Let me start by saying this was by far the easiest most relaxed drive I’ve ever had coming out to the west coast. Typically it’s either a mad rush with trying to make a show or a very stressful crawl not knowing if I’ll have enough money to cross the desert. This trip however was super chill with just enough stops along the way to enjoy the scenery while still making good time.

We hit Thousand Oaks (the burbs of L.A.) on Tuesday night about 11pm and boy oh boy were we exhausted. Hiking in the Grand Canyon then driving 8 hours doesn’t make for a very restful day. Regardless, thanks to a little In N Out Burger we made it alive and well.

Side Note: About a year and a half ago Paige toured Southern California with Invisible Children. She met tons of folks on that trip and through those connections we’ll be able to survive this trip with places to stay and people to hang with. Bailey and Rachel were two girls Paige met and they let us crash at their apt that night.

These two lovely ladies were great fun.

After a huge night of sleep we woke up and headed straight to Malibu. These people are living the life. The beaches and homes alike were incredible. I felt rich just walking through the sand.

Seriously I was a baller.

That night was my first West Coast show of the trip. I played Cal Lutheran’s NEED. This is kind of a coffee house set up that CL does every Wednesday. They invite artists out to play, provide drinks, and it’s super super chill. I had no idea what to expect and was blown away by the end of the night. We had a great crowd who was very attentive, I sold several records, and had some great talks with the Cal Lutheran gang. This was a wonderful way to kick off the trip. I don’t get to play very often for a completely new crowd so when I do it’s a great treat. I kind of look at those nights as a scale to whether or not I’m doing my job well. So far so good.

After the show we hit up a local Thousand Oaks bar with the girls and had a night cap. Good times were had for sure. Thank you Bailey and Rachel for being so good to us. Hope to see you Saturday.

David