Update 02/07/01
A place to leave the van in Köln!

Update 04/09/01
Our return from the states and the Hexen Haus.

Update 05/01/01
Picking up the "new" van ...

Update 07/28/01
North Fraance tour, and a request of honor ...

Jan -17 - 2001

Everything's gonna be alright!

So, what do you figure would be the worst thing that could happen to us?

Well, OK, we're not dead or hurt but can you believe we've been made homeless again?!? AGAIN!!! How can that happen? We live in a van for goodness sakes! Well, not any more. At least not in our dearly loved vintage Mercedes 508D. For those who have visited with us, you know what a wonderful home it was.

What happened? Lance turned left and a tram didn't. It was amazing to watch as the tram (train) ripped and crushed the driver's front corner of our van away, shattering the windshield into a billion little chunks of glass. In most accidents there is one sickening crunch and it's over; but in this one, the sickening crunch went on and on and on as the tram scraped and pulled forward almost into the second tram car before being able to stop. Donna's door had to be kicked open from the inside indicating the body had been twisted badly. In shock and horror she kept saying between sobs and tears that "It's over, our life on the road is over! We can't afford another van."

All this happened the day before we were to begin a one month tour of Germany. (15 January). After this tour, we have non-refundable tickets booked to the USA to meet Lance's new grandson! It will be our first trip back to Tennessee in two years to see our families.

It's hard to look at the bright side but, we are trying to do that.

Right now, a friend from Köln (Cologne) loaned us his car for a week or so (brave guy, huh!) and we've started the tour. Hopefully, by the end of the month we can afford another van to try to make another home on the road. The old saying is "either you have time or money". Unfortunately, right now we have neither. Normally we operate on luck and love. Love we still have, now we're waiting for our luck to change!

To our German friends, if you know of a early or mid-1980's Mercedes 508 or 608-9 (Diesel) van for a very reasonable price, we would appreciate an e-mail. And if you know somewhere we might be able to salvage this one... we would appreciate this information too. Or a place near Köln that we can safely park the van until we are able to dismantle the inside for building into the next van.

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From Lance:
7 Feb. 2001 Update:

Next Thursday the 15th of Feb. we're on a plane back to the States from Brussels.
We had already purchased our non-refundable airplane tickets prior to the accident, but if we don't find anything before we go, we will still need to find a van when we return to Brussels the 28 of March and then into Germany.
We will continue the search then. While we're in the states I'll continue to look on the internet.
But...
We still have the faith!
We'll make it though. We haven't given up,
We know how magic works.
And there are lots of people praying on our behalf.
As long as we keep the faith, all will be as it should.
First I have to pay for my stupidity.

From Donna:
Life just seems too busy!

It's been very difficult with the crash of the van.
We have been frantic looking for a new (old) van, but without success. We have lots of people looking for a van for us in different parts of Germany and over the net. People we have met at gigs or through people at gigs and even over the net! So, something will come eventually. I guess we just aren't supposed to have this settled before we leave. I know it will all be all right in the long run, but sometimes it really
is depressing. We are used to being more independent than we are now, for we have to have rides to gigs, to hotels, etc. a real pain....And this is killing our funds! We saved good money for the trip home but now it's a financial mess.

We have been able to find a place in Cologne to park the old van until we get back and can either strip it out for inside parts, if we find a van that needs to be built-in for living, and then to sell it for engine parts. Found the place through a person at a gig in the south of Germany! And it's a lot cheaper than what we are paying now... 150 DM a month instead of 100 DM a week! Lucky find! That relieves some of the burden and stress.

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April 9, 2001

Howdy to all....
The trip back was uneventful.... Just a long flight and a 3 hour train ride... and then sleep! The days that followed seemed a limbo of sorts as we readjusted to life here.

It has been good to be back... It seems as if the problems of getting a new van and all is not as overwhelming now. We have found a good van and have put money down on it. More on it later....

Right now we have rented a small ... very small... cottage. It's on the outskirts of Cologne, at the end of a tram line, in a unique area that is just beautiful. Small paths, not much assess for cars so much of the parking is at the roadside, near the horse pastures that front the community. The area was a homesteading project in the pre-war years and later boomed after the war due to the open land near the bombed out city. Then in the 60's it was a hippie commune. It's still alternative people, some left over from the 60's but now with teens and grown children and years of making the community what it is today. Totally delightful!

And we love this community! They have all been more than helpful, opening their hearts and homes to us, feeding us and giving us a cabana for a week and even letting us use their car to search for a van!

