And So It Begins! Victoria- Port Alberni- Sproat Lake, BC

McKinley Wolf has been good to us! Big Dave stayed with Ed and Mildred, while I stayed with Ian and Dianne. This morning we are rolling out of Ed's place after having breakfast at Kitty's. This show is packed, billed, and switched on!

It's a smooth run up to Port Alberni today. I've even got phone service, and the GPS seems to be working. Well, no, actually it is NOT so good up around Sproat Lake! This is twenty minutes beyond Port Alberni. The maps are good, but the locator is quite spotty. We make a couple of wrong turns, but find our way in plenty of time.

It's a house concert to kick off the Tour this evening, and we roll in blasting because we can. The help is not impressed. Rather, she is somewhat panic stricken! After peace is restored to Sproat Lake we introduce ourselves, and make ourselves comfortable. Our hosts have not yet arrived home today, so we unpack, sit back, and enjoy the view.

We'll turn this on later tonight as the guests are coming and going.

Big Dave makes a couple of calls, while I check out the Lake.

It's a real pretty spot, isn't it? Our hosts, Cynthia and Bernd, arrive, and we are quickly set up, shown to our quarters, and fed. I elect to go for a little pre-show swim- because I can! The water is pretty nice for a snow-fed lake. I'm in, out, and dry again pretty quickly.

Dave and I make some last minute changes to our set list, and then it is showtime on Sproat Lake! We've got the Lincoln turned on to greet the guests! Now we're swinging into Show Number One of the National Steel Bad Boy Blues Tour. We've got an audience of about 35 people, and they are with us! Yes! We're back! How do you like us so far?!! It is very nice to be playing this show at last, and we pull it off without any serious glitches. Dave's new CD is selling well. The post show snacks are good.

We sit and munch for a time, and then we are off to bed- another big day waiting for us in the morning. Dave says "hi."