Delta Moon Pie
Delta Moon has a new van, and, after many interesting suggestions from our Facebook fans, we’ve decided to name it the Moon Pie. The deciding factor for me was that the spare tire cover on the back door (see photo) looks very much like a giant banana Moon Pie, a childhood staple of mine. Franher thinks it looks like the A-Team’s van, even though ours, a low-mileage 2000 Dodge, is white, and theirs, a 1983 GMC, was black. Franher was excited to realize Delta Moon has the same demographic as the A-Team.
We enjoyed traveling in comfort on the van’s maiden trip last week across Alabama and Mississippi. When we get to a town we like to park the vehicle and go afoot, the same as the A-Team. You’d think that would be easy, and it often is. Much of downtown Birmingham, including the Lakeview area where we played, is a delight to walk around in. But I’ve got to say Highway 280 on the south side is as pedestrian-unfriendly a place as I’ve ever seen.
Once a few years ago we stopped at this exit for lunch at a soup-and-sandwich chain restaurant. A security guard at the strip mall told us we couldn’t park there because our Ford van was not a passenger car. We were to park in another lot out of sight, and a shuttle bus would bring us back to the restaurant. I’m not making this up. Of course we left, which is probably what the guard and his employers wanted anyway. No riffraff allowed.
This time I wanted to walk from our hotel to the shopping center next door and buy some toothpaste. There was no sidewalk, really no place to walk at all. To get there, first I had to cut through the hedge behind the Chick-fil-A dumpster:
Then I had to climb this:
Then I had to walk around this corner into oncoming traffic:
Then I had to cross this:
On my travels I ran into two other pedestrians — Mark and Darren.
Landscapes like this make me despair for our nation. Once we build them we’ve got to live with them, even though it means surrendering our fortunes to countries like Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. Maybe I’m a hypocrite for writing this after buying a vehicle like the Moon Pie with its big V8 engine. But the van is pretty efficient for moving four guys and a load of gear from city to city. I should never have to use it to go next door for a tube of toothpaste.
Banana Kershaw Said,
February 9, 2010 @ 7:09 pm
Amen Brother Tom. The weird thing is that the Contractors who get these suburban, non-pedestrian nightmares are possibly owned by foreign powers.
Oh your pics were way too funny! Thanks for posting.
George Dudley Said,
February 9, 2010 @ 9:47 pm
Tom – that section of 280 was designed to completely eliminate out of state musicians who dare to attempt an onfoot adventure accross it. Glad you survived the jaws of death we call North Shelby County.
Margaret Adams Said,
February 10, 2010 @ 1:14 pm
UMMM.
I, myself, LIKE hearing about Delta Moon + all 4 band members.
But thanks for the hot tips as to what you’re listening to/watching.
AWESOME wheels.
How’s the gas mileage?
No sidewalks–looks like the California way of life is creepin in everywhere.
Been thinkin @ gettin LOVE/HATE inked on my knuckles, but got into a fist fight over which hand should say HATE…
Margaret Adams Said,
February 10, 2010 @ 1:15 pm
P.S. QUIT riskin’ your life on them city streets.
MERCY!
Les from Mpls Said,
February 13, 2010 @ 12:20 am
That is one lovely ride….sleek, chromium…flared and willing.
Is that a smoked plexiglass bug killer up front..??
Bugs in Mpls… they get 3-4 months…then, well…it’s not pretty…frozen death spiral
Get the new cd…by any means necessary
I bought a pre-released signed copy…i ripped it to my pc w/ Cowon JetAudio set to rip to FLAC at Compress Level 8 -Highest
DO NOT BURN ILLEGAL COPIES OF CD’S…I DON’T.. YOU SHOULD NOT EITHER…SUPPORT ARTISTS…TELL FRIENDS WHERE TO BUY THEIR OWN COPY…NO??
I listen with Klipsch thx 2.1 speakers or with Sennheiser HD280pro headphones
Once you hear it…you won’t listen to anything else…trust me….”Lonely”…the beginning…goose bumps…this is one of those rare albums that you listen to start to finish…like in the old days w/ vinyl?
This is now my favorite band…hands down…they just get better and better.
Fans…we must unite and promote…Blues Awards…Grammy’s…whatever…you know how to make it happen.
See the reason is…this ol’ boy would like to see these guys live in Mpls…or hey…i can drive to Chicago..Milwaukee (good beer there)…so please help promote the success of this great, great band!!
Les from Mpls