Further into the chaos from
the outset...the Bus blastoff location was changed due to a Sheriff Convention
being held in the parking lot of Lane Community College. Yes dear brother
Sheriff... those are Pranksters on that Bus! Families waved goodbye and
wished good luck as the Pranksters revved up, turned on and blasted off
into the Grand Future! Kesey, the Bus mixmiester, spinnin' CDs... Babbs
proclaiming edicts that reverberated inside and outside the Bus.
George Walker was at the wheel behind diffraction grating glasses that cause
white light to break into all the colorful frequencies of the rainbow.
Mountain Girl's incredible spirit filled the back of the Bus. Roy Sebern
smiled happily looking out the window of his starboard position. Mike Hagen,
the pickled piper shutterbug, continued his modern day mis-documentation.
Zane Kesey manning the video with John Swan mixing the visuals from the
onboard video console capable of wiping and swiping three video signals.
Eli Babbs and other Prankster offspring, neighbors and seekers happily
embarked southward as the GRANDFURTHUR Tour surged toward the Rock and
Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.
Along the way... the Bus left only
two passengers behind! Not bad... one was a television cameraman who disembarked
at a pit stop and was still washing his hands when the Bus pulled off.
The cameraman flagged down a willing vehicle and chased the Bus catching
up eventually in about eight miles. The other left-behind was non-other
than Ken Babbs' son Eli. Somewhere not far from Eugene, Eli was off the
Bus during a stop at a neighboring town saying hello to some friends...
no one on the Bus realized he had not boarded again...the Pranksters were
in full-tilt-celebratory swing... as Jerry sang, "they had two good
eyes but couldn't see!" Eli eventually joined the Bus... after it
drove all the way to San Francisco. Let this be a lesson kids... if you
get on the Bus... pay attention when that bell rings, you won't get much
warning.
The Bus made it as far as Red Bluff, California the first day where scores of well wishers showed up to greet the Bus. Kesey and some of the other Pranksters went to eat at a local diner... ever the ultimate Prankster, Kesey ordered all of the pies in the showcase and took them back to the Bus for dessert and potential food-fight. The Pranksters stayed in a local motel for some much needed shut-eye, upon awaking they discovered the Bus had been adorned with Roses. The local outpouring was almost overwhelming...but hey... no time for emotions... there is a long way to go. It was really nice to see so many interested people.
Next stop... San Francisco!
