Bicycle Touring Playlist, Final Edition

I asked and you delivered, in style. Thank you for all that contributed. Here are the songs to make it to the playlist and a little comment about each one. They are sorted chronologically based on response.

1. Graceland – Paul Simon. [Emmily] Beautiful selection from one of the most gifted songwriters ever.

2. Take It Easy – The Eagles. [Debi] The epitome of road trip songs.

3. Intro/3 Strange Days – School of Fish. [Phil] This is one of my all time faves and totally conjures memories of Tucson. Awesome pick! (I added Intro...wouldn't be the same without it.)

4. Performance – MC SpandX. [Mike] Truly, the most inventive and creative selection. I can't believe I haven't run across this before.

5. Comfort Eagle – Cake. [Mike] One can never go wrong with Cake but this reminds me of our trip to the hat tournament in Salt Lake City, playing beer pong in the hotel, and streaking the fields. Good times.

6. Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) – Beyonce. [Po Ling] I take this was a jest selection but given that I went dancing with you one time maybe you were trying to evoke the memories of that night.

7. Are You Gonna Be My Girl – Jet. [Po Ling] Rockin' till the cows come home.

8. La Camisa Negra – Juanes. [Ray] Wholly unexpected style but a cool song nonetheless. Don't worry about the lyrics, as I would have never known it was about unrequited love. All I think I know is that it's about a black shirt.

9. That's Not My Name – The Ting Tings. [Diane] While I've heard some stuff from them I never heard this. Good pick.

10. I've Been Delivered – The Wallflowers. [Diane] Again, I know The Wallflowers from their first album but never heard this song.

11. The Engine Driver – The Decemberists. [Amii] The Decemberists are cool because they play Ultimate. This song is cool because you selected it. However, I hope the lyrics are not directed at me. I've only listened to it once but it sounded somewhat extreme.

12. Heart In A Cage – The Strokes. [Amii] The Strokes' debut was phenomenal but I shied away from their more recent stuff. Thanks for forcing my hand.

13. Say What You Will – Fastway. [Kimberly] Oh, yeah! High school all over again.

14. Sideways – Dierks Bentley. [Leigh] Dammit, Leigh. Why are you trying to ruin my anti-country street cred? I take solace in the fact the some people on youtube.com don't think this is a country song.

15. Coma – Guns'N'Roses. [Phil] I thought you blew your wad with 3 Strange Days but this has no comparison. Kill the lights and jump in the papasan. No, he's asleep.

16. Free And Easy – Dierks Bentley. [Leigh] Alright. I get it. Sometimes the GAC can produce some good tunes.

17. Small Bones Small Bodies – Future Of The Left. [Nick] Sorry, bro, I like their debut better.

18. Around The Block Again – Drivin'N'Cryin'. [Doug H.] I would have never heard of these guys if it wasn't for you. Brilliant pick.

19. In The Future – Bushwalla. [Ami] Killer addition to my repertoire.

Mayoral Heads Up

A couple of years ago on March 21, 2007, I wrote to my friends in Madison informing them I would be visiting. As an act of pure silliness, I cc'd the mayor of Madison, Dave Cieslewicz. Here is the text of that email:

I just thought I'd let you know I'll be in Madison at the end of May. I'll probably arrive the afternoon/evening of Sunday 5/27 and will depart the afternoon of Wednesday 5/30. Plane tickets have been bought. Cars have been reserved. Mayors have been informed. (Keep up the good work, Dave!) Hopefully there'll be less snow than the last Memorial Day I spent in Madison. In any case I look forward to seeing you all!

Warmest Regards,
Doug Devine
UW Alumnus and Greenbush Homeowner

The subject line of the email was "Doug + Madison = Fun".

One day later one of my friends replied to the note, implying her sister and I should spend some time together. Here is the text of that note:

Doug + Madison + my sister (aka "I don't think you're ready for this jelly") = a good reason for the rest of us to go out drinking and leave you two alone. ;-)

Anywho... we are definitely looking forward to seeing you!

The kicker to this note is that she replied to *all*, including the mayor. We all laughed heartily at this oversight and no harm was done.

Fast forward to yesterday, I once again sent a note to my friends in Madison informing them I will be visiting. And once again I included the mayor in the note. This time I put him in the to: field and directed the note more to him.

Greetings Mayor Dave,

I am once again returning to your fine city. You see, I graduated from the University of Wisconsin and some of my favorite people on Earth currently live there. I own a house on S. Randall and would one day like to live there again. Has Madison reached its limit for chiropractors? I hope not, as I will be one in the near future and would like to guide the fine people of the state capital to great health. Do you have a chiropractor? I know a great one. (Hint: me! Eventually.)

I look forward to engulfing myself in Madison and anxiously await your confirmation of my visit. (My flight lands in Madison at 2:31pm on August 17th. Can you pick me up?)

Warmest Regards,
Doug Devine
UW Alumnus and Greenbush Homeowner

I got a little sillier this time, going all Letters From Nuts on him. I was giggling authoring the note and my friends got a kick out of it too. I didn't expect anything else to come of it but today I received an official response from the mayor's office:

Hello Doug,

Thank you for contacting Mayor Cieslewicz regarding your arrival this Monday, August 17. Welcome Back! Unfortunately, your ETA coincides with the Mayor’s Operating Budget Meeting, so he is unable to pick you up from the airport.

We hope you enjoy your visit.

Sincerely,
Connie

Connie J. Phair
Office of Mayor Dave Cieslewicz
210 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Room 403
Madison, WI 53703-3345
(608) 267-1974 (direct)
(608) 267-8671 (fax)
(608) 266-4611 (Mayor's Office)
(866) 704-2340 (TTY)
cphair@cityofmadison.com

No way! How cool is that for the mayor's office to indulge my rambling? Mayor Dave has my vote for anything. Connie, too, for that matter...if she ever decides to participate in an election as a candidate or anything else requiring people to vote for her (eg, Hall of Fame, Homecoming Queen, American Idol, etc.)