When all is rent asunder-road notes 2020

After seven weeks on the road we get a respite, R & R babysitting grand kids in the Sandwich Islands.

It is over in a blink and we have to recover our financial goals of fiscal responsibility while on the road.

We cross five time zones, we travel through three additional airports, we get frisked numerous times.

I have no bombs in my shoes or underwear. I realize that my new found friends at the T.S.A. got their jobs because they like to be “real snoopy”.

We alight at DIA-Denver International, it is our intention to regroup and get our Buffalo Billfold “Starship” out of winterization and head to the South West for an additional three weeks. It entails completely de-winterizing and getting the RV roadworthy and livable.

Friends in Denver make our transition tolerable, we are exceedingly grateful for their friendship.

It seems a bit daunting but these are the best three shows the Southwestern U.S. has to offer. We never imagined that we could hit a triple hitter and get into all of them! Our time has finally come!

After four truck stops, refueling and Walmart parking lots , crossing Wooten Pass, Raton Pass, fourteen hours later we have arrived in the land of promise.

We play and perform music for the public with kindred friends at the Sun Flower Ranch (RV Park) and then arise long before sunrise to prepare for our first festival (Scottsdale 50th annual art fest).

I didn’t realize how big of deal it was until I arrive on the scene. Beauty surrounds our booth site, water fountains, ducks, little ducks, la plumeria fragrance everywhere, a magical world.

Our load in is a long distance and it is all up hill. It is a daunting task for people nearing retirement!
We endure, it is a crazy good place and the demographic is perfect in spite of the rain.
We arrived with wild ambition, by the time we were set up we were teetering on exhaustion.
The last cart load of display material was pushed into place when were were informed that the show was not going to happen.
The Corona virus……3,400 miles, five days travel, early mornings, alas, we’ve been had.

A malaise has over come us. We now repack and drive into the continuing rain and darkness. We are no longer pretty and engaging craftsmen and artisans. We are dirty, and kind of stinky and just want to go home or go some place and sleep.  The romance of the road becomes a gritty joke and we struggle to maintain our road worthiness.
We can’t, the suburbs loom for miles in every direction, we travel long into the darkness and rain before we find refuge.

The SunFlower Camp offers us RV lodging and knows our plight.

We await our fate on the coming shows………will they continue or will they cancel? We’ve staked thousands of dollars of travel and booth fees in hopes of recouping those amounts by meeting and selling to our old and new customers.

After 1,600 days of exhibits and festivals we’ve had a good run.

My phone “pings”, the next show has just cancelled. The grand second tour of the SouthWest has just been rent asunder. It makes no financial sense to wait around for a remaining show …..weeks away …….

We will reconnoiter and determine our exit plan.

We have said goodbyes to many of our artist/artisan and craftsman friends, we will not see them for another year.

It was a devastating blow for many of them, it is what and how they survive.

We are lucky, we have a three or four footed business plan that allows us to sell our leatherwork at art fairs, on the internet, in our store and also as a featured product at many nationally renown national parks. (Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Death Valley, etc.)

We will be okay and don’t need the sympathy.

With this in mind……..take a moment to reflect upon a friend of yours,  that gal or fellow that is a budding artist or artisan, recognize their struggle, recognize their dream.

Consider making their day and life a little bit brighter by patronizing them.

You have the ability to be a hero.

See you out on the trail!

www.billkeitel.com