Friday 1st October
Another few hundred miles of corn to the Touhill performing arts center at the University of Missouri in St. Louis. En Route Alan and I stop for lunch in Normal, Illinois. We had debated stopping in Mexico, Illinois as we ate in Peru the day before but common sense prevailed and the massive water tower proclaiming "NORMAL" was just too tempting.

The Touhill Center is only one year old and a magnificent, huge theatre. St. Louis is home to the Anheiser-Busch brewing dynasty (I have always been more of an Anheiser man myself) and their generosity is responsible for much of the splendour of this building. Before the show, The Inveran Pipe Band do a grand opening spot and after we meet them in the "Say When" bar for a game of shuffleboard and a wide range of Budweiser products.

Saturday 2nd October
More Corn and back to Kansas City for a show at the Community Christian Church. I would like to stress that this is merely the venue and not the people putting on the gig. Battlefield Band has been playing for these people for years and it is always a great night and this is no exception.

In Kansas City, Alan buys a book which is one of a series where the titles end with the phrase "for Dummies". I.e. "Quilting for Dummies"; "Needlepoint for Dummies"; "Integral Calculus for Dummies" etc. This particular issue is titled "U.S. Presidents for Dummies" : We are assured that this is not a misprint. Alan also buys a couple of kilos of herbal tea as tomorrow we are flying and the copious bags of green should brighten things up at the security checkpoint. Due to the impending killer travel day tomorrow we are unfortunately unable to attend the always impeccable post-concert bash at Kim's house so; apologies.

Sunday 3rd October
An early start this morning for more airport hilarity before we fly to Seattle and then drive to Portland Oregon for what promises to be a great gig: Indeed better than most festivals could offer. We are playing tonight with Kevin Burke; Andy M. Stewart and Gerry O'Beirne; and once again Lunasa. All of this within the hallowed walls of the Alladin Theatre which, according to the lighting tech if St. Louis, is in the Guinness book of World Records for showing the longest ever consecutive run of that classic of American Cinema - Deep Throat. It is common for theatres to have navigated rough patches in their financial history by showing pornography.

For the Concert, the house is full and everyone plays great. There is loads of singing and Dancing and everybody plays together at the end…. Before we all go to the pub. Kevin Burke lives in Portland and Both ourselves and Lunasa are on a day off tomorrow which luckily coincides with Kevin's Monday night tune with button accordian maestro, Johnny Connely. Unfortunately, Andy and Gerry have a gig in Seattle Monday night and cannot come to tomorrow's session so it is great to catch up with them tonight.

Fuel

Monday 4th October
Michty, michty session!

Tuesday 5th October
Michty, michty sair heid!

Wednesday 6th October
After a moderate mountain drive we arrive in Bend, Oregon - a picturesque town south of Mt Hood. The Tower theatre is another old theatre which has metamorphosed from its requisite period of disrepair into a beautiful performance space thanks to massive local investment. We get a large audience and are well treated by David Eddleston and all the crew. After we go to a boozer - "On the Rocks" I believe it was called - where we are fed and watered and I get the opportunity to meet my cousin for the very first time ; herself a resident of Bend.

Thursday 7th October
We have before us a nine-hour drive so a massive plate of cholesterol appears the only realistic preparation and one is never far away. After the penultimate plate of shreaded potatoes, eggs, toast, pancakes, grits, sausage, (a side of bacon), and a gallon of Tabasco we embark on a relentless day of driving to Anacortes, gateway to the San Juan Islands and our last gig of the tour: Two nights in Friday Harbor.

Friday 8th and Saturday 9th October
Battlefield band have played many times here on San Juan and as always it is a pleasure. On this occasion we are treated to the company of my folks, my brother and another of my cousins as well as some of my parents' long time pals. Both nights are packed and we receive ample hospitality from the Front Street Ale House and San Juan Brewery. To further cement this relationship, Alasdair and myself accompany Mike, the head brewer, to the China Pearl - Chinese restaurant, pool hall, and late-night fretless bass boogie bar. I know that may sound a particularly specific establishment but I feel it is more a place with something for everyone… in moderation. They have Jagermeister anyway and that generally evens everything out up and down the west coast of America.

Sunday 10th October
6 a.m. start to get the early ferry back to the mainland before we return home via Seattle and Amsterdam. The end of another fine tour, our odyssey of Star-gazing is punctuated by the Scottish National Women's Curling team who are returning to Edinburgh on our very same flight.