We set out on our 2 week voyage...2....weeks....ago.... yup. Drove northwest to Minnesota for the Sonshine festival, carrying 6 passengers. We returned last night from Washington state, carrying 4 passengers. But no fatalities. Voted 2 off the RV, but NOOO fatalities. ;)
Okay, so in all seriousness, we set out with the 3 interns, Joyel, Jordan Rockman, and Leigha Lenz... Jordan and Leigha just came along for the first festival, to have fun and help out. They drove back after Sonshine ended, and we drove on to Hills Alive, South Dakota.
I think I'm going to have a hard time condensing all of the experiences of the past weeks into coherent or interesting posts. But I will try anyway.
As a festival, Sonshine was not incredibly enjoyable. First, my allergies hate Minnesota. Second, the festival was pretty poorly organized, and they didn't provide us with backstage passes or FOOD passes, meaning that we had to eat on the RV every meal, every day, the entire time we were there. I never ever want to see a taco again. And while Bob was amazing, the festival as a whole was just not as enjoyable as the others have been.
So we departed Sonshine on Saturday night, around midnight. I took first shift driving, and Joy was my copilot. We had been on the road for about an hour when the most awful moaning and groaning started from the back of the vehicle. Actually, it wasn't even moaning and groaning. It was more like the shrieks of those in agony. And indeed, that was what they were....
See, the first rule on the RV is to Love Jesus at all times. Now, I hesitate to say that the second one is equally important, but... the second one is equally important. The second rule is that there is NO pooping on the RV. (rather, IN the RV. You really shouldn't poop ON it either, but that's a different story entirely) The reason for this is quite simple: While the RV is equipped with a bathroom facility, we never know when and where we are going to be able to dump it, and get fresh water. So there is no pooping. Ever.
However, the Cole and Alissa were in the back absolutely SHRIEKING about the smell - I couldn't smell anything in the cab, and Joy has no sense of smell. Literally - not even joking. And then the smell hit the cab, and the whole RV nearly crashed because the driver nearly asphyxiated as well.
Now, without getting into detail here, we do have a theory about how this happened without any of us having broken rule #2. That's not all that important. What IS important is the fact that we had been traveling west for about an hour through Minnesota, and had officially reached the point where there was NOTHING for 90 miles. So we drove 90 miles in AGONY until we reached the first dump station we could find. And the whole time Joy was going "Guys, really, it can't be that bad! It'll be fine guys, don't worry about it - its only going to be another hour"
But we didn't vote her off the RV.
South Dakota was the dustiest place I've ever been in my life. We set up our Merch upon our arrival on Sunday, and within MINUTES it was covered in a thin film of ick. That festival went well, and I liked it a lot because we parked the RV in the hotel parking lot, and got to take REAL SHOWERS in the hotel that morning. Almost as exciting was the fact that we got to have REAL FOOD - a breakfast buffet at the hotel that morning as well. Everyone was amazed at how much I ate. And it was good.
We went to Mt. Rushmore the next day. Now, I would really like to meet the guy who came up with the idea to carve images of dead presidents heads into a gi-freaking-normous stone face. Because that's just not normal. But impressive nonetheless. Lots of pictures of that... some are quite humorous as well, so if I ever figure out how to get my photos from facebook over here, you'll all see what I mean.
Not my most exciting blog ever, hmm? Agreed. I think I'm still too tired to be creative. You're getting the facts, baby, and that's it.
If anyone really cares, Montana is the longest state ever. Drove through it twice in the past week and a half, and it takes FOREVER, give or take an eon. The journey back was more exciting than the one there, but we'll get to that in due time.
Washington state... not really sure how that particular area sustains life. 105 degrees is a normal temperature for this time of year, and I was told that August is hotter. My question: why? Not why GOD, why would anyone VOLUNTARILY live there?
Could be because its beautiful. I took pictures of the gorge where Creation West was held, and I just remember standing there with my camera and thinking "there is no way that a picture can capture how beautiful this really is". Still... too hot.
