FRIDAY, AUGUST 19
TODAY I AM LEAVING FOR CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO FOR AN EVENT WITH THE PBR, PROFESSIONAL BULL RODEO. I WILL MEET DARRYL WORLEY AND HIS BAND IN HOUSTON, AND WE WILL FLY DOWN TOGETHER. DARRYL HAS BEEN OUT ON THE ROAD FOR ALMOST 2 WEEKS, SO THEY FLY OUT FROM DENVER.
I CHECKED IN ON-LINE LAST NIGHT SO I WOULDN’T HAVE TO BE AT THE AIRPORT AS EARLY. I ALSO CHECKED DARRYL’S GROUP IN ON-LINE. JOE DIDN’T HAVE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET WHERE THEY WERE IN WYOMING SO I OFFERED TO DO THIS AFTER I RETURNED FROM THE FAIR. WE WENT TO THE WILSON COUNTY FAIR LAST NIGHT….THE BIGGEST AND BEST COUNTY FAIR IN TN! J WHEN I WAS CHECKING THE GUYS IN ON-LINE IT KEPT SAYING “CONTACT AN AGENT” SO I HAD TO CALL CONTINENTAL AND WAS ON HOLD FOR OVER 30 MINUTES. ONCE I TOLD THE LADY WHAT I WAS TRYING TO DO, SHE SAID “OH, I SEE THE PROBLEM”, NOT SURE WHAT IT WAS, BUT SHE FIXED IT AND I WAS ABLE TO CHECK THEM IN. THEN I HAD TO ENTER EVERYONE’S PASSPORT INFO BEFORE IT WOULD CONFIRM THE CHECK-IN. PIA!!
GOT TO THE AIRPORT, DROPPED MY BAG AND HEADED TO THE GATE. SHORT FLIGHT TO HOUSTON. WHEN I ARRIVED, I LOCATED MY NEXT GATE AND WENT TO CHILI’S FOR LUNCH. IT WAS THEN ALMOST TIME FOR DARRYL AND HIS GROUP TO ARRIVE. I TEXT JOE, THEY JUST LANDED SO I HAD SOME TABLES HELD AT CHILI’S SO THEY COULD EAT LUNCH BEFORE WE LEFT. EVERYONE WAS EXHAUSTED AS THEY DROVE FROM WYOMING TO DENVER TO CATCH THEIR FLIGHT TO HOUSTON, AND HAD ONLY GOTTEN ABOUT 4 HOURS SLEEP. HAD ANOTHER SHORT FLIGHT TO CHIHUAHUA, AND CYNTIA WAS THERE WAITING ON US. THEY HAD 2 LARGE VANS WAITING FOR US, ONE FOR GEAR AND ONE FOR THE BAND. SOME OF THE GUYS ROAD WITH THE GEAR FOR THE SHORT 20 MINUTE RIDE TO THE HOTEL. WE ARE STAYING AT THE CASE GRANDE HOTEL. THE HOTEL IS A SPONSOR, AND THIS IS WHERE THE BULLRIDERS ARE STAYING TOO. GOT EVERYONE CHECKED IN, WE ALL MET IN THE HOTEL RESTAURANT FOR A QUICK DINNER AND I WAS IN BED BY 11 PM.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 20
SLEPT IN – WHEN I TRAVEL SEEMS TO BE THE ONLY TIME NOWADAYS THAT I GET TO SLEEP IN. HAD BREAKFAST WITH SOME OF THE GUYS . WE DON’T LEAVE UNTIL 1:30 SO I HAD TIME TO GET ON LINE AND CHECK EMAILS AND DO A FEW THINGS. THE VIEW OUT MY WINDOW, WHICH IS GROUND LEVEL, IS OF THE POOL. WHEN I LOOKED OUT THIS MORNING, I SEE 2 GROUPS OF MEXICANS BLIND FOLDED AND TIED TO ONE ANOTHER WALKING AROUND THE EDGE OF THE POOL GROUNDS. THEY HAD WOMEN LEADING EACH GROUP AND THE MEN IN THE BACK. IT WAS FUNNY TO SEE THEM WALKING ABOUT WITH THEIR ARMS STRETCHED OUT IN FRONT OF THEM TRYING TO “FEEL” THEIR WAY AROUND. EACH PERSON WAS TIED JUST FAR ENOUGH FROM THE NEXT PERSON THAT THEY COULD NOT REACH THEM. NOT SURE WHAT KIND OF GAME IT WAS.
