I just walked in the door from my trip to Ashland, WI. I left yesterday around 8:00am because my GPS said I could do the trip in 10 hours and 15 minutes. I was hoping to get into town around 6, maybe 6:30, hit the hotel for a nap and go to the show at 8:00). Nothing even remotely similar to that happened. Instead I took a wrong turn after grabbing some coffee and added a 20 minute detour to my trip, so now I was scheduled to arrive closer to 6:45. Eventually I get a call from the guys at Charter (who booked me) and the bar had decided to do a second show. I say I'll do anything to help (I'm trying to impress) and tell them my ETA is 6:50 or so (I was getting into some two lane traffic and the speed limit was 55 for over a hundred miles. Seriously). Eventually everyone agrees I'll try to make it by 7:00 and we'll do two shows.
So I pick up the speed and start passing people (still a two lane road here, speed limit 55). Eventually I pass a truck and I have to floor-it to make it in time and not crash into the vehicle in the other lane up the road. Turns out that other vehicle was a statr trooper and he clocked me at 81 mph. He was nice, and my ticket is $236 and some change. So if I can make the second show, I'll almost be able to pay for my ticket (and nothing else) with tonight's pay.
I ended up making the show. Mark Poolos was headlining; it was cool to see him again. I did 24 minutes each show and Mark said he was impressed I didn't get angry because of my ticket. Both shows were fine, I'd say they were like a Sunday show at a club. Kind of chill, but they laughed. Anyway, Sarah, the manager of the club said she felt bad that the additional show caused me to get that ticket so she gave me a bonus (which I repeatedly tried to refuse, because I don't know what the etiquette is in that situation).
After the second shows, I talked with Mark and Tim (the bartender) and then headed Hotel Chequamegon, which was very nice. Then I woke up this morning and drove home.