North America Guitar Tour

Albuquerque

June 23, 2014

I left the motel in Tucson, which had been a second failure, at just after 7am and headed for my next destination, Albuquerque, New Mexico. The navigation system said it would take about 7 hours, so based on past experience, I figured it would take more than 10 hours. While driving, I had my video camera ready to record, and would record whenever I got bored. Just a month ago, I was scolded several times at the driving school for driving with one hand, but that time seems like a long time ago now.

I've loved western movies since I was a child, and when I was in elementary school, I decided that I would definitely go to America someday. It was still a luxurious time to travel abroad, so it was almost like a dream. I took the junior high school entrance exam because I heard that the school I was going to didn't have annual field trips or school trips, but instead had a training trip to America in the early spring when I moved from junior high school to high school. I did poorly on the written exam, but I was accepted when the principal asked me in the interview, "Why do you want to come to this school?" and I immediately replied, "Because I want to go to America." I still believe that's why I was accepted. After that, I realized how strange the old Western movie setting of "cavalry = good, Indians = evil" was, and I stopped watching them. I feel the same kind of fishiness in the professional baseball broadcasts at the time, which only showed Giants games.

When I heard about Albuquerque, New Mexico, the first thing I thought of was a hot place. I had a similar image of Tucson, Arizona, but it wasn't that hot, especially at night. However, my assumptions about Albuquerque were completely wrong. It was a summer resort, and it was quite cold at night. I heard that it was at an altitude of 1,700 meters.

I arrived at Mr. D's house, where I was staying that day, around 7pm, and gave a house concert in front of his parents and older sister, a total of four people. After the show, his parents and sister went home and Mr. D, who plays double bass, and we ended up jamming until late into the night. Solo guitarists don't have many opportunities to jam, so these kinds of sessions are a great learning experience.

*People who appear in the text are listed by their initials until we can confirm their identity.

To Tucson • Supporter's Area • To Colorado (beginning of Miracle)

Contents

Introduction
Until Departure
Seattle
To California
Day Off
Sunnyvale
To La
LA 2 Days
To Tucson
Albuquerque
To Colorado (beginning of Miracle)
Berthoud
Denver
to Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City 2 days
To Texas
San Antonio
Georgetown
Dallas
Houston 2 Days
Benton
Nashville (CAAS)
Roswell
Tampa 2 Days
Miami
Orland 2 Days
Myrtle Beach
Chapel Hill 3 Days
Kingsport
To Indiana
Indiana State Fingerstyle Guitar Festival
To Staten Island
Manhattan
Phillipsburg
Nazareth (Martin Guitar Factory)
To Massachusetts (end of Miracle)
Methuen
To Montreal
To Buffalo
Meadvill A Day Before
Meadvill Ghost Hotel
Detroit
Chicago
Minneapolice
Spin Off #1
Spin Off #2 "EU Tour IN 2008 / Until Departure
Czech 1
Czech 2
London
Liverpool
Chesham
To Germany
Lemgo
Ingolstadt
Bregenz
To Italy
Florence
The Last Gig
Going Home