But about the cottage... We are in the backyard of a house, in a gardened area with a gold fish fountained pond and surrounded by gnomes in what they call it the 'Hexen Haus' or the 'Witches House'. We were most curious as to why but when we saw it we knew at once.... it looks just like the house from Hansel and Gretel! It once was a child's play house and has since been converted to a small living space. It has a shower, washing machine (!!!!), a small kitchen with sitting space and coal/wood burning stove, and the bedroom is just big enough for the bed. And it has an outhouse! A one-holer. Of course the garden is very private. It's all very quaint and very German looking!

But still the cottage is bigger than the van and it will allow us some where to base ourselves while getting back on the road! The old van is not livable and the new van will need interior work to really suit our equipment storage needs. Luckily, the young man that helped us find the van is a carpenter and has all the tools needed to make the changes. He lives out in the country side about 2 hours from Cologne and we will be going there to do the work. So rebuilding it looks like an adventure in itself! Updates as it happens.....

We have been really pleased that our new agent in Germany has called with three festivals, two for the spring and one in the fall. It has been difficult to come back and not have work arranged. But now that we can project road readiness, we can start booking again. Until then, we will be singing for our supper on the streets of Cologne. We did one day last week to get our feet wet and enjoyed it. It has been a long time since playing the street!

So there ya are.... the adventures continue!
Love to all
L&D

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May 1, 2001

we finally picked up our new camping car. it will need some work done on the interior to be really suitable for our needs, but fortunately we met a couple of professional carpenters that want to do it with us for nothing, they just want us to come and hang (party) at their place for a few days and this is a way to get us there! it's a beautiful little village in the mountains about 70 km from the Luxembourg boarder overlooking a lovely valley and another range of mountains. but, we are hoping to be back on the road soon.

Our trip back was long and hard! When we stopped to check the air pressure in the newly put on front tire, we discovered a blown out inside back tire! the jack we had was not strong enough to support the back, so Lance, in pigeon German and lots of sign language, borrowed a jack from a lorry driver! Then, almost to Frankfort, we blow another tire! And a back one too! This time we did not have a spare tire on
the rim, but still two extra tires off the rim. So we had to call ADAC. They wanted to tow us! But that didn't work since we would be too tall for the bridges and our bottom dragged as they tried anyway to load us on! So it took a trip back and forth to the workshop with the 'off the rim' tires to be fitted on the blown tire rim. Before the service, we showed them how much money we had (440 DM), and Lance even talked to someone on the phone in English and got a price of 400 DM, so he was really surprised when the man gave him a bill of 550 DM! Thank goodness we had told him we did not have a credit card with us, for he settled for 400 DM after Lance emptied our purse and said that's all there is! he left us with 40 DM! it took hours!!! by the time we got back on the road, we were exhausted so we stopped for the night near Koblenz and got into Köln Monday afternoon...
oh well... that's life on the road... it was good to ride the highway and fall asleep to the song of the road.

