pdx vagabondDIY TOUR list
1- Do not put stickers on your touring vehicle. It attracts cops.
2- Bring your gear into the hotel or place you are sleeping that night (if you can). If not, have one person sleep in the vehicle (weather permitting). You’ll wish you made the effort when you get ripped off.
3- Do not carry excess amounts of cash on you. Crooked cops prey on touring bands and steal your cash when they pull you over.
4- Trailers are accidents waiting to happen. I’d rather have a vehicle carrying the gear and a smaller fuel efficient car to carry people.
5- If you do pull a trailer, get a boot for the wheels (in the old days we would jack up the trailer, take off the wheels, put the wheels inside the trailer and leave the trailer on jack stands.
6- Get a lock box that covers the trailer door latch (padlocks can be cut off)
7- Always drive the speed limit.
8- Leave as soon as possible for the next town. You’d rather be bored and early than late.
9- Don’t carry any drugs on you (do them at the gigs)
10- Do not separate from the group. I don’t care if that person you had sex with last night says they will get you to the next town. Ask Marky Ramone about that one.
11- Carry a full size spare, a 4 way lug wrench and a good jack. (try to get new lug nuts before touring if possible). You could spend 30 minutes changing a tire or wait 3 hours for roadside asistance.
12- Get a AAA membership (the first tow pays for itself)
13- Get a separate GPS from you phone. Phones get dead spots, GPS has a dedicated signal that is more reliable.
14- Do not talk shit online about a venue that you didn’t like. Other venues see that and it will affect your “bookability”
15- When you stop to eat, make sure you can see your vehicle through the windows while you are eating.
