Further... toward Darien Lake
August 14
The sun is shining, the humidity
is low, the Prankster spirits are bright... the previous night as you can
see to the left, George parked the Bus smack dab in the middle of a construction
site and didn't realize it until he woke up. We hit the road around 11am
heading north again leaving the great state of Pennsylvania whose commonwealth
has been put through the Test. We crossed the border into New York before
noon trailed by twenty hounds. 
The Bus is cruising through fruit farms growing apples
and grapes. This is Mogan David country because of the Concord grape growing
region. The air is just as sparkling clear today as Lake Erie which is still
off the Bus' port side. 
Caleb
is in the back giggling and playing with Swan, Duke is sleeping it off,
Anonymous is hanging out the window waving at all of the Phish Phans and
Deadheads driving along with us to the concert. Magical Mystery Tour is
playing on the sound system... we're a happy bunch of hippies. 
Anonymous now has a commanding presence
to every vehicle from her perch at the window waving the peace sign, smiling...
pranking.
Kesey says... blistered by the distance...distracted
by the dingleberries... soused by slurps of BABBS'S BEST... troubled by
terminals both positive vs negative and AC against DC... rattled by riffraptors...
stymied by stupagges...screwed up screwballs... battered by dingbats...
O, I could go on and on but the screendoor needs patched and the beanstakes
pounded.... Phurther!!! 
After a pitstop the Bus resumes truckin' up toward Buffalo. We are riding wheel for wheel with the Phishheads passing on the port side which is the left side for those of you who are not so nautically inclined. We have gotten over the feeling of salty doggism from the previous night. Even truckers are digging this multi-colored extravaganza. Touring motorcycles ride up beside us and groove with the vibe!
Babbs says... Pennsylvania
was very eerie but new york is green. phish phans are a real phad on the
phreeway. sunny but not too humid after cool and cloudy for the weather
has been our friend. good scene in erie park with pranksters totling and
people druing and dont forget to buy a button.
HEY WAIT A MINUTE... WHERE'S Mother Merry Furthur? SHE DIDN'T GET BACK ON THE BUS AFTER THE LAST REST STOP.
That's right..... Kesey says...
"need a BIG to Little"... Babbs says... "BIG to little coming
right up"...HEY LOOK IT'S MOTHER MERRY ON A MOTORCYCLE!!! WHERE THE
HELL DID SHE GET THAT? Mother Merry had apparently traded or hustled that
bright red Harley she was smilin' from to where she was going... apparently
Mother Merry Furthur absconded the chopper back in the parking lot of the
rest stop and here she was looking like Dennis Hopper in Easy Rider. Mother
Merry roared ahead of the Bus up to the toll booth at interstate 90 as we
entered the state of New York. She paid the toll and zoomed off so when
the Bus approached the toll taker, he just smiled and waved us right on
through, to the other side!!!
It's one thirty and we're at the
airport to pick up Jan and Tobias... why yes we have a temporary parking
permit officer, here look at this document on our computer. The security
guards were further placated by several hearty jokes and we easily passed
the parking test at the Greater Buffalo Airport WestTerminal. 
Equally adept at schmoozing is John, the director of Up
With People who had parked their eight passenger vehicle right in front
of us. They were sending an advance team to Norway. We were the advance
team sending the Merry Pranksters Further. We traded business cards and
advice but John politely declined the invitation to join us for a beer.
We're all in our places with bright shiny faces! Although
we are a tired bunch of Pranksters at this point... we all realize that
we simply must go f u r t h e r ! ! ! We're not too far from our next destination
which is Darien Lake, an amusement park with loop-de-loop roller coasters,
eighty foot high Ferris wheels, cotton candy, knock the metal milk bottles
over with a baseball games aaaaanddddd a large outdoor concert venue featuring
Phish!!! George pulled the Bus right into the heart of the parking lot scene
and we were overwhelmed by the young admirers. Kesey and the Pranksters
sprang to life. 
Mr. Buttonman
was first off dealing to one and all, Roy secured the back door, George
remained in the driver's seat for the cameras. Kesey, always gracious toward
those who seek the truth and wisdom began signing books and tickets and
anything they admiringly offered. Your intrepid reporter had not witnessed
this much unlimited devotion since the last Grateful Dead show! 
These Phish kids are alright. They learned
well from the thirty year Dead circus. The circle continues unbroken here.
By 7pm the sun was setting and the horde was entering the show. The Bus
had landed right next to the main entrance so the people with tickets all
had to shuffle past it as they entered. Of course the one fingered miracle
seekers all stationed themselves near the Bus hoping that the Pranksters
were going to be their access into the show.
After the parking lot emptied inside
leaving the typical debris from an overcrowded situation, the Pranksters
all boarded and George pulled the Bus into the backstage area while Phish
was playing their first set. As the Bus was tooling in, Kesey directed the
Pranksters to do what he wanted. The Tin Man and the Scarecrow were to put
on their costumes from Twister, Thor, the maaaaadddd weatherman should prepare.
Get the Bozos suited up and out in the audience... it's show time folks...
it's showtime here at Phish. The theme is We're looking for the lost Bozos.
Kentucky Maria, graduate of Our Lady of Perpetual Guilt High School, says...Cherish every moment of the day for the kaliedescope of life is constantly changing. Each combination only happens once.
Are the Phish Phresh?
YOU BET...
dig what happened inside the show!
