Oceanside, CA to Macon, GA- The Last Waltz
Macon Bound!
Atlanta, GA | Macon Bound! | Musical Influences- Why I traveled to Macon | The Last Waltz - Ronnie Hammond's farewell performance

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I was awaken the next morning by a call from United Airlines, the prodical luggage had returned. I was a little embarrased as I told the lost luggage guy that my bag was black, when it fact it was blue, but what the heck at least I got it back.  We returned to the airport to pick-up Patti & Kellen and begin our Macon run.  It was an easy trip down to Macon as Kellen was from Macon. 
 
Seeing Patti and Kellen at the airport was great, I recognized Patti right away from the picture she had sent me.  Kellen was a little tougher as she said she would be waring "black & red," and that was all we had to go on.  Unfortunately, I think every other lady that came by us had black and red on- must have been a Christmas thing.  Patti started asking every lady with black & red on, "Are you Kellen," and she kept doing it until we got ahold of the right one. 

Sheri Floyd (NC) - Bob Blevins (TN)
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Bob B is the point maan for the Champagne Jammers

Dee & Amy
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Muscle Shoals, AL

When we arrived at the hotel, the party was well under way.  The first people we saw on the hotel balcony were Jep, Bob B, Sheri, and Southern George (who flew in all the way from Vienna, Austria, by way of an anonymous donation for his plane ticket).  It was hugs all around as us Jammers had written to each other many times and some of us had spoken to each other on the phone, but we had never seen each other in person.  It was just like meeting long lost family- what an incredibly warm, kind, bunch!  Soon Tim from Gainsville, GA showed up, then John Richardson and his wife (John stepped up and had t-shirts made for us all, as well as some extras to sell at the show), then Dee and Amy from Muscle Shoals, AL arrived.  Gail and her son Josh (from GA, I believe) were already there as well.
 
We visited for awhile when someone said that Ronnie Hammond was going to stop by on his way to a radio interview.  We waited around for awhile then Patti announced she was so hungry she was going to take a bite out of someone, so we figured we better get her something to eat.  Fortunately, there was a Waffle House right next door to satisfy the hunger pangs.  On the way over to the eatery I got a call on my cell phone- it was Rene Punch from Oklahoma.  I asked her where she was, and she said at the hotel, room 103, which we were standing right around the corner from.  I ran over to the door and started beating on it, and when she opened the door I gave her a big hug.  She then hugged Patti & Kellen, then started talking to me on the phone again, not realizing it was me that rushed through the door and hugged her.  She said, "oh shoot, I lost him,"  I said 'No you didn't, I'm right here!"  She was shocked, but it was a great kodak moment, unfortunately, I didn't have my camera with me.

Jep (Not sure where he is from) & Jim Markham
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Jim drove all the way from St Louis to be at the show

Kellen, Bob, and Gainsville GA Tim
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Coming soon- The SHOW; Our morning with Ronnie Hammond; Rose Hill cemetary; The Dew-Drop-Inn; Hooters.......stay tuned...