Days 6 through 9- Everything is Bigger (and Better) in Texas!

There is a state where everything is BIG, and where personalities are larger than life. This state is known as Texas to some, and as cowboy country to myself and many other people from the north. I honestly had no idea what to expect prior to my arrival in the Lone Star state; a part of me assumed I would see just cowboys on horses sharing the highways with huge Ford trucks, attempting to run my little Toyota Camry I’m traveling in with a Connecticut license plate off the road. Another part of me was a little apprehensive of performing a show in this state (or even talking to many natives here outside of the cities) because of my previous notion of their conservative, over religious, and right wing beliefs, and how much that clashes with my own lifestyle and viewpoints. However, this is one state I’ve been wanting to explore for a real long time, so I did not hesitate for one second to cherish my time here.

About an hour after arriving into my hotel in Dallas, it started to downpour, so I sat in front of my hotel window all night and watched the most beautiful thunderstorm and lightning I’ve ever seen. The sky was orange, purple, blue, and black all at once, and lightning would stretch in the sky for miles before crashing to the ground. It was truly something magical and very inspiring to witness right before my very own eyes. The next day I woke up early to begin exploring the city, and had lunch at a fabulous place called Tillman’s roadhouse, which was voted for having the “best fries” in the city. The restaurant was not only beautiful inside, but it also had some really amazing food, and some pretty unique French fries. I then went downtown to visit the JFK memorial, and I was not impressed with it at all. It basically looks like a big white Lego block, and I felt like something nicer should have been showcased for such a great president who lost his life in that city. Then I thought to myself, if one of the George Bush’s got shot or killed, Texas would make a whole shrine or name a town after them, yet since JFK was a democrat, all he gets is a Lego block!

I then went to a very nice area called Pioneer Park, which is a nice place to relax from the hustle and bustle of the city. I also treated myself to a new Dallas Mavericks shirt at the fan store in their arena since the Mavs are my favorite NBA team. Then a couple hours later I had my show, and I must say, that night was one of the best nights of my life. I’ve had much bigger audiences than the turnout that night, but the people that were there were really supportive and the whole group of us went out after for drinks at an English Pub (yes, an English Pub in the heart of cowboy country). There, I sucked down some bottles of Dos Equis and we all shared stories of our travels, of our love for poetry and spoken word, and how Yankee boys and Texans are all not that different from one another after all. That night will be one that I will never forget, and I was honored to be treated to such nice southern hospitality and Texas charm. In the midst of all the smiles, laughs, and stories being shared, one woman constantly turned to me and kept shouting in a joyful manner, "Welcome to Texas"....well, with the help of her and my other new friends, I definitely felt very welcome and almost at home.

The next morning I left Dallas to head to San Antonio. On the way there, I stopped through Austin to check out the University of Texas campus (which I was really impressed with) and an area in town called 6^th street (which is a big nightlife, bar, restaurant, and entertainment area). When I arrived to San Antonio, I explored the world famous River Walk for awhile, sampled some Tex-Mex food, and just took in the beautiful scenery. I then walked over to the Alamo, which also had to be one of the most beautiful landmarks I have ever seen. Early the next morning, I briefly visited Mission Concepcion, then took a boat ride on the River Walk; the perfect, picturesque ending to a perfect time in a perfect state.

Overall, Texas surprised me in many ways. First off, I knew it was one of the biggest states in the country, but you don’t really have an appreciation or understanding of that until you drive through it. At some points I would be driving for 8 hours straight while looking at the very same sight (desert and mountains and oil pumps) with no signs of civilization at all, and even though this was extremely beautiful and serene, it also tended to be redundant at the same time. Moreso than the landscape, the people here surprised me more than anything. The negative stereotypes of the citizens here (from my experiences at least) are hardly true at all. The people of Texas are just simple folk who enjoy the good things in life, and the majority of the people I met here were not narrow minded or shoving Bibles in my face or extremely right wing at all. And even the people I met that I may not share the same views with, we embraced the things we had in common rather than dispute and debate over topics we disagree on, and as an outsider looking in, that’s more than I can ever ask for while coming to a new part of the country for the first time. In a nutshell, Texas was definitely one of the most diverse, interesting, fun, and just plain awesome states I’ve ever been to. I never thought I would say this in a million years, but I love Texas and I would actually consider moving down here at some point. Can’t wait to come back to the Lone Star state again, but until then, I continue my travels out west to New Mexico and beyond, and I will not rest until I can dig my toes in the sands of the California Coast. Adios and Gracias, Texas!