We got to our destination at 5:00 a.m... When I opened my eyes we had pulled into the driveway of a beautiful house...the Grigg family home, as I would later find out. The Griggs are close friends of Bob Lenz and Life! Promotions, and their 18 year old daughter, Holly Starr, is an up-and-coming singer who performed at Creation and Lifest this year. They are onion farmers. If you have ever eaten at a Wendy's anywhere in the world, and had an onion on your burger, it came from their farm in WA. They have over 3,000 acres of onions. No lie.
This family was such a blessing to us while we were there... they gave us stationary beds to sleep in that morning, let us do our laundry, fed us multiple meals of real food and LOTS of sweets, and let us sleep there the night after the festival so that we could rest a little before beginning our 32 hour trip back. It is highly likely that I would have gone insane without their generosity during the trip.
Creation West was a great festival. It was incredibly hot every day, and I sneezed a lot since our booth was in a tent outdoors. But the mainstage was in the gorge ampitheatre overlooking a huge canyon and lake and just AWESOMENESS. Above the stage was a banner that read "A TRIBUTE TO OUR CREATOR". Totally amazing.
As was the hill. depressingly amazing. Suicide for a person on roller skates. Murder for normal people anyway. Not so bad going down, but when you get to the bottom and have to go back up in a hurry, it makes you die a little on the inside.
In case anyone really wants to know, I have thighs and calves of steel now. I know you're happy for me.
Highlights of the festival? First.....: time I got to see Skillet backstage! Now, I've seen that show 5 times this summer, front rows and whatnot, but this time I got to be BACKSTAGE for it. Not entirely certain that I was SUPPOSED to be back there.... but in my defense, I did ask first. I had my all access pass, and I was ready to be turned down because of the pyro, but the security person was like, "no, I think you can go up there"... Sooo I did.
And it was amazing. I gave John Cooper the fist pound before he went on stage, talked to Korey Cooper afterwards, and got some AWESOME shots in. And, regardless of the fact that I have seen the show 5 times already and KNOW when there will be explosions, I still nearly had heart failure the first time the pyro went off... it was about 6 feet in front of me. Haha.... totally sweet.
I was also backstage for the Chris Tomlin concert on Friday night. At Creation Festivals (East and West) they do this thing called the Candle lighting where they like, light... candles... It's like Christmas Eve when everyone has a candle and the church is dark. Only picture an ampitheatre filled with literally TENS OF THOUSANDS of people with these candles. And I was lined up across the front of the stage, 4 feet behind Chris Tomlin (who is very short, btw), and got to see the whole thing. It was unbelievable.
Another amazing thing... Compassion International is an organization that provides food, shelter, education and medical care to children in need in other countries through sponsorship programs. Bob is a huge Compassion advocate, and one of my intern friends is as well. Cole Beck is 18 and has a Compassion child in Peru. At the Creation festival, he was talking with some of the people with Compassion and they asked him to tell his story on the Grandstand right before Family Force 5 went on in the evening. It was a HUGE opportunity for him, and he was absolutely amazing. I have never seen him so excited about anything - he is a very "chill" kind of guy most of the time, but I'm not lying to you when I tell you that he nearly broke down the door of the RV as he rushed in to tell me the news. We are all super proud of him! (And yes, I have it on video!)
Those were some highs. Lows - first time I ever seriously considered sabotaging an artist. Yup. So our RV was parked literally 20 feet from one of the stages. And every morning at 8:00 a.m. this guy I un-affectionately call the "holy hokey-pokey for Jesus dude" went on and sang FOREVER. It was awful. CLAP CLAP CLAP FOR JESUS, SPIN IN A CIRCLE FOR JESUS, PRETEND YOU'RE A NINJA TURTLE FOR JESUS (k, may have made that one up...) Ear plugs, ipods and pillows could not cover him up. I really wanted to pull the plug on him. And it was jut made worse by the fact that he was on every day, and as the days passed, we got more tired, and my patience wore thinner and thinner, and the last day I NEARLY LOST IT.
Well, I did lose it, but that wasn't until later, and it wasn't because of the holy hokey pokey dude. But he did not help matters.
I'm not sure how wise it would be to tell you about all the events of the final day at Creation, as my blood pressure may start to rise at the thought, and I have to leave tomorrow morning for the next tour. However, it is an interesting glimpse into life on an RV with 5 people after 2 weeks in 105 degree weather.