ARRIVED AT THE VENUE FOR SOUNDCHECK. WE HAD TO WALK DOWN THE ENTRANCE AREA THAT WENT INTO THE VENUE, WHICH WAS COVERED WITH DIRT, AS THIS IS WHERE THE BULLS WILL ENTER AS WELL. I WORE MY LITTLE WHITE SHOES, WHICH WEREN’T VERY WHITE WHEN I LEFT. THERE WERE BIG CATTLE STALLS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE RAMP WHERE THE BULLS WILL BE HELD UNTIL THEY ARE RELEASED INTO THE ARENA TONIGHT. THEY WERE ALL TIED TOGETHER SO WE HAD TO WALK UP AND DOWN THE “RAMP” TO GET INTO THE DRESSING ROOM. I WAS ABLE TO GET SOME OF THE GATES UNTIED SO WE COULD GO STRAIGHT INTO THE DRESSING ROOM. AFTER WE LEAVE, THEY WILL TIE THEM BACK, THEN TONIGHT, THEY WILL UNTIL THEM AGAIN SO DARRYL CAN GO STRAIGHT TO THE STAGE WITHOUT HAVING TO WALK THROUGH THE DIRT ON THE ARENA FLOOR. DARRYL DID A SHORT TAPED RADIO INTERVIEW WITH ARMANDO WHIL E THE BAND LOADED IN. DARRYL DID HIS SOUND CHECK AND THEN WENT TO A SHORT PRESS CONFERENCE. ALEX, OUR DRIVER, TOOK THE BAND BACK TO THE HOTEL DURING THE PRESS CONFERNCE SINCE IT WAS LESS THAN A 10 MINUTE DRIVE. PRESS CONFERENCE WAS SHORT. THE PRESS ALL GATHERS IN A ROOM WITH THE “GUESTS” LINE UP IN A PANEL FORMAT IN THE FRONT OF THE ROOMS, AND ASK QUESTIONS. WE HAD DARRYL, 4-5 BULLRIDERS AND ARMANDO, THE PROMOTER. MOST OF THE QUESTIONS WERE FOR ARMANDO, HE WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO SPOKE SPANISH, AND ALL OF THE OTHER QUESTIONS HAD TO BE TRANSLATED. ONE OF THE BULLRIDERS WAS FROM AUSTRALIA; OTHERS WERE FROM TEXAS AND NEBRASKA.
AFTER ALEX DROPPED THE BAND AT THE HOTEL, HE CAME BACK AND PICKED UP DARRYL, JOE AND I. WE WENT BACK HAD DINNER, FRESHENED UP AND LEFT FOR THE SHOW ABOUT 8:15. GOOD THING WE LEFT A LITTLE EARLY…..RIGHT AS WE GOT TO THE VENUE, DARRYL REALIZED HE LEFT HIS “EARS” IN HIS HOTEL ROOM SO WE HAD TO TURN AROUND AND GO BACK. THIS ALSO ALLOWED ENOUGH TIME FOR CYNTIA TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET US IN THE DRESSINGROOM AREA SINCE THE BULLS WERE IN THE AREA WHERE WE NEEDED TO GO. LUCKILY BY THE TIME WE GOT BACK, THE BULLS WERE ALMOST FINISHED. THEY CLOSED THE CATTLE RAILS WHILE THE LAST BULL WAS ON THE FLOOR, WE WENT TO THE DRESSING ROOM AND THEN THAT BULL WENT UP THE RAMP WHERE THE OTHERS WERE. THE RODEO ENDED A LITTLE EARLY SO THE BAND GOT SET UP REAL QUICK, THE GATES WERE “UNTIED” AND DARRYL STARTED HIS SHOW.
DARRYL DID A GREAT SHOW. I HAD NOT SEEN HIS SHOW SINCE JAPAN ABOUT 7-8 YEARS AGO. THE CROWD WAS NOT ALLOWED ON THE FLOOR BECAUSE THERE IS ANOTHER RODEO TOMORROW NIGHT. I KNOW IT HAD TO BE DIFFICULT ON DARRYL TO PERFORM WITH NO ONE IN FRONT OF THE STAGE. ABOUT HALF WAY THROUGH HIS SHOW, THIS GROUP OF GIRLS WALKED OUT ON THE FLOOR AND STARTED TAKING PICTURES. THE POLICE YELLED FOR THEM TO GET OFF THE FLOOR, BUT IT DIDN’T WORK. THEN MORE PEOPLE FOLLOWED TO THE FLOOR. NEXT THING YOU KNEW ABOUT 100 PEOPLE WERE DOWN THERE. I KNOW THAT HAD TO HELP DARRYL, BUT JUST WISH THEY HAD GONE DOWN TO THE FLOOR EARLIER.
AFTER THE SHOW, DARRYL MET WITH ONE OF THE BULLRIDERS, AS THEY HAVE MUTUAL FRIEND, AND HE MET WITH THE JUSTIN BOOTS SPONSORS. WE GOT TO SEE ARMANDO’S 2 CHILDREN AND HIS WIFE, WHO IS EXPECTING IN NOVEMBER. J FUNNY, I WAS THE ONE WHO WAS PREGNANT AT LAST YEARS EVENT, AND THIS YEAR PAULINA AND ARMANDO’S WIFE ARE EXPECTING. PAULINA HELPS TO COORDINATE THE EVENT, SHE’S A LITTLE PETITE LADY – SO SWEET – AND SHE IS HAVING A BOY IN DECEMBER!! J
BACK TO THE HOTEL WITH PIZZA. CYNTIA WENT OVERBOARD ON TAKING CARE OF US AND ORDERED US 10 PIZZA’S FOR 9 PEOPLE. WE ENDED UP SHARING WITH THE BULLRIDERS, CYNTIA, ALEX, AND EVERY ONE ELSE AROUND. I WENT TO MY ROOM ABOUT 11:30 AND CRASHED FOR A FEW HOURS.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 21
SHORT NIGHT, UP A LITTLE AFTER 4:00 AM, BUT I WOKE UP SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE NIGHT. I AM ALWAYS AFRAID I WILL OVER SLEEP WHEN I HAVE SHORT NIGHTS LIKE THIS. EVERYONE WAS UP AND READY FOR OUR 6:00 AM LOBBY CALL. DRIVER WAS A FEW MINUTES LATE ARRIVING, AND I WAS JUST ABOUT TO PANICK WHEN HE SHOWED UP.
