.Ok, well I still do not have a computer yet as I just got back yesterday but we have a regular computer at the house too that is really just used for playing games on and is upstairs and not very comfortable. So I am using it for my last report. Thanks to all those who contacted me with different trouble shooting ideas but unfortunatly my laptop is a lost cause
Well I believe I left you in Reno, not much else to report about Reno itself but we left early the next day. We had nothing to do but to drive to Riverside which the gps told us was 8hrs and thats less than we thought but still figured it would take us more like 10hrs if we stop for lunch and gas, smoke breaks, bathrooms etc. So right away we get about 10 miles outside Reno and gas up we all get back in the car and pull onto the small road that leads to the main road that we will be traveling on. Nick all of a sudden stops the car in the road and is patting his collar, checking his pockets and the door for something. JA asks " what you looking for?" Nick tells us that he needs his sunglasses but can't find them. he spends maybe a minute in the car looking all over asking JA to get out to see if they were on his seat, in his door, he looks in the back at me the gets out himself. Remember we are still parked in the middle of the road. He checks everywhere it seems 3 or 4 times and then says " I had them on when I went into the gas station, I must have put them down on the counter" and without futher ado he walks quickly across the way and into the gas station to find out. JA is just sat with his mouth open and looks back at me and says "So this is it?? this is where we are parking the car then while he finds his glasses? We are in the middle of the road" By this time a few cars had passed us well gone around us looking confused and as we were ready to get out and move it we see Nick on his way back. He isn't looking happy and is still patting at his collar and checking his pockets again. He gets to the car and says " I'll bet those %&(%# took them, they said I didn't have them on when I went in but I think I did" he then proceeds to open up the back of the care where all the luggage is and starts sifting through the stuff back there. I ask, why he is looking back there when he had them on his face minutes ago? He says "Well you just never know" Now me and JA are laughing at all this fuss for a pair of $20 sunglasses and had murmered that maybe we give him $10 each and let him get some more and that way we could just move on with the trip. But when Nick said you just never know it was kinda funny because how do the get from on your face and fall all the way into the back of the SUV and into your briefcase? Anyway, Nick was on one of his missions and there was nothing we could do about it but let him get it out of his system or find them, we have seen this before. He goes back into the store and comes back checks everywhere again and finally say some choice words and gets in the car not happy. We pull out and drive a few miles the whole time I am watching Nick pat his collar again and check his pockets and all around the drivers seat. Then he says "Mark, can you check between my seat and the center console towards you for my glasses? I can see something shining back there" I do and there they were, we all breath a sigh of relief. Nick because he found his glasses and JA and I because we didn't want to go through this all the way to LA and we would have too because when Nicky sets his mind to something its aweful hard to stop him.
The ride wasn't so bad and we got to Riverside around 6pm. I just wanted to chill out and so after getting into my room I headed down to the bar for a cocktail, Nick went out to eat and JA just layed around in his room. We were up bright and early the next day as we had to meet with the people around noon at the pool room and Nick wanted to set up his shots. So we did that and then left to relax and get something to eat before the Show that night. JA and I had to run a couple of errands real quick and so we left Nick there at the pool room for a few as Fatboy was heading over to say hi and hang out. So when we get back Fatboy is there waiting and we all head over to our hotel. I go my separate way and take a nap. I must have needed it as I woke up around 5pm and we had to leave around 5.45 as we had been asked to be at the show early as the organizer and pool room owner had set up like a cocktail hour before the show starting at 6.30. I had just enough time to wake up, take a shower and dress. We arrive to find almost a full house already and everyone seemed to be in good spirits including us. This was our last show for the Western Tour and although we have had a lot of fun and enjoyed everything we were all ready to get back to our families. everyone including Fatboy enjoyed the show and as you know Fatboy is a friend of JA's and obviously know about all the tours we have done over the past 6yrs but had never actually been to see one. He came to me after and shook my hand and said "Well done, these are great shows and hard work to put together" so that was nice to hear. Nick and I wanted to get together after and have a wrap party with JA but he was tired and don't drink so Nick had a glass of wine back at the hotel and I had a cocktail and we just chatted about things in general and went to bed as the bar was closing anyway.