Not really sure I have to go past that, but I will.
So after being awakened by the hokey pokey man, I realized just how FREAKING HOT it was on the RV. So I got up to turn on the genny (generator).... aaaannd it wouldn't work. *grumbles and goes to look at gas level* we were at a quarter tank of gas, so the genny stops working then. Okay, so how about a bottle of water? SO I go to the fridge, and... NO water. Apparantly John, in his infinite kindness, had given away a bunch of our water the day before to friends of his, because he thought we had more.
We didn't.
So picture me now: I'm in an RV that is easily 95 degrees at 8:00 in the morning, we cannot turn on the genny, and there is no water. And there is a man singing ridiculous songs about Bible characters in the backround. Loudly.
But I held it together.
So Joy and Alissa took first shift that day, and Cole and I basically laid in our beds, too hot to bother moving. He then says that he would like to go to get gas, so that we can turn on the genny, and at least have air. We all agree, and he gets in the RV with a friend of his from college, and off they go. About an hour later (during which time the rest of us are sitting out in a tent in 100 degree weather), he returns to say he forgot the money...
We all laughed. It was all good.
Now, remember that little problem we had on the way from Minnesota to South Dakota in which everyone on the RV nearly died due to a certain stench? Yah, well, that happened again. So after getting gas, they drove around looking for somewhere to dump. SO they were literally gone ALL afternoon.
Now, here's where the day went south. We ladies are sitting the booth, and Joyel says, "Oh, we should have Cole get the oil changed when he's out"
me: ....uh, Joy - its 4:00 on a Saturday.. where do you think he's going to be able to do that?
Joy: ooh... I don't know. But we have to get it changed before we go back. If we go over the 3,000 miles, we'll lose our warranty.
me: So why didn't we do it during the week? Everything is going to be closed on a Sunday, and its really late now!
Joy: I don't know, I didn't know about it then. But we don't have a choice. We'll just have to check out the mileage, drive as far as we can, and then wait there until Monday when we can get someone to change it.
Me: *deep breath* I need some water.
So there it was. My meltdown. I figured I'd have one, and I was impressed that I had made it as long as I had. My issue, really, was the fact that we were there a day early, and could have done it then. And NOW, at the END of the trip, I learn that this is going to cause us to get home an extra day and a half late, when I only have a 2 day turn around to begin with before leaving for the next trip?
MELLLLTTTTDOWWWNN!
I proceeded to spend the next 40 minutes on the phone with my father, making him hunt down places in the general vicinity that would change oil late at night or on Sundays. And I sat alllll by myself, out in the middle of a desert, so pissed off that I was crying (and overtired, and overheated and SICK of the RV).
Well, after pulling it back together, I went to find the others, to inform them that I had located a place that would change the oil for us. But good news! Cole had done it already! Bad news.... he had gotten almost the entire way back to the gorge before talking to Joy about it... and he had forgotten to add in this special chemical, which is apparently the whole point of the oil change. And he had to turn around... AGAIN... and drive 45 minutes BACK to Moses Lake.
Now, by this point, Cole is not a happy camper. Neither are we, for that matter, as we've been without a resting place all day. But Cole calls the garage back, and the owner agrees to stay open until they arrive, even though it means closing 30 minutes later than usual. AWESOME! He gets there, chemical added, Cole thanks him a million times, and goes to leave.... annnd hits his truck. No lie.
Now, it wasn't a bad hit or anything, and we're all insured, and the guy was super cool about it I guess. But if we were keeping a tally for the day, it would be like, day, 48, interns, 0.
So Cole FINALLY makes it back to the gorge, where he tells us this story *in his story, he said something to the effect of "and I took of the side of the guys truck..." thankfully, his friend was there to tell us that it was really only a little problem, not a big one.
Upon his arrival, we start packing up the booth so we can head out. Alissa and Joy are settling up, Cole is carrying stuff from the booth, and I am rearranging the overhead storage so that we can fit more stuff up there. And its hot, so Cole goes to turn on the genny.
And it doesn't work. All that, and the stupid generator doesn't work.