Days 4 and 5- final moments in Memphis, and cherished time in Arkansas and Tulsa, Oklahoma

Very few people had such an impact in the world like Martin Luther King Jr. did. When I hear the word “hero”, his face is one of the first to always pop in my mind. Before leaving Memphis Monday morning, I stopped by the Lorraine Motel, where he was shot outside of his room on the balcony of room #306. The motel is obviously closed now for renting rooms out, and it is now part of the Civil Rights Museum. Walking up to the motel was one of the most eerie moments of my life. The motel itself feels like it’s haunted and it obviously has had no upkeep in over 40 years, but I think the look and condition of the motel at present day is the epitome of the tragedy that happened there in 1968. There is a very silent and depressing vibe outside of the motel also, and one can’t help but to shed of tear while staring at that balcony where a reef of flowers hangs in his honor.

After leaving there, I was on my way to Clarksdale, Mississippi, right at the crossroads of routes 49 and 61, which is often named the birthplace of Blues. I stayed at a place called The Shack Up Inn, which has to be one of the best kept secrets in the entire country. The entire inn is composed of about 10 different run down, vintage shacks, each of which used to be slave homes over 100 years ago. The only differences between the shacks from then and now are that electricity and running water were installed, as well as some more modern bedding; other than that, it’s about as “hick” of an experience as you can ever have. I stayed and had a photo shoot here last year also on my way to New Orleans, and it was one of the most interesting experiences of my life, so I decided to stop by again. I think the term “Southern Hospitality” was invented right here in Clarksdale, because of how nice the employees are at this inn, and I definitely found true inner peace and tranquility while relaxing on the front porch of my shack while listening to some Blues music, watching the Mississippi sunset, and sipping down a few beers. This is how life should be, and it’s a shame most people will never get to experience this beautiful way of simple and carefree living.

My next stop was Tulsa, Oklahoma, but on the way there, I stopped through Little Rock, Arkansas for lunch. I pride myself on knowing a lot about geography and various places, but I’ll be honest, Arkansas is a state I often overlooked and never really thought about visiting, just because I never really hear much about it. However, I quickly realized this state was a hidden gem, because the state has so many unique things to offer, from the natural hot springs to the Ozark Mountains to city and night life as well. I ate lunch at this great German restaurant in Little Rock and I wished I could have stayed longer, but I’ll definitely be back again in the near future to explore the state some more. I had my first show of the tour Tuesday night in Tulsa, OK, and it was a huge success. I was the co-featured performer at an open mic with Babs Martin, who is also an amazing musician and poet who I am a fan of, and the venue was packed and I got a lot of positive feedback, so I’ll definitely make plans to perform there again next year.

Now as I write this blog, I am staring out of my hotel window at the beautiful and impressive Dallas, Texas skyline. I just got here about an hour ago and I can’t wait to explore the city and perform at my show tomorrow night, so my next post will be coming this weekend and will talk all about my adventures in Dallas and San Antonio, Texas, as well as Oklahoma City. Stay tuned!

Day 2 and 3- North Carolina mountains and Tennessee

Many people, including myself, have always wondered what a Heaven on Earth would look like. Well, I think I just found it in the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina. Driving through the blueridge parkway is an experience unlike any other. Everywhere you turn is a picture perfect postcard scene. All you can see is mountain ranges stretching on to the horizon, and the only sound besides an occasional passing car is the chirping of birds. I have never experienced true bliss and beauty like this before. The road is so high up in the mountains that you can literally touch the clouds. This is heaven on earth.

I started the day on Saturday by going to Grandfather Mountain state park, which offers the best views of the mountains and the area. There is a swinging walking bridge that is exactly 1 mile above the ground level, and the lookout cliff on the top of the mountain is almost 6,000 feet high! The view from the top is absolutely breathtaking and I could have easily spent the entire day there.

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep.

After leaving the mountain, I began my 2 hour drive in the Appalachian Mountains to Asheville, North Carolina. Asheville is a very awesome, free spirited, liberal, artsy town in the middle of nowhere, nestled deep in the mountains. I briefly stopped here to people watch, grab a bite to eat, and bar hop. I can’t wait until I have the chance to come back here, because it definitely felt like home to me and I can see myself living there one day.

On Sunday, I first drove to Nashville, Tennessee for lunch. I stopped by for a quick beer at the world famous Tootsie's Lounge, where many famous country musicians and other celebrities are often spotted. The purple building definitely stands out among the rest on the street.

