Well it’s been one year since the current concept of Cowboy Gypsy was birthed into my mind. It happened in New York City, and was then confirmed in Raleigh, NC. I was in NYC wearing cowboy boots thinking to my self, “What would it be like if you could take a couple of real rodeo cowboys, and drop them into various urban settings? How would they react? More importantly, how would people react to them?”
In my mind, that’s the stuff of reality television. In fact, I still think it’s a great idea.
At some point I need to take the time to tell you about that trip to New York. There are actually a lot of trips you need to hear about. But I’ve realized I’m a bad blogger. I’m too busy taking trips. My friends often ask when and where is the next adventure. That’s the exciting aspect of being a gypsy…you never know. There’s not a lot of planning. You just have to see where the wind blows and follow it. In fact, a lot of folks have asked me what a “Gypsy Trip” is.
Well there are a couple of rules (Yes! Even gypsies have rules):
First, it can’t be expensive. There are no five star hotels involved…or four…and rarely three. Unless Chad Allen is involved…then it has to be at least three. He’s gotten accustomed to a comfortable bunk. But the most obvious reason that it has to be inexpensive is that I don’t have a lot of money. But I’ve learned a few tricks. This is one aspect that truly makes it adventurous. I’ve stayed in some places that have made people question my sanity. But hey….it leaves more money for other important things.
Secondly, it can’t be overly planned out. You’ve got to leave room for your spirit to breathe. What little plans there are must be changeable and not sacred to the traveler. The best times I’ve had have been the ones that took me by surprise. Like the 36 hour layover due to a cancelled flight in New York. If it hadn’t been for that extended time in the city the Cowboy Gypsy concept might never have been birthed. Most people would’ve been upset that a flight was cancelled, angry that they had to miss a day of work (sooooo NOT my problem), or frustrated because they hadn’t “planned” on it. Instead, I rode into Midtown Manhattan, found a hotel (with a slightly higher star rating than I usually frequent), then decided to see everything I could in the city over the next 24 hours. I saw a lot. I met a lot of people who spoke with strange tongues. I explained what “Y’all” meant more than once. I made some friends. And most importantly I learned things I never would’ve otherwise. Now that’s what I call living.
Third, there needs to be a pursuit of knowledge (people, places, things). What does that mean? You HAVE to meet new people. There’s an art to that. If you have a problem doing so then you need to take a trip soon with Chad Allen, DJ, and myself. You’ll learn from the best. We’ve met tons of good folks and visited some great places. Sometimes that can be an adventure all in it self. Just like when the guy from Chicago tried to pull Chad’s cowboy hat off his head in a crowded bar and Chad almost kicked his ass, but then we almost got OUR asses kicked by twenty-two of his friends (yes, I counted. I kinda figured it was gonna be the last thing I ever did in life, and I couldn’t think of anything more meaningful to do in that moment). Long story, but by the end of the night we were all buddies, which is a lot better than death.