Now, I honestly thought that Cole had gone back to the booth to get more stuff, and I decided to try to push the button again... because sometimes it just needs a couple of seconds to think about whether it wants to turn on or not. What I DIDN'T know was that Cole had gone around to the other side of the RV and taken off the oil cap. So when I pushed that shiny red button, oil exploded on his clothes.
It was not his best day ever.
By the time we arrived at the Griggs that night, I'm amazed that any of us were speaking. Not that we were angry at EACH OTHER - it had just been a really really crappy day. But again, it's amazing what real food and showers can do for your attitude.
Our attitude regarding the next day was still not so cheery though, as we were facing the reality of a 32 hour drive with no air conditioning, no music, and no refrigeration, as all of those things require the genny. But once again, Lorin Grigg stepped in and saved the day. He fixed it while we were sleeping, and the genny worked until we crossed into Wisconsin state, at which point it decided to be stupid again. But at that point we were so close, we didn't even bother having a fit. Too much energy in having fits.
What else happened? Oh, how about highway 200? So I took over driving in Montana at 10:30 at night. We were on highway 200, which is similar to our 144 back home. Rural. However, I've never seen this many deer in my life. Alissa and I started counting. We got to 44 - and they were all off to the side of the road. Now, the speed limit on this road is 75mph, and I am BOOKIN' it in my big ol' tub. We get to this point where we have to go up a little hill (RV no like hills), so I'm prolly going about 65 instead. And there, dead ahead of me, is a deer, in the center of the road.
Now, my options are severely limited here. Not like I can swerve - this RV WILL roll. However, if I HIT the deer, we'd have to stop and have some sort of funeral for it, and we really didn't have time for that. SO I SLAM on the brakes, and lay on the horn.
And Bambi stares at me.
Now, I am slowing down, but the brakes on this baby are not quite as responsive as those on my little Corolla. But it's always entertaining to see what happens when you're going 70 mph and you slam on the brakes. You find out really quickly what all in the RV was not properly secured before take off. In this case, half of our belongings, Joyel and Cole. Everything comes FLYING forward, Cole and Joyel, who were both sleeping on couches do as well and start FREAKING OUT, and Alissa keeps saying "oh my goodness, oh my goodness"...
And Bambi stares at me.
Finally, I'm probably going about 15mph, and Bambi starts doing the "left, no, right, no! Left!" dance in front of the RV. And at the very last second possible. Really - VERY LAST SECOND... steps off to my right, as I pull the wheel to the left. And stop dead in the street. And Alissa and I look at each other. Silence. And then we dissolve into giggles, totally aware of how close we just came to having a deer as a hood ornament.
By the way, the mole wasn't so lucky. Just squashed him. Didn't even swerve. I also narrowly missed 2 raccoons, both of whom were crossing the street... There was PRECISELY enough room for an RV to go in between them, though Alissa and I both cringed in anticipation of a really big WABOOM.
65 deer in total, 2 really lucky racoons, 1 unlucky mole... but it was deer # 45 that had a death wish.
Onward HO!
You all are SO sick of this post you're never going to finish it. Heck, it's taken me 3 nights to write it.
So, I drove until 4:30 in the morning, to somewhere in North Dakota. They woke me up at 6:00 *grrr* to eat breakfast at Perkins in Bismarck.
Breakfast was great. The part that WASN'T so great was the fact that about 8 hours later, in southern Minnesota, I realized that I'd left my purse under booth number 12 in Bismarck North Dakota. Long story longer, I called the place, they found it, they guy mailed it to me, and I no longer have to be paranoid about driving places without a license.
And then we got home. The end. That kind of was the end of the trip. All of us disembarked the RV, not only on speaking terms, but actually still liking one another. Which I think is a huge accomplishment. And some of us are preparing to get back on that sucker tomorrow morning at 7:00 a.m. for our last tour east to PA and NY.
PLEASE PRAY FOR PATIENCE AND SANITY. I LOST A GOOD DEAL OF BOTH LAST TIME, AND HAVE NOT HAD SUFFICIENT TIME TO RESTOCK!
Thanks bunches :)
....And if you made it all the way to the end of this obscenely long post, you get an imaginary gold star.
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