My main destination for Sunday was Memphis. I have been to both Nashville and Memphis last year on my 2008 tour, so I knew exactly what I wanted to see and where I wanted to go this year when coming here. I got to Memphis and went straight to Beale Street to enjoy what makes Memphis one of the most amazing and fun cities I’ve ever been to. Beale Street is basically the little brother of Bourbon Street in New Orleans, but it still has a lot to offer. The entire street is flooded with neon lights and live blues and country music is pouring out of every bar as you walk by. And best of all, you can drink outside on the street!

As I write this blog, I’m staring out of my hotel window and looking at the beautiful Mississippi river and the bridge going over it that crosses into Arkansas. That very bridge will take me to my next destination and allow me to continue my journey out west. My trip has barely begun, but I can already feel that I am at a place very far from home, and the memories from these past few days will be cherished for the rest of my life.

Day 1- Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill, North Carolina

I’ve done trips and tours similar to this one plenty of times, so why does this one feel so different? Why does this one feel so special? This is my first time going out west, and ever since I was a kid, I dreamed of driving cross country to California, to dig my toes into the sands of the beaches of the pacific ocean, to see the deserts and Rocky Mountains, and to find the real America. Hours before leaving for my 40 day-long trip, it still hadn’t hit me that I was actually going to be away from home for such a significant period of time (previous tours never lasted longer than 17 days).

Around 7 PM I drove around town saying goodbye to some of my friends and family and promising them amazing and funny stories from my travels for when I return. I left my house around 8:30 PM and around 9 PM when I saw the welcome to New York sign, it finally hit me then that I wasn’t going to be in Connecticut again for a long, long time. A pleasant surprise awaited for me in New York City when driving through; fireworks were going off along the Hudson River and seeing those burst in the night sky with the picturesque George Washington bridge and New York skyline as a backdrop symbolized to me the epitome of beauty and amazing memories I would be having on this road trip.

I drove straight through to Baltimore, Maryland and met up with my long time friend / fellow spoken word artist Poet of Pain. He is the guy who produced and made all the music for my debut CD, and I wouldn’t be where I am in my career right now if it wasn’t for him.

After driving all night, and seeing such odd town names in Virginia such as Triangle, Dum Fry, and Manassas (is that really pronounced “man asses”???) I finally arrived to the “welcome to North Carolina” sign as the sun began to rise. The main point of interest for day 1 of my tour was to sight see Raleigh and the Durham / Chapel Hill area. I’ve been to North Carolina many times but for some reason have never been to this area of the state, and I’ve always wanted to see UNC and Duke. I was really impressed with the beauty of Duke’s campus and honestly, the architecture is so impressively magnificent and majestic there that it made Yale look like a community college. University of North Carolina was really enjoyable also because of a nice park it had on campus and also because of how college oriented the town of Chapel Hill is right near the campus. The college town reminded me of Bloomington, Indiana a lot (where University of Indiana is), so I instantly fell in love with it, and all the little bars, cafes, stores, and restaurants that made up the area really bring life and energy to the town and college, and make it a must stop visit for any young adult.

I ended the night by attending a festival called “first Friday” in downtown Raleigh, which (as the name suggests) takes place on the first Friday of every month, and it pretty much is an excuse for the town to go wild, party, and drink, which equals fun times in my book. To make a long story short, good times were had, and new friends were made.

Day 1 down…only 39 more to go : )

I leave for my summer tour next week!

Hello everyone, this is the first post in my new blog. I leave for the 1st leg of my summer tour in just 1 week! Below is a list of the places I will be and the dates:

June 5th- Raleigh, North Carolina
June 6th- Knoxville, Tennessee
June 7th- Memphis, Tennessee
June 8th- Mississippi
June 9th - Tulsa, Oklahoma
June 10th and 11th- Dallas, Texas
June 12th- San Antonio, Texas
June 13th- Carlsbad, New Mexico
June 14th and 15th- Albuquerque, New Mexico
June 16th- Glendale, Arizona
June 17th and 18th- Grand Canyon and Las Vegas, Nevada
June 19th to 21st- San Fransisco, California
June 22nd- California coast
June 23rd to 26th- Los Angeles / Anaheim, California
June 27th and 28th- San Diego, California and Mexico
June 29th- Phoenix, Arizona
June 30th- El Paso, Texas
July 1st to 6th- Albuquerque, New Mexico
July 7th and 8th- Denver, Colorado
July 9th- Mt. Rushmore, South Dakota
July 10th and 11th- Minneapolis, Minnesota
July 12th- Michigan
July 13th- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
July 14th- Back home in Connecticut

For more info on my tour dates and where my shows are, visit www.myspace.com/dakotadarkhorse and I hope to see many new faces on the road! This blog will be updated almost daily when i'm on the road with updates on my travels, including interesting stories and pictures from along the journey. More to come soon!

DD