A good night’s sleep is finally granted to the brotherhood of the Hawk. Everyone sleeps in and we pack the BSM leisurely as the noon checkout comes and goes. White and gray clouds soften the light and easy rain showers come and go as we press northward up the 5. We find a great blues show on Oregon Public Radio and it fits right in with our vibe, homesickness for wives and children hangs in our silence as we listen to the old guitars. Pretty soon the Blues will be one thousand years old.
We stop at Heaven on Earth for breakfast, an overtly Christian eatery, lured in by stories of sweet rolls the size of your head and a waitress who tried to convert Dave Alvin to the way of the cross. We order pancakes, omlettes, sausage, ham and eggs. They have organic shade grown coffee from Chiapas. PL drinks his Christian Cappuchino and respectfully withholds a tough critque. Before we eat we hold hands and RW leads the band in prayer. What starts off as gag takes on an authentic spiritual feel. Holding hands and bowing heads evokes a physiological calmness that gathers and humbles our hearts before a felt but unseen power. Even the skeptical guitar players behave. Breakfast is delicious and nourishing and we’re back on the road. —–