SHORT DRIVE TO THE AIRPORT. EVERYONE GOT CHECKED IN. I THINK WE WERE THE ONLY PEOPLE AT THE AIRPORT WHEN WE GOT THERE. DID A LITTLE SHOPPING AND WENT TO THE GATE. I WAS CHARGING MY PHONE WHEN I LOOKED DOWN AND NOTICED THIS HUGE BLACK BUG CRAWLING ALONG THE WALL BEHIND ME. I LOOKED AROUND AND DARRYL WAS LOOKING OVER THAT WAY. I POINTED TO THE BUG AND HE SAID “I CAN SEE IT FROM HERE”. HE HAD TO BE ATLEAST 15 YARDS AWAY!
WE LEFT ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATE SO THAT WAS REALLY GOING TO MAKE OUR ALREADY SHORT CONNECTION TIME EVEN SHORTER. WHEN WE ARRIVED AT PASSPORT CONTROL, I KID YOU NOT, THERE WAS ABOT 500 PEOPLE IN LINE AND ONLY 5 AGENTS WORKING. I TOLD ONE OF THE SECURITY LADIES WORKING THAT WE HAD ABOUT 45 MINUTES TO MAKE OUR CONNECTION, AND ASKED IF THERE WAS ANY WAY WE COULD MOVE AHEAD? SHE ASKED IF OUR FLIGHT WAS DOMESTIC, WHICH I SAID “YES”, AND SHE SAID “SORRY, YOU WILL HAVE TO WAIT”. L A FEW MINUTES LATER SHE STARTS PULLING PEOPLE FROM THE LINE THAT ARE GOING TO OMAHA AND ST. LOUIS. I AGAIN ASK HER ABOUT HELPING US, SAYING NOW WE HAVE ONLY 20 MINUTES TO MAKE OUR CONNECTION. SHE SAID “SORRY, BUT YOU HAVE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE YOUR CONNECTION AND THEY DON’T”. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE LINE STARTS MOVING LIKE CRAZY WE FINALLY MAKE IT THROUGH. I GOT MY BAG AND HEADED TO THE CONVEYOR BELT WHERE WE DROP IT WHEN MAKING A CONNECTION. I WENT AHEAD OF THE GUYS SO I COULD FIND OUT WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO ABOUT OUR FLIGHTS. THE GUY THERE SAID TO GO UP STAIRS YOU ALL HAVE ALREADY BEEN REBOOKED ON ANOTHER FLIGHT. YEAH!! I CALLED JOE AND TOLD HIM, HE WAS STILL WAITING ON 2 OF THE GUYS AT BAGGAGE CLAIMS. JOE CALLS ME BACK IN A FEW MINUTES SAYING THEY ARE BOOKED ON FLIGHTS FOR TOMORROW AND DARRYL HAS MEDIA ALL DAY ON MONDAY IN SAVANNAH FOR THE “TN RIVER RUN”. AFTER I GOT THROUGH SECURITY, I WENT TO THE CONTINENTAL COURTESY DESK AND WAS TOLD WE WERE ALL ON STAND-BY FOR THE FLIGHTS OUT TONIGHT, BUT THE BAND WAS CONFIRMED FOR TOMORROW. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE LAST CONFIRMED SEAT OUT TONIGHT.
WE ALL MET UP AT THE GATE, NO ONE MADE THE FLIGHT AT 3:30. THERE WERE AT LEAST 5-6 PEOPLE IN FRONT OF US ON STAND-BY. NEXT FLIGHT WAS AT 5:30, BUT DELAYED UNTIL 6:47. DARRYL ENDED UP SWEET TALKING THE GATE AGENT AND SINGING FOR HER, AND MADE IT ON THAT FLIGHT. J I WAS SO GLAD FOR HIM AS I KNEW HE HAD A BUSY, AND VERY IMPORTANT, DAY ON MONDAY. THE REST OF THE BAND LEFT FOR A HOTEL AS THEY WERE ALL WAY DOWN THE LIST ON THE STAND-BY. I MADE MY CONNECTION AND GOT HOME AT 10:30. WAS GLAD TO BE HOME, BUT REALLY BUMMED ABOUT MISSING OUT ON A WHOLE DAY WITH MY BOYS!! L
OVERALL THIS WAS A REALLY GREAT TRIP. DARRYL AND HIS GUYS WERE GREAT, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THEM AGAIN.