Old Blog Entry 14: Broad's Eye View Report - ROCHESTER HILLS, MICHIGAN - 08/12/05

2005-09-01 - 5:51 p.m.

Broad's Eye View Report - ROCHESTER HILLS, MICHIGAN - 08/12/05

I can't believe it's been almost three weeks and I'm just getting around to posting my BEVR. Thankfully, I took detailed notes throughout my trip, during the intermission, walking in the dark back to the car, etc.

Friday morning started off very hectic. I had to go get my haircut that morning on my way to the airport and I was late. I hate being late for hair appointments. It was stress city as Joe drove me to the airport cursing at every single person on the road.

Not to mention that poor Robin was having her gallbladder removed that surgery.

Once at the airport it hit me really hard that I was traveling all by myself to see CLAY AIKEN. I’m a very experienced traveler so it wasn’t the traveling alone bit that was giving me butterflies. I think it was just that I was traveling to see Clay Aiken by myself (as opposed to having Robin along). When I travel with Robin to see Clay the whole thing seems perfectly sane and normal. Two best friends flying to go see more friends and the love of their life, chatting and giggling the entire way. But doing it alone gave me time to reflect. And I found myself sitting in Concourse B of the Atlanta airport wondering into what new level of obsession I had just crossed.

I called Robin's husband to check on the success of her surgery. She was doing fine and would be going home shortly. It was hard enough to be taking this trip without her, much less not being able to talk to her.

While waiting at my gate I saw Carol (FL) and her friend. They had run into some travel snags and had been bumped onto my flight. It’s an odd feeling to run into another Clay Aiken fan at the airport who is flying across the country to see him concert, let alone another Broad.

I had some incredible reading material (courtesy of Wendy (FL)) which I read from the moment I took my seat to the moment I disembarked which helped take my mind off my new level of insanity.

I flew into Detroit and stepped foot for the time ever into the state of Michigan. I was to meet Nelle at the rental car counter once I had my suitcase. On my way to baggage claim I had to pass through this long tube like tunnel in the Detroit airport that is covered with plasma screens which were transmitting these pulsating hypercolored lights set to a some moody music. It was very trippy and I couldn’t help but feel a little like Alice in Wonderland.

I finally united with Nelle! I was so happy not to be alone on this crazy trip. We hit traffic and slowly made our way to Deb in Detroit’s house. Deb graciously held the Broadfest at her home which was only a couple of miles from the amphitheater. Jannet was outside when we pulled up and she immediately apologized for the humid weather. It was quite warm and very humid and felt very similar to Atlanta. My hair and I had very much been looking forward to a break from the humidity.

There were so many Broads at Deb’s house! I will attempt to list them, but apologies up front to any I miss. Pats (plus her mom and sister), OH Cindy, Pat in Indy, Karen Eh, Lynda (Karen’s imaginary, but gorgeous, friend), Merry, m.e.e., Paula and Diana in the Lou!, Nancy in the Peg, Heidi, Carol (FL), Sue, and of course the aforementioned, but worth repeating Jannet. Deb had quite a spread for us, even serving sliced watermelon. The Broadfest was wonderful, it was great reconnecting with some of my favorite Broads and meeting new ones!

Before I could barely swallow down 2 of the beers that I brought from Atlanta with me (yes I smuggled my Negra Modela in my bags) it was time to go. Thus ensued a crazy caravan of Broads trying to make it’s way to the Meadow Brook Music Festival at Oakland University. After several death defying u-turns in the rental car Nelle and I finally arrived.

The venue was beautiful, but tiny. Melissa, Kat, Kelly and Leah arrived while Nelle was standing in line for merchandise. Melissa, Nelle and I sat together towards the very back of the amphitheater. It was a total sap-fest with Nelle and Melissa, but it was great. One of my favorite memories of this concert is dancing with Melissa during the entire intermission. I took one very crappy picture as evidence that I was there.

Once the show started I was immediately struck by how vocal the crowd was, on their feet a lot and tons of screaming. “I want you, Clay!” “You�re a spicy meatball, Clay!” Huh? The crowd seemed very loud and I was in the way back. No wonder Clay loves to tour in the mid-west! And Ethel was in the house! I hadn’t seen her since the Charlotte concert and the famous humping she inspired Clay to do.

Melissa oh’ed a lot and kept grabbing my arm and leg. I enjoyed it very much. Melissa would sigh, Nelle would sniff and I would moan. We constantly swapped 2 sets of binoculars between the 3 of us. I was struck by how the lighting accented his cheekbones. I also have a note that says, “Clay’s hair looked beautiful!” Of course you can’t tell in my picture, so I snagged one of Tasapio’s (*bows before the ever talented Tasapio and her amazing camera*) to prove that Clay’s hair did indeed look beautiful that night, as did he.

That Friday night in Rochester Hills, Michigan Clay added an extra verse during his rendition of “I Can’t Make You Love Me.” And Nelle lost it. It had been one of her favorites on the tour and for her first show of the tour he sang the entire thing. Just for her, of course. And it was gorgeous. Out came the goosebumps (me), the tears (Nelle), and the uhhh...emotion (Melissa).

Clay decided to do another round of Stump the Band, something he had done only once before in Valdosta. Clay took a request for "Oh Girl," which happens to be one of the old Hometown Connection songs that we have video of Clay singing in a seriously shiny blue blouse. Since Melissa has a thing for Hometown Connection Clack, I thought that was very special.

The concert ended and we hugged and parted ways. Nelle and I had to drive to Clio, Michigan that night to stay at the Cinnamon Stick Ranch. We got lost several times due to some screwy directions. We ended up driving through Flint and taking the strip club/scary rednecks and their pick-up trucks sightseeing tour. It was getting really late and our 1 hour trip was turning into 2. We called the B&B and woke up the owners to ask for directions. They couldn’t even tell us how to get there and ended up getting us even more lost by sending us in the wrong direction on a road that turned into dirt.

Among the expletives that came out of my mouth that night I told Nelle that, “I am never ever coming back to Michigan.”

After placing a few more phone calls, we were able to get a hold of Pats who saved the day. Thank God Pats grew up in the Detroit area, she knew exactly where we were and how to get to our destination. Of course that doesn’t mean that Nelle and I found it easily. Nope, we missed some more turns and had to get more assistance from Pats. Thank you Pats for rescuing us, I really didn’t want to spend the rest of my life in a cornfield in Michigan!

Nelle had brought her ipod and we listened to Spotlightlover’s mp3's from the Cary, NC concert. Having Clay with us made the trip from hell a little more comfortable. However, Ipod!Clay! was very temperamental and didn’t want to cooperate unless I held him. Finally he settled down in the backseat - apparently he likes it back there. Plus, he couldn’t see Nelle’s scary driving from back there. (Sorry Nelle, you know I love you and I appreciate you driving so much!) But even in the backseat Ipod!Clay! would start fussing and I would have to reach back and adjust him trying to keep him in peak performance.

OH Cindy and Pat in Indy were at the ranch when we finally arrived. Pats, Nancy in the Peg, Jannet, Sue and m.e.e. soon followed. As exhausted as we were, we visited and talked about the concert until 3:00 a.m. before Nelle and I retired to the honeymoon suite!

*Thanks to Linlas of the Clayboard and Tasapio for the pictures!

**Much thanks, love and kisses to Nelle for being a fabulous travel buddy. I’ll meet you at any rental car counter in the world, you just name the time. I love you and would not have made this trip without you.