phil or Bobby orchestrating the sound.

The lawn, though, is where it's at if you really like to dance. There's no seats, and the security is a little more lax. All the kids are on the lawn, and it can be more fun getting down with family. I like the spinning space, and the vibe at the place where the tour-kids converge. Some guys I knew on the lawn liked the idea of me bringing back some stubs to get them down there.

I went down to my seat, and met the boys who hooked me up with the ticket. I chilled there for a bit, and asked the guys if I could borrow their stubs for a few minutes. They were into it, so I said "Thanks, I'll be back soon!" I went up to bring the stubs to the guys, but they were actually happy to be on the lawn. I wandered around for a bit, and then I found a couple people who wanted to come down. I stubbed them in, and when we got to our seats, the guys who hooked me up with my ticket and the stubs were gone! My heart sank. I couldn't believe it!

During set-break, I was offering High Fives for World Peace, and hugs to end Global Corporate Domination. The High Fives went over very well, with everybody and their sister giving up a hand-slap. I wasn't going really heavy on the hugs, so a lot of people didn't know they could hug to end Global Corporate Domination. This was also the night that I was sporting the Drop Bush Not Bombs sticker, and lots of people loved the sticker. I was feeling quite political at this point, largely due to the complicit vibe I have been feeling on Tour. Don't get me wrong, the love is there, it's sooo there, and family is solid. I love the multi-generational aspect of Dead shows. Inside, one can find Grandmothers, all the way down to grandsons. I love that part of Dead Family. As far as consciousness, I feel that there are elements, but in some ways, many of the old-school heads have moved on, leaving a pop-cultured void in the crowd.

I was tripping all around at this show, it was a good vibe for that. I was hoping to see Carly somewhere, but so far, I hadn't. As I wandered into a space on the lawn in the middle of the crowd, there she was. We danced there for a while, and then we went down to the walkway at the top of the seats, AKA: The Love Tunnel. We danced and spun off of each other and it was sooo blissfull.

Saturday, June 28th Tweeter Ctr.

We got on the lot early the next day, and I traded papers and watermellons for anything. People liked the idea, and I got some neat stuff. I got some Dead trading cards, a lighter on a zip-line, more lighters, cigarettes, beers, food, goo balls, some cash, and some trash. I paid $55 for a lawn seat, the same amount I could have paid for a Niabingie Drum. I kind of bummed about that and about other stuff. The show was hot, and I got in during Truckin it was totally meant to be. The Dead seem to be getting better, the further they go.

The Tweeter Center has a reputation for good shows and they sure lived up to it. It's a long drive to Vernon Downs, so lots of people left during the show, while many more of us left right after. I didn't even make it to Allentown before I crashed out, leaving a hefty drive for the next day.

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Johannes Chapman, Pure Hemp Caravaner
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