Shove this down your Gorge!

On Labour Day weekend I took a road trip. I drove all the way down to The Gorge in WA, so that three lovely ladies could see Dave Matthews in concert.

The adventures have already been chronicled for you, hence the title of this blog.
here ... That's All She Wrote
and here ... don't tell me you don't know
and also mentioned briefly here ... Pretty Much Life the Universe and Everything, but she just says to read Heather's post.

The weekend was non-stop travel for me. I was moving and shaking all over the place, except when I was driving and my butt cheek was falling asleep. There's only so many different positions one can shift one's behind when driving the Washington Interstates. But I digress...

My concert experience was unique. I drove the three girls down knowing full well that I wasn't getting into the concert. They had already purchased their tickets months ago and I had really only just arrived on the picture. Tickets were still available, but my love for Dave Matthews does not extend past $80. In fact, it only ranks a $40. Scalpers at the concert wanted $100US.

At the concert, while the girls safely descended into the Gorge, I hung out in the parking field (it wasn't a "lot", it was a large grassy field). I had no idea that there was such activity in concert parking! People on each side of me were "tailgating" by either drinking or playing Cribbage. Since neither of these things were holding my interest I instead paid more attention to the guy across the way who was jamming out Dave Matthews songs on his acoustic guitar. I don't know much about guitar, but I know that Dave Matthews songs are really hard to play! And this guy was good.

After everyone had left, apparently they were uninterested in the opening set, I decided that I would move in closer to the entrance and prepare to listen to the concert from there. I expected to sit on my Mexico blanket and listen to the concert by myself, because the parking field was quite deserted at that point.
Instead, I found myself talking to some 41 year old guy named Pat who was obviously sauced to the gills. He said he just wanted to get effed up and try and sneak into the concert. Pat was friendly enough, and we chatted a bit during Mr. Matthews' set. We talked about all kinds of things. Music, great guitars, his wasted youth, how much we loved Canada. Pat was American, but he was a nice enough guy that I thought, 'Hey, it can't hurt to hang out with this guy, he obviously doesn't want to harm me'. In fact he even brought me a beer from his car.
Pat disappeared into the thousands of parked cars before the concert ended, so I have no idea what mischief he may have gotten himself into.

Nice guy, even if he was a bit drunk and weirdy.

After the 3 hour concert we drove the long way home, trying to find food before we returned to our campsite.

And that's how I almost saw Dave Matthews at the Gorge. Maybe next time he rolls through I'll actually pay to go see him.