4:53 AM Today: A van drives south. From Bend, OR to San Francisco, CA.

Mad Rad — Champagne Champagne. Played Bend last night, Portland the night before. Mississippi Studios is a great venue. We woke up early for an Into the Woods video shoot. Not much sleep has happened. The van is proceeding near Klamath Falls. Advisories are out. The road is winding and icy. Fog is thick in sections. Too thick to drive. No chains are on. Sir Thomas Gray drives. He is highly caffeinated. Iditarod Challenge. We are using the Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band van. A trusty vehicle (Thank you, Benjamin). Four rows of two humans sway. Thomas & Buffalo Madonna in shotgun, Mark Gajadhar & P Smoov, Radjaw & Darwin, Pearl Dragon & myself. Darwin is cranky. He smoked inside the van. And didn't want anyone to jack his pillow. Someone jacked it earlier. Thomas and I are the only ones awake. At least I hope he’s awake. This is how bands die. Driving through the night with no sleep, over icy passes. Every twenty minutes, I say, “Hey Thomas, you good?” He responds quickly every time, “Good, yeah.” I’m fading though, trying to be awake with him. There’s no radio on. Snow plowed off the road makes white walls. We’re in a corridor. It's too quiet. The pass is made, then descent. Thomas takes turns carefully, but it seems like we’re going too fast. Darwin and Radjaw sleepily argue. Around Weed, we hit I-5 and the going gets better. Mount Shasta is there. 11:00 AM we make San Francisco. The sun is out. Burritos are at hand. Elbo Room tonight.

• P Working. Never stops.

• Champagne Into the Woods Shoot