Days 31 & 32 -Red Wing to Des Moines, Iowa ( 263 Miles, 5410 Total)

History is a fickle thing. Sometimes down to the winning side it records the words, places, times of those who seem most significant, who are at the rudder of the world as it turns. So in years to come history will record that President (hopefully) Barack Obama returned to Des Moines, Iowa on the Friday before an historic election victory to deliver a key note speech on the very spot where he won hist first caucus on the road to the White House. Similarly it will record how he drew a record crows weeks earlier under the St Louis arch. What history will fail to record is that on both occasions Alan Park (aka Gruffalo) was either in town, or on his way, and that he missed history by a matter of hours and by now is getting a bit pissed at missing history.

As we strolled through Des Moines' east village this evening the signs of Obama were still present, a projected advert from a truck touring the town, and best of all the CNN election bus


So I missed history (again), but I'll live and were it not for this job I would be nowhere near this place right now. Maybe me and Barack can share a beer another time. Back tracking a tad, day 31 brought a killer 3 shows in the space of 3 and half hours. I had no sooner unGruffalo'd that I was stepping back into the sweaty jump suit to do it all again. Luckily Alex kept us all amused by raiding the theatre's wig (they had only 1).


All in a days work, but it did mean the rest of the day was seen from my hotel bed as I struggled to summon enough energy even to drink (I know!)

As you know today brought us into Des Moines 4 hours after history had left town. A day off tomorrow to see the land that gave us Bill Bryson and some famous statue of a woman clutching her breasts- neat!

Till then a pic from backstage in Red Wing.



Alan

State lines crossed 1 (19 Total)
Time Zones crossed 0 (2 Total)
Oil Changes 0 (1 Total)

4 Days to Election

Bumper sticker/ Yard sign/ Anything else advertising a candidate count:
Obama 139
McCain 68