J Dog's 2009 Tour

[jdogric12]

You're all sick.

[beatlefreak]

Jdog left my place about 10:30 this morning after I filled him up with coffee, ensuring that he'll have to stop every hundred miles or so for a restroom break...


We didn't do anything special last night (Tuesday night is a bad night to try and arrange a jam with one of my bands). After a great meal (and a Margarita) at my favorite Mexican restaurant, we came back to the house and jammed for a little with the Ricks, then I showed him one of the Beatles to a Tee videos, which he had never seen.

[jdogric12]

And home. Whew! Of course it decides to rain for the Florida leg of the journey. A nice welcome home! Thanks everyone... diatribe to follow. J

[ajish4]

Jdog left my place about 10:30 this morning after I filled him up with coffee, ensuring that he'll have to stop every hundred miles or so for a restroom break...

[billydlight]

So I just read thru the whole post. Awsome undertaking Jdog, I'm jealous! Here's the question: Have you noticed that huge crowd of people following you on your Journey ala Forrest Gump, and what are you going to say to them when you stop? Start thinking now, you would not wanna disappoint!

[ken_j]

He's looking for that box of chocolates.

[jps]

He's looking for that box of chocolates.

I only recall John Allgaier buying a box of chocolates.

You had to be there.

[teeder]

He's looking for that box of chocolates.

I only recall John Allgaier buying a box of chocolates.

You had to be there.

I was there, but unfortunately I was too late to get my own box of chocolates!

[jps]

He's looking for that box of chocolates.

I only recall John Allgaier buying a box of chocolates.

You had to be there.

I was there, but unfortunately I was too late to get my own box of chocolates!

Here 'ya go, Kevin!

[johnallg]

He's looking for that box of chocolates.

I only recall John Allgaier buying a box of chocolates.

You had to be there.

I was there, but unfortunately I was too late to get my own box of chocolates!

I'd send you a few, Kevin, but between Irene and I they are all gone.

Jason, sure glad the rest of the trip was a fine time with good friends. And that it was a safe one and you got back to your place in good form. Another year's vacation for the record books.

[rickaddict]

Well it's been almost two weeks, but better late than never:

The Jdog rolled in to Chi-town on Friday evening. I got home from work just a bit before. Paul Boyer arrived around the same time with Blackstar and a certain 5 string 4004 conversion (that has been passed from forumite to forumite for years!) A little while later, Bill Henshell showed up.

Jdog wanted to see what Chicago style deep dish pizza is all about, so we ordered a couple pies from Gino's East, and hung out around the kitchen island drinking beer, eating pizza and talkin' Ricks!

We were having so much fun catching up that we didn't get downstairs to ogle Ricks until it was almost time for Paul to leave, but we did get down there for an hour or so. Jdog's mandolin is a cool little thing! And I have a crush on Paul's Blackstar! Jdog brought his Vibratone (?) Fender speaker, but we never unloaded it. Good times were had by all!

On Saturday, My wife and I took Jdog out for a quick Chicago mini-tour that included the Lincoln Park neighborhood, Wrigleyville (obligatory photos in front of the red Wrigley Field sign yet to be posted, see generic substitute below!),

and a drive up and down Lake Shore Drive (Remember that old tune by Aliotta, Haynes and Jeremiah? click here! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjNSmAl7hF0 ). We ended the tour with a visit to the Willis Tower (formerly known as the Sears Tower) Sky Deck and it's new "Ledge" glass-floored observatory boxes. Talk about freaky...I'm not so good with heights, and hanging off the side of a building at 103 floors up did nothing to cure me of that! (See generic pics below)

After that, we had an afternoon jam planned at forumite Chuck King's house. Jdog and I stopped by Midwest Buy and Sell (consciously avoiding a certain well-known and larger dealer of new and vintage gear including Ricks that I will never set foot in again) to browse their eclectic selection on our way to jam at Chuck's.

Once we got to Chuck's house (pretty close to my house!) we were greeted by Chuck and Bill, as well as a singer friend of Bill's and Bill's son. We then headed down to the basement where Chuck has a drum kit and PA. Chuck has quite the collection of amps and instruments as well. And Chuck offered a nice selection of unusual beers including his own home-brews! I chose a delicious Belgian-style double.

Any who...It was a nice jam. We all had fun. I was surprised at the versatility of Bill, Chuck and Jdog. I just play bass, so I parked myself there. But Jdog, Bill, and Chuck were switching up between drums, mando, lead guitar, rhythm guitar, acoustic/electric, vocals, not to mention jdog's 6/12 convertible and double neck. Given that none of this was planned in advance, I think we did well. Out of all the songs we played I think I had only played one before (and it was honestly around 30 years ago!) So good job, guys! I wish I could go from playing REM on mando, to lead guitar, to drums, to bass to vocals. But for now I'll have to leave that up to the more talented guys!

Afterwards Jdog and I went out to a nice mole sauce Mexican joint with Chuck and his wife. (Thanks again Jason!)

So...Good times were had by all AFAIK.

Peace out, from Chi-town!

[cjj]

Looks like a fun time, brings back memories of when we used to run up to Chicago when I was in college. Gino's East? We always used to prefer Giardano's or Bacino's. Are they still around (I haven't been to Chicago since 1983 I think)?

[rickaddict]

Looks like a fun time, brings back memories of when we used to run up to Chicago when I was in college. Gino's East? We always used to prefer Giardano's or Bacino's. Are they still around (I haven't been to Chicago since 1983 I think)?

Yes, both are still around. I think it's spelled Giordano's though! I haven't been to Bacino's in a long time. There are a lot of really good ones. The original was Pizzeria Uno. But unfortunately it has changed. Lou Malnadi's and Gino's East (and probably a few others) were kinda related to Pizzeria Uno I think. You know...the original cook from Uno's went off and started Lou Malnadi's or some such thing...So a few of them are very similar. Gino's East is the closest thing to the original Pizzeria Uno (IMO) and there's one kinda close to me, so that's what we went with.

[johnallg]

Geno's East.... yum yum!

Sounds like a great time was had in the Windy City. Lots of jamming.

[jdogric12]

Hi there everyone. Sorry I've been so poor in communicating. I got back to a Florida filled with pollen. Everyone's allergies have been off the hook. Even people I know who DON'T have allergies now have allergies. So I was kind of "sick without actually being sick" the whole four day Thanksgiving weekend. Work, of course, has been pretty hectic, although having such great co workers has made it good to be back again. My singing voice returned just in time to play open mic's the last two nights and do Argonaut sets.

I had the best time ever on this trip. Everyone really went out of their way and made me feel like one of the family everywhere I went, and I can't thank them enough. And of course thanks to Peter, whose vision brought us all together in the first place.

I've got photos up on my facebook page... week one for now, weeks 2 & 3 to follow soon, probably this weekend.

So let's see... what all did I do? Just one short week later it already feels like some great movie I saw, it was so unreal.

I'll break up this posts in case my computer decides to get funky... more to immediately follow...