Hello Nolan, Goodbye Siracha Shirt
Arriving I feel a sense of accomplishment. I have made it to my 4th and final state to hang with my buddy, rock and roll, philosopher and my one and only life saver. This man has been through the ringer and it has fueled his music and out look on life. Damn funny and prolific he could be a one man marketing machine or musical comedian. This is fitting to finish off this trip with him.
I make sure my bags are out in the smallest baggage claim you ever seen. Pilots and flight attendants come out to catch cabs right away. They are either off to another airport or ready to get out of the heat and on to one of the few bars Idaho falls. As I come out Nolan is sitting in the truck practically parked. See there is no needs to packed up and go rush off trying to avoid a ticket from some airport rent a cop hot head with a florescent parka on. No I came into a totally different and calm airport experience. Nolan calm and collected told me to not worry let's make my trip a fun one. And so started my Idaho Falls experience.
“ Do you have any game meat or a place where I can buy some? Restaurant or butcher shop? ” I googled and googled and not one hit that was open to the public. I was obsessed on trying some elk meat or some local bison/buffalo. I want to try stuff I have never had before. I mean Fuddruckers has Elk burgers and I have had Buffalo many times but you know I wanna see what Idaho has to offer. I have this whole idea that I going to have some exotic wilderness meal. So what do we find google tells me there are a few restaurants around us. It’s like a hotel motel row with connecting places to eat. We park not too far from the airport in fact the airport is very close to downtown. We park and Nolan says “ we can grab some mexican food ”, ugh I gasp. I live in the Mission district and pretty much every where I went on this trip Tacos up the ying yang. I could not just do the same thing again. We wander and there are like 4 people for every place. Not a good sign or not that many people in town I am thinking. We drive towards his mother’s shop Treasure’s Bridal and Tux by the main street area with lots off cool cafes and shops. Most everything is closed and it doesn’t look like we are going to grab anything to drink or to eat. I start to lose hope and feel like it will be an AppleBee’s kind of night. all this way for the same food. Then we hear some laughter and a few girls and guys are outside having a smoke. The Celt is an irish Pub and the music and pounding from inside. Country jam session. Eyes light up and My heart feels right here. 2 guys and 2 girls on guitars and a stand up Bass are busting out some serious tunes. I poke around and find out they are all called The Slaughter Daughters. Cap off of my camera and I start to shoot. I just get right in front and don’t care I have to get some photos of this.
My tummy starts to rumble as I remember I had a bad lunch and need an ice cold drink. I have been hit with humidity and heat in all 3 states. I order the Drink call F the Queen. So pretty with a kick. I decide against the Shepard’s Pie and go full burger with no bun and some fries. BY now the band has taken a break and I get to meet some of Nolan’s friends and town folk. I meet Sam and Griffin a really cool cat who wants me to photograph him later in the trip ut sadly we do not connect later. Very cool and nice to meet them. I feel welcomed and look over to Nolan, pat him on the back” this is is buddy this is perfect we both are grinning looking checking out how packed it is. I get my perfectly cooked Burger and cocktail. I cut it with a knife and flooding my fries with Mustard and dip in the tiny plastic ketchup cup. I exhale finally and now I have come to realize I am here now, in Idaho and it feels fine.
The band finishes and I have been taking photos of the interior and of Nolan chatting to various friends. As I put my camera away this girl comes up, it’s the singer of the band. All of a sudden I am thinking is there a sign on my head saying i’m single or is it this easy in Idaho. Just show up and they come walking up to you? “ Hi I’m Cecilia” , she starts with a smile and beer. “ Great music up there” I mutter over the loud bar. “ I couldn’t help but see your shirt I really like it. I always wanted a Siracha shirt.” My shirt, my shirt she is after my shirt. of course. I laugh inside. Come on dude it is never that easy unless you have a crazy person looking to murder you out back I think to myself. “ I was wondering if we can swap for one of out band Tshirts for your cool red shirt” Feeling in the momentI say sure but I need a large.” She replies happily almost immediately. “ oh wow, really?, Ok I will go check” I tell Nolan what’s going on. and of course he laughs and knows I am in a Robert adventurous mood. “ This will be cool to blog about ” I almost laugh at myself thinking this.
Cecilia comes waves me over and I see she has found me a shirt well it is not a large and a big snug but what the hell I do it anyways. I tell her “ You mind if we take a before and after photo?” She says “ Sure” and there I am with my shirt off in a Pub in Idaho. Luckily I feel in shape and this idea is more fun then reality of being half naked in front of many. So I don’t think twice. One of her band mates snaps our photos before and after. I post it instantly back at the table. I have been in town like one hour and already having a crazy moment. I realize that I have smaller shirt one bit a very cool one with the bands name on it. Back at the table i finish eating and my drink. I ask a couple of the band mates if I can snap them so we do a couple very appreciative they were into it.
After staying a bit longer meeting some of the locals we decide to head out and go get my settled in at the ranch. A not a too far away but far away place where Nolan has converted this cute lil house into a funky art house with Barely Fields in the back where someone is renting out the land. He has 3 cats Darla, Isis Violet and a little dog named honey. A cute teeny tiny pup with a killer mop hair cut. He sets me up with my very own room windows open for the cool summer air to trickle in I get my bags situated and it’s off to bed at the Rock n Roll Ranch.