First, you travel by van. Then, if you get successful, you graduate up to a tour bus. And then, if you get really, really successful, you get your own private plane.
But no matter what, if you're a touring musician, you spend a lot of your day sitting in a vehicle, watching the world go by outside.
You also spend a lot of money on fuel, which has become a real concern for touring bands this summer. Skyrocketing prices at the pump may be affecting bands' touring decisions, including making big summer festivals like Bonnaroo and this weekend's Lollapalooza in Chicago look a lot more attractive and cost-effective.
The Los Angeles-based Ditty Bops have opted to go in a completely different direction to support their new "Moon Over the Freeway" CD. The duo of Amanda Barrett and Abby DeWald are doing a three-month, cross-country tour, entirely on their road bikes.
With their instruments and equipment following behind in a (biodiesel-fueled) van, Barrett and DeWald have been pedaling their way east, from town to town, playing shows wherever they can. One can't imagine, say, Aerosmith biking across the country. But it seems like the perfect mode of transportation for the winsome and quirky Bops, who mix a throwback folk-jazz sound with art-school playfulness. When they were last in town around Halloween opening for Nickel Creek, they stripped down in the middle of their set to reveal skeleton costumes underneath, and Barrett also did a little fire-eating.

Brittany Hinkle of Holabird has the most expensive chicken in all of Hyde County. At last Saturday's 4-H Auction, Brit's Grand Champion Prize Winning Hen brought the queenly sum of $50. Brit's dad, Darrel Hinkle couldn't believe anyone would pay that much for any poultry. The hen, known as "Original Recipe" Shares the coupe with a rooster known as "Extra Crispy". See not only did the generous benefactor pay 50 big bills for the chicken, he let Brit keep it. Who is this benevolent man. None other than former Holabird resident, Dean Shepard. Some may wonder why he bid so much, while others wonder who bid $49.

There has been some discussion as to whether or not any or all of Brit's critters are going to the State Fair in Huron. The names that Darrel gave the chickens may lead some to believe that he intends on eating them. All of us here at the Holabird Advocate advise that you should eat those chickens a little at a time. It would be a shame to eat them all at once!

There seems to be a lot of debates about debates here lately. Getting an incumbent to agree to a debate these days is like getting Jerry Hinkle to pay for dinner. But does the South Dakota electorate really care if the candidates debate, or is it just wishful thinking that if they could just get the other guy (or gal) to debate, they could trip them up.