Final Vlog Episode! In two months I played 20 shows, biked a thousand miles, spread the word about my music in 10 states, posted 18 videos online, redesigned my website and loved every minute of it! Here now (after a quick and much-deserved break) is the final video in my two wheel tour series. This vlog episode covers the last leg of my trip, including shows at Ithaca Quaker Meeting, Alfred Friends Meeting, Rochester Friends Meeting, Buffalo NY and the Farmington-Scipio Regional Gathering.
Vlog #10 in my Two Wheel Tour Series. After a good time in Boston and playing for the Chenery Middle School Extension Program, I made it to The Meeting School. Decision time! After much discernment, I have decided to stay on my Xtracycle Radish for the next three week tour in the Farmington-Scipio region of upstate New York.
When I first had the idea of doing my East Coast tour on bicycle, I looked into bike trailers. I couldn’t imagine any way to fit my guitar and amplifier onto the back of a bike without towing something behind. (not to mention my box of CDs, t-shirts, posters, tent, food, clothing, sleeping bag, stove, etc!)
But towing a trailer would have felt bulky… two wheels of extra friction on the road? And where would I leave the trailer when I wanted to ride around without all of my stuff?
The answer that I settled on: Xtracycle.
Carrying a Guitar on a Bike
Me with all my gear loaded on my Xtracycle.
So my plan was to ride my bike from Richmond, VA to Boston, MA and play shows in every city on the way. This would be easy if I were simply a wandering minstrel, but I am a professional musician. I booked this tour months and months in advance. I was selling CDs and T-shirts, had banners and posters, kept up with my facebook and twitter followers and released a regular vlog of my travels.
I needed not just my guitar, but an amplifier, a looping pedal, a big box of CDs, t-shirts, postcards and posters, a banner, a digital video camera, my laptop… not to mention all of the stuff I needed to survive on the road.
Check out the video below to see how I managed to fit all of that stuff onto a bicycle for my ride to Boston.
How I Fit My Amplifier, CDs, T-shirts, and Guitar On A Bicycle
Successful Music Tour on a Bike
In the end, I made it to Boston. I didn’t miss a single show (and I even booked a few more along the way!). And I had surprisingly little trouble carrying my guitar and all my gear on the bike.
And – perhaps best of all – I had a lot of fun. I got into shape. I saw and interacted with a whole lot of people and places that I wouldn’t have if I was driving or taking the train. And I loved every minute of it. Here’s more about why I decided to bike this one: http://www.jonwatts.com/2010/why-im-going-to-boston-on-an-xtracycle-radish/
Vlog # 9 in my Two Wheel Tour series. In this episode I bike the final leg of my journey from Manhattan to Beacon Hill Friends House in Boston and share music with Moses Brown Friends School and Friends Meeting at Cambridge.
Vlog #8 in my two wheel tour series. Made it from Trenton to Brooklyn and had the opportunity to perform for Brooklyn Friends Meeting and School, after staying in Newtown for an extra day to perform for the friends school there. Got to meet Andy Cohen of the Bridge Film Festival. Question of the day: How should I celebrate the end of my trip? (responses in the comment section below)
