A friend of ours had found a guitar for sale online that matched Brett's desired specifications. Brett contacted the seller and arranged to meet with him in Greeneville on our way back to Asheville. The meeting took place, and Brett thoroughly tested the guitar. It felt right. Brett is now the proud new owner of a Collings D1A.
After Brett sealed the deal, we stopped at a roadside produce stand to replenish our supply of fresh peaches.
We drove another hour to Asheville to play the wedding reception of our friends, Vanessa and Mike. Vanessa had reserved a room for us at a Red Roof Inn, so we headed straight there and checked in. I was able to take a quick power nap before we headed to the venue, a banquet room called On Broadway in downtown Asheville.
The bride and groom are personal friends of mine from Jacksonville and awesome people. I'm very happy for them. It was an honor and a pleasure to be a part of their special day. I knew a few of the family members and friends in attendance. The ceremony itself was short and sweet. I particularly liked the way they included Mike's two kids throughout the evening. There hasn't been a more perfect and loving blended family since the Sound of Music. We were hired to perform, but also encouraged to take a break and have dinner. The food was catered in-house, and there was an abundance of vegetarian and nonvegetarian options. It was probably the most delicious meal I've ever had at a wedding, and I've been to quite a few. Everyone seemed pleased with the band's contribution to the evening. It was a welcome change to play a private party for friends, especially at the end of our tour. I'm glad our travel plans allowed us to be here. Congratulations Vanessa and Mike!
After the reception, Brett and Mikey went to Bobby Miller's house to hang out. I decided to walk a block to the wedding after party. They had rented out the Dirty South Lounge in the back of a restaurant and bar called the Southern. The lounge was the perfect size for a small to medium soirée and felt like a secret cave, but with a DJ and a bar. I had access to free booze, as I did at the reception, but that's really not a problem for me at this point. I ordered a club soda with lime and was perfectly content. I interacted with folks here and there, but kept to myself mostly. I was actually quite comfortable sitting alone against the wall in the dimly lit room. I enjoyed watching the wedding guests dancing and having fun; I felt included in the party even if I wasn't being a social butterfly. I did get to catch up with Vanessa for a bit, and Mike very briefly.
When I mentioned to Vanessa that the boys had gone elsewhere and I would take a cab back to hotel, she suggested I try Uber instead. Uber is a ridesharing service that just arrived in Ashville and they happen to be running a special where a user's first five rides are free through September 4th (Vanessa's always in the know!). I downloaded the app, set up my account, and requested a ride. Within seconds, I knew who was picking me up, what they were driving, their license plate number, and their ETA. I could even track their location in real time on my phone. Within the promised two minutes, Alicia picked me up in her Prius. I introduced myself and shared that I had literally just installed the app. She said tonight was her first night as an Uber driver and I was maybe her tenth rider of the evening. Alicia was fun and friendly, and we had a pleasant conversation during the drive. I told her about the band and the wedding, and I learned a lot about Uber. I looked it up later and read that it was launched in San Francisco in 2009 and has since expanded to cities around the world; I admit I wasn't familiar with it before tonight. I understand Uber is not without its controversy, but my first experience with it was great. After spending so much of this journey seeing old friends, meeting new folks, and employing technology, it struck me as apropos that my last night on tour would begin with my friends' wedding and end with a ride home from a stranger I met through a ridesharing app. These truly are amazing times in which we live.
We have one more gig tomorrow afternoon at the Sweetwater brewery back in Atlanta, and then we'll head home to Jacksonville. I feel like I could keep traveling forever, but I'm ready to come home, too. It's an interesting contradiction.
Prost!
- Jon
The journey is our destination. Enjoy!
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