Des Moines, Iowa

We headed North to Des Moines, Iowa after leaving Lawrence. Along the way we stopped at a service station where we were surprised to find hard alcohol being sold right there alongside the coffee and candy. Call me crazy, but this didn’t seem like the best idea, but I don’t make the laws in Kansas.

Once we arrived in Des Moines we quickly found our directions were off. Instead of finding the club we found ourselves pinned between the outskirts of Des Moines and the endless fields of wheat and corn that surround the city. After some exploring we found what appeared to be the only center for culture and nightlife in the city, a single block lined with Italian restaurants, coffee shops, and bars. We located the venue, which was a beautiful old building with pressed tin ceilings and enough wear on the bar to remind us that we were moving further east through older cities. It is always humbling to play these older venues, especially when the crowd is small; it forces you to be aware of time.

Thursday, September 29th, is a date that forces me to be aware of time more than I would like. It is this day that I was born 29 years ago. You could say I’m not a birthday person, but my girlfriend always seems to find a way for me to enjoy them. This year, with thousands of miles between us, she tracked down a restaurant and ordered me a steak dinner. It’s the thought that counts as they say and that was pretty damn thoughtful. It was a surprise that made being in this isolated lonely city a little nicer and had me missing my girlfriend quite a bit.