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VW Bus Tour has been great, but sometimes it's nice to take a break from the road. At least a little break. I'm excited to get back in the studio. I motored on up to Traverse City, Michigan. I was lucky it was close to the holidays so I could catch both of the Bihlman Brothers. As I've said before, those guys are totally pro. I hope they'll be available to work on the soundtrack for the bike book, Moment in the sun. But that's a little down the road...

One of the songs we recorded is really new. I wrote it in California, inspired by wine country and some other experiences of the road. We went for an organic lo-fi edge on a couple of the other tunes. We have a few parts to add, as well as mixing before us. There'll be more to write and hear soon.

With the first snow fall of winter, I'm still wrenching on my VW Bus. It's almost as routine as a cup of tea (or coffee) in the morning. That's just part of life, I guess, on a VW Bus Tour.

Many have been asking what's happened to me. I'm alive in the world and still learning. I'm still not sure what all this time and distance is uncovering...especially traveling alone.

I'm drawn to the road to discover, not escape. I'm not fleeing from anything. Looking at my past history, it seems I swing like a pendulum rocking to the extremes. Sometimes I make my voice heard, sometimes I'm a recluse. I've found both necessary.

What moments are meant just for me, what do I share? What words could describe crossing the northern most border into ...California and those redwoods greeting me like an old friend returning home? What could I say about bathing in the Pacific ocean, or changing the oil in a costal parking lot. How could I describe the familiarity of sleeping in the bus right outside the club and bar I just played? How can I keep meeting complete strangers and leave feeling like old friends an hour later? How could I relate the humor of driving for half hour spurts amongst hour long breaks to combat overheating? Who knows what a mouthful of gasoline tastes like after siphoning it out of a automobile? No one knows what's happening to me out there. Not even my best friends know...not even me...

I've meant to update frequently... I'm forgetful about taking pictures too... Really, I say I don't take pictures because I'm too busy living it. I don't want to step out of the moment to break the flow just so I can own some piece of nostalgia...

My bus doesn't have wireless internet. Neither does the mountains, the ocean or the desert. My bus doesn't have an electrical outlet...


I've been filming, when I can remember, but mostly I've been living! When your bus breaks down in the Southwestern desert, miles away from any town, there's nothing more real. And when you realize the engine is smoking and that you truly are all alone, that's when the fun begins!

I have no idea where this is all leading me, but I'm along for the ride. It's been a blessing to break away from the modern world and its tech trappings. Please excuse my nonchalance, but I'm on hippie time, that old road and bus forces me to be, and I accept all of it!

BARB rolls on!

Ever since getting her back on the road again, it's been non-stop. I haven't been sleeping much, just winks in truck stops, parking lots, back roads and mountain valleys.

I've met some amazing people on the road. It never fails. Once the habits of a familiar and routine lifestyle fade away, the code of the road reveals itself. Breaking that complacent cycle means everything. You go out of your way to meet new people, to share experiences, to learn something new, whether it be about an individual, a town, wildlife, a person's trade or career... You name it! You create your own destiny by the day. That's something that gets lost in the fog of the years tramping the same path. Then again, that path is another destiny created, it's just not one I choose.


Tim, Maria, Freddie, Shirley, & Dwight really played a part in getting Barb back on the road. I look forward to seeing them again in WI. After those 5 days, countless hours wrenching, 2 tows, installing new parts and more parts, it ended up being a rotator in the distributor. Go figure some $5 part can bring the weight of the world. I remained positive, but I almost saw a big chunk of the dream and tour slipping away. I just thought back to what I faced on the bike trek, had a laugh, and knew I'd figure out some way to continue.

I high tailed it across the central states. The Badlands were amazing! I even got to meet The Bilhman Brothers' mother in Rapid City, SD. (Scot and Jabo Bihlman, drums and guitar/bass, laid the foundation to my new studio LP.) We did some filming by Mount Rushmore about being an Indie-rockers' Mamma. She was beyond supportive...

I have much more to tell, but I've got another gig tonight. More updates soon...

Peace ~ MP

I got reviewed in Belgium by Rootstime! Check it out here- www.rootstime.be

Then click on "cd reviews" on the left hand side of the page. When that loads, scroll down and you'll see me listed on the bottom of the page.


Peace ~ Palka

And...I'm off!

I raced like hell Wed. morning to get packed. Eventually you just have to throw all your shit in and figure it out on the road. What began organized, ended with dumping merch and supplies into boxes and bags. I had a show to play that night in Kalamazoo.

Film maker, Chris Rutushin met up with me for the first round of dates on the tour. He's adding percussion on his djembe and helping me film. I picked him up in Toledo and headed North.

Dino's is an amazing cafe near campus in Kalamazoo. They've got a chill vibe with exposed brick walls, comfy couches, a fire place and tasty food. The staff feels like they are your old friends.

