Thank You

As the Roadmaps Tour comes to an end, we wanted to take a few minutes to thank the people that made the tour what it is. We were so fortunate to have a host of incredible hosts (hehe) that truly shaped this trip. Each one of our hosts did everything they could to make our stay with them unforgettable, and they each found a way into our hearts. We consider ourselves incredibly lucky to have made so many new friendships, and to have continued some old ones. As a thank you to each one of you guys, we thought we’d write small individual notes for you. We wish we could do more to show our appreciation, because you’ve really affected our tour (and through that, our lives) in such a positive way. We won’t forget you guys. If there’s ever anything we can do to help you out in any way, please don’t hesitate to ask.

Grace (Chicago):

We rolled into Chicago knowing that we’d have a place to sleep for the night. Little did we know that you would do everything you could to make our stay in your city the most enjoyable it could possibly be. Right from the beginning, when we picked you up in order to find parking, you spared no expense in helping us out with every little detail of our stay. Yes, the parking was a mess, but clearly that wasn’t your fault, and at least now you have a friend at the police department! You organized a great house-show to kick off our tour, and even sneakily got us dinner while we were showering and getting ready to set up. You set the host bar pretty high, and we want to thank you for that.

Brossman/Corcoran Family/Annabel Lee (Mr. & Mrs. Brossman, Oli, Abs, Caroline, Karina, Lena, Matt, Stephanie, Beverly (Seattle):

Above and beyond all expectations, you guys all really made our stay in Seattle unforgettable. For the rest of the tour, whenever we were asked about our favorite places, Seattle came up immediately. From Mrs. Brossman’s delicious family dinners, to the good times at the Reggae-infused Afro-Funk club, meeting you guys was an absolute blessing and we both consider ourselves very fortunate to have done so. Aside from that, the thought of moving out to Seattle has crossed both of our minds in a very serious manner, and your hospitality and overall happiness and helpfulness has a lot to do with that. The Annabel Lee songs stuck with us for the rest of the tour, and we were constantly thinking about you guys, wondering how your respective tour would go/was going. You’re all incredibly talented, and there is no reason for your music not to catch on and grow as you continue to share it with those around you. A heartfelt thanks to all of you – we won’t forget our stay in Seattle.

Camden and the Timbers Army (Portland):

Thanks for making our stay in Portland unique and unforgettable. We didn’t know what we would be getting ourselves into by staying an extra day, but you promised it would be worth it. You were 100% right. Experiencing the Timbers and the passion that the Army has for its team was incredible. You also made sure we knew that the Timbers Army is completely and radically against any sort of homophobic or racist chants, something that we forgot to mention in the blog, but that certainly deserves to be mentioned. Waffle Tacos ruined our game in the best of ways, and we will never look at a food cart the same way. You also introduced us to Aziz Ansari, and every night after we left Portland, Devin asked me if we could “watch Aziz.” Literally, every night. Thanks for opening your doors, and for getting us off the hook with that $50 parking ticket. You’ve always been a good friend to me, and now you’ve made a new friend in Dev. Hopefully we can come out to visit again.

Hannah & the Honzel Family (Klamath Falls):

Even though our stay in the bustling metropolis that is Klamath Falls, Oregon was very brief, you made sure to make it as comfortable as possible for us. Beds had been prepared for us, and you opened your fridge for us at 2:30 in the morning. You didn’t have to do all the things you did, but it was never even a question for you, and we really appreciate that. Oh, and you made us pancakes in the morning. It doesn’t get much better than that. Was there mold on the maple syrup? Debatable. Did I have it anyway? Absolutely. Okay, you were a little camera-shy, but you really did everything to make our short stay in your “city” a great one, and hopefully we’ll be able to repay the favor at some point in the future.

Ty (San Francisco):

All I should have to mention is that you found us a parking spot for our 40 foot rig in the middle of downtown San Francisco, literally about 25 feet away from your apartment. But aside from that, you ignored the fact that you had to work in the morning and went out with us to experience the city anyway. San Francisco holds a special place in our hearts because we got to meet the fabulous Greg Brown there – a moment that I’m sure you won’t forget any time soon. Your street-side freestyle, while perhaps not entirely blog-appropriate, will bring us entertainment for a long time, I’m sure. We can’t thank you enough for the good times.

Ariadne & Her Roommates (L.A.):

We did not believe you when you said that our rig would fit in your driveway, but you proved us wrong. And then you let us park it there for our entire L.A. stay. You prepared our beds and laid out blankets for us, even though you had to work early the next day. We really appreciate all of your helpfulness, and the fact that you weren’t troubled by our 40-foot inconvenience camping out in your driveway. You supported us with everything and brought your roommate out to our show, even if you were one of about 9 people there. You helped us out so much, and I hope you know that you have 3 different open doors if you ever decide to make a trip out to the East Coast.

Kenn & Katie (L.A.):

I still don’t really believe how much you did for us. You picked us up in your car and acted as if you had been hired as our chauffeur. You drove us wherever we wanted to go, making helpful suggestions along the way. You video taped our performances, including the one in the hills, and supported us with everything we did along the way. You also got to meet Lejon with us – the first celebrity we met in L.A. Your apartment was a fantastic break from sleeping in Esperanza, and you truly went out of your way to give us whatever we wanted. It’s people like you that made this trip as special as it was. We love you. And Katie, too.

Allison & the Wilhite family (San Diego):

You live in a palace, and you were gracious enough to let the entrance bridge down and allow us to pass over the moat and enter its gold-embroidered doors. Your house literally took the breath from our mouths, and the friendliness of your family and friends was incredible. It was as if we had been accepted into the family for a few days, except we didn’t have to do any chores. You and your family did everything for us, from breakfast to an amazing buffet dinner. You really made our stay in San Diego special, and I hope you won’t be disappointed if you come to visit us, because none of us live on top of a canyon.

Blakely & Sara (& Erin) (Austin):

We feel kind of bad because we almost felt as if we invited ourselves into your apartment. We asked to use it for a shower, and then basically just ended up not leaving. You were the best of sports, however, because you totally opened your doors and allowed us to do whatever we wanted. You showed us around and went to our show with us, basically dropping everything you had planned in the process. You showed us the Austin that we wanted to experience, and made sure that we didn’t get to bed before seeing all the things we needed to see. And by that I mean $1 beers everywhere. Austin is as awesome as you’d always said it is, and I’m sorry I ever doubted you. It is incredibly hot, though. We think it might have something to do with the immense quantity of attractive girls. Okay terrible joke, but seriously, thank you so much.

Monykah, Quiggley, & Gulliver (Nashville):

Continuing the trend our other hosts set, you were absolutely amazing to us. You had beds ready for us and had already checked out many different places in Nashville that we might be able to play. You also went out and got snacks, just in case we were a little hungry. Laramie is a lucky man, and I’m sure he knows it. You drove us around wherever we wanted to go, and you made sure that we didn’t miss the highlights of Nashville, including Music Row, and that awesome frozen yogurt place. Because of the complications towards the end of our trip, you were asked to be very open and flexible, and you never complained about any of our ‘problems.’ We all really appreciate everything you did for us, and we really hope we can repay the favor at some point. Oh, and your dogs are the best. I feel fortunate to be able to call you my friend, and you’ve made 2 new friends in Devin and Brendan, that’s for sure. We wish you all the best with your music, and make sure to let us know if you’re in need of a wedding band…

Our greatest love and thanks to all of you. This tour wouldn't have been the same without you.