Rolled west to Santa Barbara to catch up with my friend Lyle P. Lovett at the Santa Barbara Bowl over the weekend. Nice venue. The $8,000,00 stage roof that went up in `07 is nice. Too posh, but nice. No more worrying about lights falling on some bass player’s head. But I could do without the oppressive new security and schlepping uphill from their off-site parking.
At least the acoustics are still top-notch, and you can get a cold Widmer Hefeweizen for $6. Don’t miss the chance to catch a show there if you’re in the neighborhood. Don’t miss La Super Rica—622 N. Milpas St in Santa Barbara: easily the best Taquería north of Ensenada.
We talked about his album coming out in October—no title quite yet, but watch this space—and the steel-tank `71 Penton he raced back in Texas, the `75 RD350 I’m resurrecting, riding in Mexico and how it’s good to remember where you come from and hang on to a few pieces of the machinery that brought you along the way. Lyle does that much better than most people. It’s one of the qualities I admire in him. We need to go riding, and we will. But for now, it’s nice to be reminded that there are plenty of people keeping their priorities calibrated despite what the economy is or isn’t doing. Taking care of family. Keeping in touch with friends. Being kind to people who don’t always return the favor. And holding on to old motorcycles from their past that mean something in one way or the other. Works for me.