So, after hitching out of Madison, Wi and going to Chicago in a bizarre adventure involving spacing when to get gas, change on the shoulder of the road and driving up the on-ramp the wrong way, rob got dropped off at an 'l'l, went to 95th & State, caught the last Pace 353 (wound up walking 4 miles as Sunday Pace service blows goats...)

Went out to the Lincoln oasis at 10 am w/a Michigan sign, got picked up by a guy who had been drafted back during Korea and was on his last reserve drill that weekend.

He said something interesting:

"Son, I've been a sargeant for twenty-five years and I've buried a lot of boys, but I never buried a politician's son, a doctor's son, or a lawyer's son. I buried a lot of colored kids & poor white kids though, and frankly, I'm glad that I'm retiring after today."

Anyway, I BARELY made it to the ORBIT room in Grand Rapids. I was on an on-ramp in HOLLAND, Mich. in the pitch dark (I forgot about the time change from Mich. to Ill. (-1hr)) w/a sign saying Grand Rapids, when I get a ride RIGHT TO THE ORBIT ROOM, near a Grand Rapids shopping mall, a LONG way from the nearest interstate!

The dude has just left !pentecostal! church and lives 4 blocks from the show. I go up to the bouncer and ask him if he thinks everybody has shown up, or do they think some stragglers might show? He sez "no worries mate, the promoter gave me a ticket to give away."
So I get into the Marillion show RIGHT during the 1st song on time(!) & for FREE!

Anyhoo, I get a lift to K-zoo from Bubba then back to Chicago...

A normal trip for ONCE ;-)

GUIDE NEWS

The MAGELLAN search engine put's the guide in one of the TOP 3 places in response to query: hitchhiking!

MAGELLAN URL:(Editor): now Webcrawler

Just thought it needed to be said ;-) -lr

UPDATE: OHIO, ILLINOIS, AND CONCERT SITE LOCATIONS, BUS #'S

The Columbus, Ohio public library url:www.cml.lib.oh.us/has installed a filter to make hotmail.com unavailable!
However, complaints may be directed to the 'net' honcho for the Columbus system at this e-mail address: lblack.
Rob's typin' this in the OSU library instead. (State supported collegiate libraries, like CA & TX, in Ohio are considered "public" libraries due to tax support.)...

Anyway, rob went to see Robert Hunter at the Barrymore in Madison.
From Chicago take METRA train ($6.60 one-way) to Harvard, Illinois then US 14 to 1-90 (saves loads o' time; only one train in am though, so...) and NO Pace service to Crystal Lake (even tho it's on the map).
In Madison; Barrymore is 'B' bus $1.25 fare - reversible transfers.
THE Riviera Chicago CTA 81, red line 'l' or blue line 'l' to Jeff Park then CTA 81 bus ($1.80 fare)
Intersection of Broadway & Lawrence
P.S. even tho it's north side it aint' the best o' neighborhoods so keep yer wallet in yer front pocket, etc...

Nearby METRA: Ravenswood station (fairly frequent service)
$2.50 from the Loop- Chicago passenger terminal
if you go from out of state remember BOTH Chicago airports have CTA 'l' service.

Tomorrow, rob will attend the Robert Hunter show at Newport Music Hall in COLUMBUS, Ohio (near OSU - take the #2 bus $1.10 single ride, $1.20 w/transfer & $2.50 for all day pass).

Also NEARBY
The niftiest pizza in the universe:
FLYING TOMATO right on High St 4 blox north from the show...
Of course, they have dr pepper, they'd have to. (wink)
They're not cheap but they're not expensive either...
and TASTY stuffed pies!

INDY BUS UPDATE:

For good east bound travel - take #2 or #35 out to Post Rd (a few blocks away from I-70),
then make a sign w/Mt Comfort.
From Mt Comfort, Ohio is gravy (usually)

BUFFALO/ROCHESTER NY

This message is being written in the ROCHESTER NY public library (2 buildings, lots of terminals and a time limit effective 10/15/97; no filters on cgi's or webmailers as of yet , however.)

Buffalo advice dept:
Don't trust the bus system here. I missed the Stones gig at Rich Stadium 'cuz NOBODY TOLD ME I WAS 15 BLOCKS FROM THE SHOW - at a place called 'Mckinley Mall' $%^! it!

The bus I SHOULD HAVE taken: for RICH STADIUM: 336 (no return after 10 pm.)

I also missed Robert Hunters show at 'Bobby Melito's Tralfamadore Cafe' due to time constraints ('theatre' subway stop on 'Buffalo Place 'ped / trolley mall').

Anyway, in frustration I took the 324 bus out to I-90 on the east side o' Buffalo and hitched from behind the tollgate, got a ride w/NYstates finest to the next exit and then to I-390 & the NYS thruway (at this point, Rochester is *STILL* 11 miles away).
However, at a mall a mile in, there appears to be LIMITED Citibus service (I believe the fare is $1.25) I recommend the 390/90 interchange for thruway travel (as it is apparently within shouting distance, mile and a 1/2 or so off a Citibus stop; 390 ENDS at this JCT btw...)
As usual I recommend a sign reading 'east / west' and standing behind the 'welcome to the thruway' sign...As a rule, you won't get dicked with but you *MIGHT*, so try to be as friendly as possible...)

Tonights concert is at:
WATER ST MUSIC HALL
204 Water St
Rochester
If you can get to downtown Rochester and have an IQ higher than eggplant, you should be able to find it.
(ditto this library)

P.S. the above means that I s p a c e d the directions...;-)

ONE LAST ROCHESTER NOTE:

In the PM a bus leavs downtown Rochester for the EASTVIEW Mall park & ride.

This mall is about a mile away from the I-490 / I-90 interchange on the EAST side of Rochester (this is a good eastbound thruway on-ramp).

The fare is $1.75. Bus leaves Midtown Plaza downtown Rochester at 4:07, 4:40, 5:15 & 5;55.

This is a 20 mile run!

Write to Legendary Rob.