Kaitlin Rose and I shared the stage for an excellent coffee house night of acoustic music. I think Katie is my favorite female singer songwriter. She's got an amazing voice, lyrics and her guitar playing is quite accomplished. An old friend of mine met me up at the show too. Mike just had his first child, a 2 month baby boy, but still hung out with us all night. We ended up crashing back at his place and took a tour of his "farm" via the bus.


I had my first casualty of the trip. Rounding the construction past Chicago, I was forced to drive along the rumble strips. It vibrated so badly that a hubcap popped off. I watched it bounce merrily until it hit the median. Perhaps that was a sign of times to come.

WI is an amazing state. We motored past Madison and into Spring Green for the first house concert. We were welcomed in style and class. Check out the cheese hats! Just about everyone took a turn checking out the bus, lounging with a drink, chill-laxing. Shirley's two sons even joined in for a late night jam session. An excellent host, Shirley had stocked up on some beer from the local micro brew and bottles from the winery on down the road.

The next day, it got interesting. Barb started losing power a mile out of Spring Green. Then 20 miles down she wouldn't run... I put in a call to Waterville Imports near my hometown. They gave me some trouble shooting tips. I wrenched for 5 hours trying my best. A good samaritan stopped by in a 64 Studabaker. He had a gas filter and some new tubing to try and solve the fuel issue that I thought might be the cause. It didn't do the trick. He offered a place to work on it and to crash for the night. I got the neighbor to tow it. That was on Friday night. I haven't blogged because it is now day 5 and I still can't get it running. I've wrenched everyday all day and spent the other time tracking down parts. You never know what you're getting into until you jump right in...

...Bozeman, MT and Friday is coming quick...I'll keep you posted...

It's 1AM. Sober. Tired. (written the night before I left)

I'm leaving the East to tour back West. This is the next big phase. In booking this tour, I looked at all of North America and asked "Where do you want to go? What haven't you seen yet?" There I'm going. Wisconsin. It's northern neighbor, the land of a thousand lakes. Big sky country. Bozeman. Yellowstone. The Great NorthWest. Back to Cali, north and south. I've got some old friends to make and meet. They're speckled across the country we need to catch up!


The Midwest has been kind on my extended stay. I've had more troubles than I imagined with the bus, but that's part of growing, part of the experience. Hell, BARB's hiccups led me to record an amazing album, led me to get to know some amazing friends and to expand my community of artistic and mad souls. Besides, hitting the road without that LP, just wouldn't be the same.

I'm so damn lucky. I get to meet people when they're at their finest. The sight of my dream wrapped up in my red bus melts fears away, or reminds them of some past life. Strangers share their stories with me, and thus, we're strangers no more. Maybe I'm making the world a smaller place, one person at a time...

I have yet to pack for what I hope to be 4 months of continuous touring. Two months will pass before I make it back to the Midwest. I haven't packed a thing and, oh well. I've been here dozens and dozens of times before. Maybe knowing that I have a bunch of stuff stored in LA gives me confidence. No. I'm doing what I love, and that makes all the difference.

I've been thinking about this gypsy life. A day without patterns...


Tuesday. I drove out to my folks today. The surrounding corn fields have grown too high to see over. Time, I thought. I helped my father clean out the garage so we could get the Model A out. It hasn't seen black top in two decades. I have a music video in mind - old world style, scratchy record playing on the victrola, small town life, dust kicking up behind those thin Model A tires and a classy lady in the passenger's seat.

Then I grabbed all the loose metal around their garage, as well as my old engine. I had learned enough, and figured I'd make a little extra cash by scrapping it. Then the day took a twist. I punctured a tire while driving through the scrap yard. No worries. I had a spare. I parked and started to jack it up. I grabbed the spare and bounced it as I rounded around the bus. SWOOSH, with every bounce. I chuckled, those hippie Mormons got me again. First the rebuilt engine that was kinda junked together with shoddy repairs, the slashed spare and...

...I smiled. I wasn't affected one bit. I don't live by clocks or routine. This was an opportunity. I was meaning to test the jack and spare anyhow. At least I was close to friends and family to get some help. I wished I had my camera to film. I decided to work on a new song. It came to me as I drove yesterday on route 80 just past the Akron exit. As I worked out the chorus, a handful of scrappers trickled in to ask about my travels and offer a hand to help. Human nature is kind. The tow truck was late. The scrap yard finally closed up after my two hours waiting there. I was forced to drive, the rim grinding and marched it's snail path below. They locked the gate behind me. I parked and waited some more. I thought about a Europe tour late this fall, a motorcycle trip from LA to Ohio at the end of the summer. I thought about the next novel that's halfway finished, the next album, the VW Bus Tour and the documentary.

I have time to grow old. I needn't be rushed. One step at a time, I thought. That's why I bought the bus, anyway. To take a slower pace and see all this beauty. To make this life magical.
Dreams are not chased, they are built.