#theslam

After donning our epifanny packs and neon tanks, we hitched a ride to NYC with Mama Judes to get our flight for Omaha, Nebraska (state slogan: "the good life")!

... too bad it was delayed an hour and a half. Lucky for us we had our instruments to play and reality checks to make. And a camera! What's more entertaining than selfies? Animal selfies.

Boredom makes the crazies come out.

Sorry, we got a secret paw shake.

Horse photo bomb!

Always wear a helmet.

Kitty kiss!

There's a pooch in my pouch.

We meet another airport stranded human with a (epi)fanny pack! Naturally we give her a reality check and take a photo. They ARE coming back.

Happy faces.

We finally make it on the plane, and are waiting for take off when we find out that our flight needs more fuel? Because of a reroute? Which means a flight cancellation, apparently. Luckily, all is good because we got sister Omi and a free ride. Meet an Australian who helps us with Bianca and Leslie's (aka Bi & Les, biker chicks from down-under) accent. Eat pizza at 1 am and pass out.

Make it to Omaha drama free in the mornin'. First stop, food and sun screen pick up! Find Kenny, Hannah, Matty > fellow festies! Kenny aka Gken-E is opening Love Fest with his heartBEATS.

Score a golf cart ride with the one and only Peter.

 Let's get trashy.

Make camp! And then go to find babe palace.

Home sweet home.

Sighting: Three babes.

Some animals made their way to Love Fest in the Midwest too.

Try me.

Spent Friday morning practicing our set for new friends Bryan and Star. Our show was SOMUCHFUN. Friends Betsey and Lillian came from Iowa City to support, the Babes and Joel were there, and many more familiar and unfamiliar faces. Reality Checks were served. XXXmas came early with Randy the Rainbow Reindeer and Santa Clausenstein.

Soon we'll have enough for a Slam Up quilt.

Spent the rest of Love Fest listening to music, dancing, laughing, singing, slamming (up), and sharing stories/hugs/experiences. Nahko and the Medicine people ended the weekend with an amazing set, beating the storm that had been threatening all day.

Love Fest was one huge dose of some midwestern hospitality. And a reminder of why we keep sharing our stories. Thank you to all the friends, old and new, who made our first music festival as Slam Up remarkable.

See you next year Nebraska!

peace/love/slamup