The Long Road Home — July 6-14, 2007
"The Mad Dash" Part One

After our leisurely week in Portland, still accompanied by my increasingly pregnant niece Alice, we embarked on the part of our tour known as "the mad dash," a two week romp through seven states. Specifically: Utah, Colorado, Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas, New Mexico and Arizona. Here are some images of each.




The drive to Salt Lake City.

It's Mimi Cruz! Here we are at Night Flight Comics, SLC's premiere comics store, along with 24-hour Comicker Jett and her friend (whose name I forgot, but who was very cool) who stuck around until the end when I actually pulled out my camera. Lots of fascinating conversations at Night Flight. SLC has some very smart readers.

At dinner with the Cruz'z and Jason Alderman who was in one of my first comics classes at MCAD and helped set up the signing (thanks, Jason!).

Off to Nebraska!

Creepy giant Abraham Lincoln Head along the way.

Arriving in Boulder, we have enough time to grab some ice cream and check out a great local bookstore before...

... our Q and A at Time Warp Comics! Winter and Sky are thoroughly uninterested in my answers.

Lining up for signatures.

In Omaha, our first appointment is a sad one; saying goodbye to Alice at the airport. We miss you Alice!

Krypton Comics in Omaha was having a major face-lift when we arrived (we were warned in advance) --

-- but inside, the joint was hopping --

-- and the whole staff took us out to a great dinner afterward.

Next was St. Louis' venerable Star Clipper.

Gathering for the Q and A in their Gallery space.

Lining up.

A. J. Trujillo has created quite possibly the most beautiful comics store we saw on the whole tour. Here's a photo that utterly fails to convey how cool-looking it is, but if you're in the area, definitely stop in.

With an extra day in St. Louis, we actually got to see some local sights, including my favorite museum of the tour.

Here then are some images of St. Louis' haunting, strange and wonderful City Museum.




















NEXT: The Mad Dash Continues...