JA left the next day JA left to head home and Nick and I stayed another day for a clinic that was set up for 11am to 3pm. However this morning I was going to try and sleep in and around 8am I awoke to my bed being shook and felt it move maybe a couple inches. I wasn't sure if I had just had some kind of fit or being in Southern Cali there had been an earthquake. I opened my curtains to see if there was any sign of panic out side but nothing. I waited and gathered myself a second and called the front dest and aqsked if there had been a small earthquake and they said yeah, just a little one. Wow cool I was in an earthquake again. I had been in a bigger one about 20 years ago but still kinda cool. Anyway we finished on time thanked everyone and Nick signed some things for the people in the clinic and posed for some pics etc. We headed over to our new hotel that was next to the airport as we both were set to leave the next morning. We decided to treat ourselves to Benehanas, we love that stuff but Nick had been wanting it for a week since we had seen one in the Bay Area. He called to make reservations at around 5pm and the soonest they could get us in was at 9pm. I told him that was too late and we needed to find another place however Nick was on a mission to get that benehanas and made the reservation anyway. We both agreed that even though he had made the reservation that it was too late to eat. We came up with Chevy's and headed out to go there although I new deep down in my heart that I had not heard the last of Benehanas. As we drive toward the Chevy's Nick bursts out "There is is, there it is" Yup Benehanas was right there and he did a Dukes of Hazard move into the parking lot. I ask him "What you doing?" He says "Well I need to just stop in here and cancel our reservation" So he pulls up outside the front door and goes in for a min and comees back with a big smile telling me that they have a waiting list and it would only be about 45 mins wait and parks the car. I say "Man, you just wasn't gonna let this go were you?" He just laughed and we went inside to the bar, we had our usual drinks and the 45 mins wait turned into one and a half hours wait and our before dinner drink turned into a few. We had a great conversation about all kinds of things and I was actually happy that we had to wait so long as the evening was going great and we were really enjoying each others company as well and getting really primed for the food to come. Nick said this has been a good trip and I am gonna go off tonight with the food and get whatever I feel like and I don't give a F*%k what it costs. I tell him that I intend to do the same. He stops me and says "No, I am gonna get yours too, you did a great job in setting this all up and I want to buy your dinner" Now I realize this as all been a dream, we have not been on tour for a month, we are not at Benehanas Nick does not part with this kind of $$ easy. So I pinch myself expecting to wake up at home in my bed but no we were here and Nick was gonna pick up the tab. OR, am I getting punked?? Nope he meant it and I thanked him. Pretty soon we were sat at the table ready for the show and the great food. Nick went with the Fillet and Lobster tail and he said "Get what you want, don't worry about the price" So I went with the Fillet and Scallops. Everything was excellent including the rainbow sherbert iced cream for desert.
We left in good spirits and dropped off the rental car as it was just around the corner. However once we dropped it off they told us that they could only shuttle us to the airport and not back to the hotel which was closer than the airport. So I called the hotel and they said it would be a 30 min wait before they could send anyone. Nick says "We will just walk its not that far" I explain that its not as close as he thinks and it seems like a short way when you are driving. "Nah its less than a mile he tells me" I do not agree but whatever we might as well walk. So here we are Nick and I walking around on a Saturday night and as we walk I see that he was right it was a 3 min walk so I keep up with the "Nick its about 3 miles man, what are we doing its crazy to walk this far" All he could say was that he was glad that I wasn't in charge of measuring anything very important cos I would be terrible at it. All of a sudden here comes a decent sized guy, not very well dressed running across the road toward us. I know we both were thinking the same thing, this could be trouble heading our way. I guess its at times like this you know who your friends are. I look across at Nick just in time to watch him do some kind of mix between the electric slide and a ballet move as he glided first backward like he was moonwalking and then directly behind me. The guy ran right in front of us and into a hotel. I guess he had just been to the store and was trying top dodge cars to get back to his hotel. I said nothing but Nick just smiled at me like nothing had happened. We got back safe and sound and went to bed right away. A great night was had.
The next morning we said our goodbyes and that was the end of the Legends and champions Western Tour for 2012. I guess it was a little bitter sweet once Nick had left, I was alone after all that we have done over the past almost 30 days and the places we had seen it was over. No more rushing to pool rooms, no more traveling and getting to the hotel, no more shows felt like there was something missing. It felt like there was something I should be doing. Nope the only thing I got to do is get myself on a plane and heat home. Thats the sweet part of the bitter, sweet.
Well I hope that you have enjoyed the tales from the road. Not always exciting and not always funny but maybe you can get an idea of what its like when we are out here. From the outside I'm sure it looks glamorous and exciting but as you have seen its not that way all the time. I have really enjoyed writing these reports and will do it again on the next trip. Who knows what might happen or who it will be.
I need to thank so many people who have helped us along the way. There is no way to thank everyone. So here are just a few, Toni Varner, My girl Jessica and Melanie Archer for there support at home while we were gone. Ron Bryant (Ruby Ron) he helps us in so many ways with one thing or another, All the pool room owners and league operators for everything they do on the ground to help make the tours a success before we even get there. To all the people who took the clinics and came to the shows, all the Azers who came and shook my hand at the events and to all the Azers who have sent me emails and Pms letting me know that my little report was not being ignored and their support.
I hope to meet more of you in the future and hopefully come to a town near you. Thanks again to all of you.
Mark (T-Wheels) Cantrill signing out, til next time.