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July 28, 01

After dealing with Lance's drunk carpenter and one of the most dysfunctional families we have ever seen, we tried to get our new van, AKA The (big ugly) Blue Whale, through vehicle controls and official licensing in Germany. We failed but have 30 days to do the needed repairs. Nothing really major; other than no brake lights, and that would be easy to fix quickly. But as we leave and head out, our starter starts to act 'funny'....
We had concerts arranged in the Champaign region of France and were thrilled at the audience response, which included almost record CD sales. We were really broke so this break in luck was truly appreciated. And we got to visit with our dear friend Chantal and her daughter, Helene. Chantal is an author who has 'written us in' one of her books. She and her husband have an American Quarter Horse Farm. Next we went to the Northeast region and had two more concerts with the same response. It was wonderful. We stayed with our dear friends, Claudie and Laurent, who traveled with us in the February USA trip. It's one of our homes. After doing an afternoon radio show called 'Fred's World', we could relax a bit before our weekend concerts and celebrate Lance's 45th birthday with a surprise party thrown by our North of
France fan club presidents, Claudie and Laurent.... and the next day, while visiting our friend Theresa at her small neighborhood bar Lance asked Donna to marry him, she said yes and they decided to do it when they had time! Lance and Laurent finally found the brake light solution. After hours of search! It is proving that nothing is easy with the Blue Whale! The starter problems are getting to be more.. but not that bad... and as soon as we return to Cologne, Lance can replace it with the needed part from the old van. But we decide to risk a trip down to Paris first, to work on our still unfinished video. We are only 2 hours north and then we will go straight back to Cologne to work on the engine repairs with a bit of money ahead! We thought. Then we received a phone call and life shifted... it was from a friend near Cognac, Miriam, to tell us her husband, Mac, had passed on. An avid blues fan, he requested that Lance play at the scattering of his ashes into the sea at the bridge at Ile d'OlÈron, about 2 hours away.
At first we said we couldn't, we were concerned with the increasing starter problems. And the cost of the trip... it's 12 hours south! But we have to deal with not honoring a dear friends last request... so we decide to risk it after working on the video for a day. And we think since our magic mechanic is in La Rochelle, only an hour away from the ceremony we will go there to do all the repairs easily and return to Germany ready to pass the inspections. We had a few more problems along the way south, but all easily handled. Pushing off a 5 ton vehicle is not that hard really! Donna can even do it.... Down hill at least!
Friday morning, we were warmly welcomed at Miriam's, and her daughter, Charlotte arrived from the USA. Mac had told Charlotte about us, so she seemed to already know us. We seemed friends immediately with much in common. We were all invited to a bar-b-que and told Miriam and Charlotte to decide if they wished to go, which they did. It was a pleasant evening. Shortly after returning to Miriam's house, we retired to our camping car, to give the two some time alone. Charlotte was jet lagging hard after 26 sleepless hours and we were still recovering from long hours on the road the night before. The timing for the next day was discussed and we were told to meet them at the bridge at 3:30. They were leaving no later that 11:00 and that might be a bit early for us.
But Lance was up early for coffee and Donna joined for tea at 10:30. The previous plan was confirmed and they took our mobile phone number in case there was a problem in recovering the ashes. We left shortly after they, but with the feeling that something was wrong. There had been a shift of emotional winds. We were puzzled. After more starter problems along the way and a 8 kilometer traffic jam, we still arrived at the bridge by 2:30 and Lance had a chance to work up a nice version of 'When the Saints Go Marching In', a song requested the day before. And we waited... and we waited
and we waited some more.
Every so often we would call Miriam's homephone.
We were concerned.. and worried that something was wrong.
But finally we decided to leave.. at 7:30!!!
We had not heard from them at all and we knew they had our number!!!
What was wrong? We drove on to La Rochelle and since our friend Ilaria was not expecting us until Sunday afternoon, we decided to visit with the Cisco family, although mom, Sylvie is the only one home. Cisco and his two daughters are all in Korea! But we have a nice visit with Sylvie and we invite her to come with us the next day to Illaria's, for it is always a family dinner there and all are welcome. Remember Illaria's used to have a restaurant!
And we finally get a phone call from Charlotte. 'Sorry we missed you, it's been an emotional day, we'll talk at another time.' That was all!!!! Not even 'Good-bye'!
We had no explanation and have no idea what happened! But fate had brought us this far! The next day, after a rush laundry job, we tact (pack the van) to go to Illaria's, taking the van for her to see and to be able to leave her house that night to sleep at the front gate of the magic mechanic's, Patrick's.
Again the starter... but plenty of men in the neighborhood and if Donna can push it off, so can 3 or 4 men! But this was not really downhill! Anyway the gist of the story is... there was a loud POP and it did not jump-start! Not good! It was pushed into a parking spot... the damn starter starts... there are no gears!!! Tomorrow we will call Patrick. He is only 5 kilometers away!!!
We all visit with Illaria and her 4 children and granddaughter. Donna starts to have nervous breakdown!!! This is too incredible! What was that POP? The 'Blue Whale' is now a big ugly 'Beached Whale'!!
Fortunately, before leaving Germany we joined the ADAC, much like AAA motor club, and with international coverage. It was a bit more for the international coverage but we thought it might be valuable protection. And it has been incredible so far! First we had to get the 'Beached Whale' to Patrick's... so a large ADAC recovery truck was sent which piggy backed us to the garage. This is a thrill none should miss. Our Whale is 3.3 meters, 10 feet tall +/-!
But we get to Patrick's and after much work by Lance, dismounting parts, he finds that it is the differential. Gone! Does not work. Will not work. Hard to find. Old. Expensive. New part cost is 6,000 DM. We paid 6,500 DM for the 'Beached Whale'! Donna continues to have a nervous breakdown! And Lance keeps trying to figure it out. We have the same part on the old van in storage in Cologne. Donna reads the ADAC literature and sees something about a rental car allowance in case of a breakdown and the ADAC English speaking rep ok's the rental and the mission! Drive 1000 kilometers to Cologne, pick up the part and return to finish the job there...
So... that is what we are up to now. We have a lovely station wagon, subsidized by ADAC, Lance has the neighborhood alerted for the final removal tomorrow afternoon. It's heavy.
It will be loaded in the wagon along with other replacement parts. We have enjoyed coming back to the sanity of the Hexen-House. It's order, it's garden, it's washing machine. Donna is over her nervous breakdown, Lance had a nice day of depression and rest and we are both ready to tackle the next phase with renewed energy and commitment to getting back on the road. We leave Sunday morning with a quick stop in Paris to finish the video along the way to La Rochelle. We must return the car by Monday noon!!!
This may explain why some of you have not heard from us in a while....

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