So this one time (actually, on Sunday) we were leaving Maine on I-95, and stopped at the southernmost rest stop to stretch and use the facilities and pour more coffee. As we were walking into the building, we heard someone shouting "It's the Muellers! It's the Muellers!" Turns out, a student from Colby College in Waterville who had seen our coffeehouse show back in April was traveling back to Boston, and had just happened to be listening to a copy of our latest CD, Branching Out, before stopping at the very same rest stop. She happened to see the logo on the back of the van (as you can see in the picture) and flagged us down. Needless to say, we were pumped! We took some pictures of everybody posing around the van and autographed her copy of the CD.

Thank you so much for listening and supporting us, Sonia Booth and parents.

Hi everyone,

Just a quick note to let you all know that we made it safely to Missouri after leaving Maine around 1 P.M. on Sunday. (The reason I know that is because they drove the van across town to pick me up from a car repair place, and the half-time station ID break for Prairie Home Companion had just come on the radio.) The only reason I'm still awake at this moment is the cup of coffee that I chugged at a McDonald's somewhere east of Paducah, Kentucky; I can't remember the name of the town, and I think that the reason I can't remember the name might be the same as the reason that I chugged the coffee in the first place: SLEEPY.

I've got a couple of great photos to post tomorrow. Highlights include an impromptu autograph-and-picture session with some fans that we met at an interstate rest stop, a Biscuit House sign in West Virginia, and a roadkill bat that we found lodged in the grille of the van, prompting a lot of Batmobile jokes.

But first, I'm going to sleep. More tomorrow!

Tom M.

_____

Part 2:



The Muellers are honored to be the subject of a recent documentary produced by a group of senior students from Colby College in Waterville, Maine.

Kristen Barnico
Paige Clunie
Kara Dalton
Jess Egan
Brett Wagenheim

Brett, Jess, Paige, Kara, and Kristen did a great job, and it was a pleasure to work with them.

I've posted both sections of the documentary here; in total, it's about 17 minutes long. Go make some popcorn, make yourself comfy, and enjoy!

Greetings from Hagerstown, Maryland! I had intended to write a travel update last night while attending to our last-minute packing issues, but managed to forget almost everything on my to-do list after realizing that neither of my guitars were in travelling shape. But, now that my guitars have spare G strings and capos tucked into their cases, I’m free to update you on our situation!

I’m not sure if this made the national news this week, but Maine has been absolutely inundated by the aftermath of a major rainstorm that came and melted the remains of last winter’s snowpack. There were a couple of tense moments last night when we were wondering if the bridge near my parents’ house was going to hold, but we woke up to a beautifully clear sunrise, and left Maine around 6.30 this morning.

It’s great to be on the road again! A lot of you have been praying for Karen’s health, and I’m glad to report that the new decaffeinated version of Karen is holding up very well after our first day out. (Travelling is surprisingly restful when compared to the chaos of the Muellers’ packing process.)

We are currently on our way to Chickamauga, Georgia, where we will be staying with some old bluegrass friends in between our sets at the Boxcar Pinion Bluegrass Festival in Chattanooga, Tennessee. I’m also looking forward to attending a night of Fat Shirley’s Trailer Park Opry, a bluegrass musical in two acts that was written by my songwriting buddy (and good family friend) Tom Brown.

I’ve been taking lots of pictures of sights along the way, but realized during dinner that I left my digital card reader on my desk, so pictures will have to wait until next Monday, when we arrive back in Maine. They’ll be posted on Blank Page of the Road, the official Muellers blog, which you can always find at http://blankpageoftheroad.blogspot.com/.

Until then, be well, do good work, and stay in touch!

All the best,

Tom Mueller