The Bus.

A letter home:  October 14th 2009

Just a quick update on the trip... We left @ 11:00 am yesterday morning, the bus packed and cozy.  We made it outside Little Rock and the alternator belts went out.  Dustin & Colin Kennedy (the bus driver) fixed the problem, and we forged ahead.  We stopped outside Nashville later that night to sleep, and planned to leave by 8:00 am to make the North Carolina show.  We woke up at 7:30 to find the bus wouldn't start.  We had to get towed to a diesel shop late morning, and it ended up being the clutch.  The mechanic adjusted the clutch, and the bus seemed good to go by late afternoon.  However, it was too late to make the N.C. show.  Around 3:00/4:00 pm we pulled out to head to New Jersey and blocks away from the shop the clutch went out again on the side of the highway.  We convinced the service station across the street to tow us to an Aldi parking lot, which brings us to current.  We are waiting for an official tow to take us back to the diesel shop, where we will spend the night on the bus.  The mechanic thinks he can get a new clutch by tomorrow and get it fixed, hopefully we will know more in the morning.  In the meanwhile, I've been back-and-forth with the managers trying to find solutions.  We're already missing our second show in Jersey.  We may have to get a rental van, it's been complicated finding something that will accomodate 8 people and music gear. So basically our trip has consisted of being stranded in Hendersonville, TN.  We're all pretty mentally exhausted, and we've been talking to mechanics, managers, & band members all day trying to figure things out.  Please excuse us if we're out of touch for the next day or so, we're just trying to figure out a lot of details.  This email is everything in a nutshell, but it's been a long two days. But the important thing is we're safe, cozy and together in the bus--it's a lot like camping! We're just starting to go a little stir crazy, but everyone's getting along surprisingly well.  Let you know more later, but wanted to send our love--send us your prayers!  Love, J&D P.S.  We are being towed right now by the same guy who towed us at 10:00a this morning. Wow, our day has really come full-circle.

I feel like The Uglysuit bus should have an entire post devoted to it...but then also it shouldn't.  This bus brought comfort and security to the tour with cozy bunks, a "bathroom" and some personal space--but it was also the biggest pain in the ass, and money pit, I have ever encountered in my life.

The band bought the bus from a local Oklahoma City blues musician, one who will remain nameless--since in my personal opinion, he wasn't short of a con making that sale.  The Uglysuit members spent time building the inside using any lumber materials available--including wood from a record-breaking ramp belonging to Oklahoma-native, Matt Hoffman.  There were couches and bunk beds, even a full-size bed for the token married couple...(yes, us.)  The band moms acquired fabric and made cushions and curtains, and the Bray's grandpa even bought a flatscreen TV!  Everyone pitched in to make this enormous vehicle tour-ready, and there were plenty of friends and family to see the Uglysuit off for their first bus tour.

Needless to say, we loved the bus, but the bus did not love us back.  Every tour within that year it broke down.  Every.  Single.  One.  Rain, snow, ice or show--it didn't matter where we were, or where we had to to go, it broke.  We had to call mechanics, tow trucks, shops...every inch we made it that P.O.S. was a miracle.

Overall, it was more of a pain than it was worth, but some of the best tour memories were made on that bus.  So whether we raise a glass, or smash a beer bottle on the front bumper, here's to the bus...and a huge thanks to Renee Richardson Walheim for capturing these photos!

JEM